Round 6 of the WPMC Karting Championships was a proper rollercoaster. Sparks were flying as the drivers took the track in a ferocious fashion.
It was a serious reminder of how close 2 stroke kart racing can be and while there were a few tussles we are glad to see everyone walk away safe.
Bambino (5th – 9th birthday)
The little guys had one mega race day! You could have flipped a coin to predict who was going to win. For kids aged between 5 and 8, they are really performing well beyond their years!
Zac Boshoff (Topkart) took a well-deserved and very hard-fought victory on the day. It all came down to the last race of the day for the winner to be decided! He also deserves a special mention for the amazing lap time he posted in Qualifying. It was the fastest lap of the day in the class and he was only 1 of 2 drivers to break into the 56-second bracket.
The fight for 2nd was just as good as any of the top 4 could have taken it. Taking that 2nd step on the podium, in the end, was RDSA driver Michael O’Mahoney (Topkart). He has been putting in some amazing performances and he’s on the verge of taking the overall win.
Finishing off podium spots was the current championship leader Liam Wharton (Topkart). Another tough day for him with his rivals once again beating him. He showed great resilience though to take the race win in race 3.
Carter Cedras (Topkart) and Caleb Lingeveldt (RDSA Topkart) brought it home in P4 and P5 respectively. Cedras would have hoped for a podium as he was in the mix all day. In the end, luck was not on his side. Lingeveldt however took his personal best overall career finish with his P5.
Slater Smith (Topkart) had an absolute blast in his 2nd ever race and enjoyed every lap completed.
Rounding off the results was Jayden van der Merwe (Black Widow Topkart). He really deserved a better result than P6. After qualifying in an incredible P2 he wasn’t able to start Race 1 due to one of his clutch springs getting jammed, which stopped the start from being started. He also had some proper pace so he will no doubt be in the mix for a podium at Round 7.
The only C50 driver Micah Corneilse (Topkart) also had an absolute blast as he battled it out with some of the C52 drivers.
Kid ROK (6th – 10th birthday)
Max Boshoff (Exprit) had a near-perfect day, taking 2 out of the 3 wins. It wasn’t easy but he rose above the challenge to take the win.
Logan Roehrig (Exprit) showed massive improvement and even took a race win to finish only 3 points off Boshoff ahead.
Younger Boshoff brother Zac, took a great P3 making it 2 podiums in 2 classes. A great weekend for the Boshoff family.
Max Denisov (OTK) and Aadiv Singh (OTK) rounded off the results with P4 and P5.
Micro MAX (7th – 12th birthday)
The top 3 had a good old scrap but it was Matthew Roach (CRG) who stepped up in emphatic style to take his first ever overall win. Among all the chaos he remained resolute and got the result he deserved. He got his elbows out and got the job down.
Michael Danks (CRG) is another title contender who did a magnificent job. He was often the quickest driver on track and used his pace to grab P2. He is showing massive improvements in what is a highly competitive class.
Aiden Beaumont (RDSA / Strive Racing CRG) had one of his toughest days this year. He looked uncharacteristically off the pace and just didn’t have an answer for his rivals. He maintains his championship lead but has made the task a bit harder for himself with 2 rounds left.
Nicolas Lennox (Zanardi) cruised home in a lonely P4. Liam Wharton (CRG) had the pace to Mach him but missed out on Race 1 which dropped him down the finish results.
Debutantes and brothers Arron and Aston van der Merwe looked right at home on the track. They tackled their first race meeting with lots of confidence and had big smiles all around.
Mini ROK (8th – 13th birthday)
William Marshall (OTK) dished up business as usual as he cruised to 3 out of 3 wins. With his reliability issues being a thing of the past he really looked untouchable and a cut above the rest.
Behind him it was anything but calm as the fight for the podium spots was real!
Aaron Mason (FTW LN Kart) recently moved up to the Mini Rok class and he is quickly making a name for himself. The youngster duked it out with much more experienced drivers to take P2 for the day. The racing was so close that he actually tied on points with Sebastiano Human (OTK) who had to settle for a P3. Great performance from both boys.
Cecil Koorts (OTK) was just 3 points adrift in P4. He also had a fantastic day and looks to be a strong contender going forwards.
Max Boshoff (Exprit) and Troy Ribeiro (Autocrat Motors OTK) had days to forget as they both received 0 points scores for one of the races. It’s a pity because their pace was strong and they would have also been in contention for the podium positions.
