Scholtz crowned 2018 autObarn SuperHatch champion

Louis Scholtz has finished on the Class B podium at every autObarn SuperHatch race since the third round back in March and continued that run of form at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, 10 November to wrap up the 2018 championship. The Car Care Clinic Honda Civic driver won the first race and then made sure of the title with a controlled drive to second in race two.

Louis Scholtz claimed the 2018 autObarn SuperHatch championship at Zwartkops
Louis Scholtz claimed the 2018 autObarn SuperHatch championship at Zwartkops

In the morning qualifying session, Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Honda Civic) was comfortably quickest of the Class A brigade, setting a time 1.2 seconds quicker than Brett Garland (autObarn/Total Honda Civic) with Tyler Scott (Jestik/Episerve/EBC/Lopec Opel Kadett) in third place. Wouter Roos (Nathan’s Motorsport Polo) set the fastest time in Class B, fractionally ahead of Scholtz with Raais Asmal (Volkswagen Motorsport Polo) just over half a second back in third. Robert Stoltz (Jetstik / Episerve / Lopec Opel Kadett) claimed the bonus point for the quickest Class C time. He was followed by Matt Cohen (BHIT/Dunlop VW Polo) and Reno van Heerden (Monster Polo).

Jonathan du Toit and Brett Garland go side-by-side
Jonathan du Toit and Brett Garland go side-by-side

Karel Stols (Pretoria Noord Toyota Etios) held the early lead after the lights went out to signal the start of the first race but both Garland and du Toit had found their way past by the end of the first lap. The pair put on a superb display of close racing, often running side-by-side, but eventually du Toit took the lead and was able to open a gap that he maintained until the flag. Behind the leading duo, Scott worked his way through to third ahead of Stols. Nic Martin, out in a Peugeot 207 after the Rex Diff & Gearbox Opel Kadett he usually drives blew its motor on Friday, brought the unfamiliar car home in fifth with Shaun Smith (Pretoria Noord Toyota RunX) in sixth.

Scholtz was in no mood to be denied in Class B in the opening race. He took the lead on the opening lap and, although Roos was able to almost get within striking distance on the final lap, went on to take the win. Zane van Zyl (Credit Guarantee VW Golf) finished in third, less than three-tenths behind Roos. Asmal got the better of his battle with Mel Spurr (G& H Transport/Wealth Avenue/Castrol VW Polo) to take fourth. Alex Marques (Ace Auto VW Polo) finished in sixth.

In Class C, championship contender Almero van Eck (Monster Polo) and Stoltz were separated by less than half a second for the first half of the race but once Stoltz got through, he was able to open a gap and take his first win of the season. Behind them, Rudi Kronstrom (Goldwagen Krugersdorp VW Golf) worked his way up to third, but a technical infringement earned him a 10-second penalty which dropped him down to fifth. This promoted Cohen to third and van Heerden to fourth. Marius Rossouw (Building Code Consultants/Ilanga Signs/CW Motorsport Opel Corsa) rounded out the top six.

Last time out, the autObarn SuperHatch brigade was joined by the finalists in the Volkswagen Driver Search competition. This time it was the technicians that keep the VW Motorsport effort on the track who took to the circuit in a fleet of Polos. Michael Allers was the quickest of them in the opening race ahead of Dean Jeffrey and Wesley Rautenbach.

In race two Stols was again quickest off the line, taking the lead and resisting the early pressure from Garland and du Toit. Garland was the first to get through and opened a slight gap as du Toit took a little longer to get through. Du Toit started closing on Garland but his chase was halted by red flags after van Heerden’s Polo burst into flames at turn two. Once the fire was extinguished and the debris removed Garland took the lead at the restart but a lap later du Toit took the lead and went on to claim his second victory of the day. Scott joined them on the podium with Martin fourth. Andre de Lange (ADL Roofing Audi A3) and Floris Stopforth (Polo) were fifth and sixth respectively.

Scholtz again took the early lead in Class B while Roos slowly closed the gap, which was less than a second by the time the red flags came out. After the restart, Roos grabbed the lead and pulled away although Scholtz didn’t push too had as he knew that second place would give him the 2018 championship. Asmal took third ahead of van Zyl, who managed to get the better of Spurr with Donavan le Roux (Mechanical Masters Honda Civic) in sixth.

Almero van Eck leads Reno van Heerden
Almero van Eck leads Reno van Heerden

Teammates van Eck and van Heerden were running at the front of Class C until van Heerden’s polo caught fire. From the restart Stoltz was able to take the lead but wasn’t able to open a big enough gap to negate the advantage van Eck had built up in the first half of the race. This meant that van Eck took the win from Stoltz with Cohen in third. Kronstrom ended in fourth ahead of Juan van der Walt (Buiding Code Consultants Ford Fiesta) and Francois Henning (Select Registrations Toyota Conquest).

In the battle of the Volkswagen techies, Rautenbach took the win from Allers and Chris Stolle.

In the day’s overall standings, du Toit took Class A from Garland and Scott. Class B went to Roos ahead of Scholtz and van Zyl. Stoltz claimed his first overall win of the season in Class C with van Eck and Cohen joining him on the podium.

In addition to securing the overall 2018 autObarn SuperHatch title, Scholtz also claimed the Class B title. Class A went to Garland while van Eck was crowned Class C champion.