After the scheduled second round of the 2019 Car Care Clinic SuperHatch championship was abandoned due to problems with the Midvaal track surface, the drivers now make their way to Phakisa Freeway, just outside Welkom, for the annual Phakisa 200 on Saturday, 8 June. In addition to the 200km endurance race, the drivers will also have a short 8-lap sprint race on Saturday morning to gather as many valuable championship points as possible.
Nic Martin had a great start to the 2019 season in his Rex Diff & Gearbox Peugeot 207 and leads the way in the overall championship standings a couple of points ahead of Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Honda Civic) with Brett Garland (autObarn/Incco/Sabat Honda Civic) and Robert Stoltz (Jestik/Episerve/EBC Opel Kadett) tied for third another two points back.
In Saturday morning’s sprint race, the battle between the Class A drivers at the front of the field is likely to be between du Toit and Garland although Tyler Scott (Episerve/Jestik/Lopec Opel Kadett TS) and Andre de Lange (Roofsure Audi A3) will also be looking to get up to the front. Louis Scholtz (Car Care Clinic Honda Civic) made the step up to Class A for the first time at the opening event and finished just off the podium and could also be up at the sharp end of the field while Francois Henning (Select Registration/River End Trading VW Polo) will also be looking to grab as many points as possible.
Martin claimed two comfortable Class B victories at the opening round to lead the way in the championship and will be out to repeat that at Phakisa. His main competition is likely to come from Wouter Roos (Nathan’s Motorsport VW Polo), Mel Spurr (Itre Cugini/ATT/Metal Used Spares VW Polo) and Zane van Zyl (Credit Guarantee Golf) although Bryce Pillay in the VW Motorsport Polo, Ishmael Baloyi (Honda Civic) and Shane Forget (4Js Auto Opel Cub) could also feature.
Picking a Class C winner is difficult. Stoltz leads the championship standings from Freddy Watkins (VW Polo) but they will face stern competition from Almero van Eck (Taurus Polo), Reno van Heerden (X-Box Polo) and Andre Dannhauser who has changed the motor in his Pro Auto Rubber/Jestik Opel Corsa and will be joining the Class C brigade. Nathi Msimanga (ASEDA Engineering VW Golf) and Reaobaka Komane (Squadra Course VW Polo) will also be out on the track.
After the sprint race, the SuperHatch competitors will join their Car Care Clinic 111 Sports & Saloons compatriots for the Phakisa 200, which will see over 50 cars lining up to tackle the 200 km race. A number of drivers have elected to enlist the services of a co-driver for the event. Brett Garland has teamed up with former SuperHatch driver and current Polo Cup champion Jeff Kruger while Jonathan du Toit will share the driving duties with wife Tarryn. Nic Martin has roped 2018 Class A winner Chris Davison in to help him out. Most of the other competitors will take on the race by themselves. All of the cars need to make a compulsory pit stop at some stage during the race during which at least one wheel must be removed from the car and place on the ground before being replaced.
In addition to championship points for class positions, competitors still running when the chequered flag comes out will also score points in the Index of Performance, which measures consistency through the race.
Updates during the race will be posted on the SuperHatch Facebook page as well as the Extreme Festival Facebook page.
For those in the Welkom area, entry to Phakisa Freeway is free of charge.