Mini MAX (9th – 14th birthday)
Championship leader Keagan Beaumont (RDSA / Strive Racing CRG) had one of his strongest race weekends this year. It was a phenomenal performance and we have to say, in that kind of form he looks near untouchable. Pole, 3 race wins and the fastest lap posted in 2022 so far, which did his Regional Championship and National Championship hopes a world of good.
Jordan Wadeley (EMR Kartsport CRG) gave it his all but just didn’t have the pace to match Beaumont ahead. It was still a very strong showing taking 2nd in all 3 races and adding some decent points to his name as well.
Matthew Chiwara (Sodi Kart) finally made his return to the podium. The youngster has been boxed out this year and has struggled to find consistency. But this past weekend was a much better performance and he can be happy with his efforts. Hard work always pays off.
Sabelo Ntuli (CRG) will be scratching his head a bit. 2 Regionals ago he was the man to beat and his pace was unmatched. Fast forward to this past weekend and he just didn’t have any answers. Always in the mix but couldn’t pull the final result out the bag. Still a decent result with P4 but he will be wanting more going forwards.
Dale Hobbs (Parolin) still struggling to find his best form and return to podium contention. He was once again off the pace and left behind in a lonely P5. Keep pushing boy!
Liam Koekemoer (Nashua Cape Town LN Kart) also struggled to stay in touch with the front pack. His pace is definitely improving but it’s difficult when the front boys keep pushing each other to new levels. P6 and some work to do!
Junior MAX (12th – 16th birthday)
Reese Koorzen (RKT Parolin) continued his very impressive dominance on Saturday with yet another 3 wins. His championship lead is actually scary at this point and as we reach the close of the season, mathematically chances are very slim that anyone can catch him.
Ethan Deacon (Stier Racing OTK) returned to some of his best driving and really separated himself from the chasing pack. He took what looked like an easy P2 on the day.
Ashton Repsold (CRG) seems to have a knack for always playing himself on the podium. He was always in the right place at the right time as he fought for P3.
Joshua Smit (LN Kart) had some great pace again but couldn’t fully capitalize in terms of his results. His best race was Race 2 where he managed to finish 3rd on the road. In his first year in his class, you have to admire his determination to reach the top.
Jude Stuart (CRG) and Jordon Wadeley (EMR Kartsport CRG) rounded off the grid of fiery and feisty drivers.
Senior MAX (14th birthday +)
Charl Visser (OTK) dished out a world-class performance. His smooth driving style and calm demeanour make driving look so effortless, especially at the speeds he was moving at. A new lap record in the class along with Pole and 3 race wins. He is in the perfect form for the upcoming National at Zwartkops Raceway in 2 weeks.
Reza Levy (CRG) and stablemate Matthew Wadeley (EMR Kartsport CRG) were firing on all cylinders as they took P2 and P3. The pair spent most of the weekend separated by a couple of tenths and never let each other take a breather.
Ethan Stier (Stier Racing OTK) was next up in what was a bit of a lonely P4. He was just behind the podium boys and if he can find a little ore will be right up there with the best.
Tate Bishop (Kosmic) rarely gets to feel what it’s like to not finish on the podium. The 2 x Senior Max National Champion came off the track early in Race 1 in an attempt to save his tyres for Race 2 and 3 where the SARMC points would be applied. The gamble didn’t pay off as he just didn’t have the pace to stop Visser,
Jaden Jacobs (OTK), Zac Laden (Kosmic) and Gio Hartman (CRG) completed this boiling pot of drivers.
DD2 (15th birthday +) and DD2 Masters (32nd birthday +)
Sebastian Boyd (Boyd Boss Freight BirelArt) stamped down his authority with a top-drawer race day. He left his rivals in his dust as he collected maximum points with 3 wins. He is another driver that looks ready for the Rotax National Finals.
Joseph Oelz (LN Kart) finished an epic P2 in a borrowed CRG kart. Showcasing his ability to drive anything fast, Oelz capped off a heroic effort in what is an older kart than what he is used to. The CRG kart definitely didn’t look out of place and had some great pace over the weekend.
Returning Jason Coetzee (Exprit) had a great battle with Oelz ahead. 2 quality drivers had an absolute blast and it was a very close finish in all 3 races.
Michael Jordan (Jordan Racing BirelArt) went head to head with some of the Masters drivers while also holding onto P4 in the DD2 class.
Gil Simoes (CRG) and Sheldon Diedericks (BirelArt) also mixed it up in between some of the Masters. They had a tougher time on the track but no doubt enjoyed the day as a whole.
MASTERS
Conor Hughes (OTK) and Jared Jordan (Jordan Racing CRG) had a massive battle to decide the winner of the DD2 Masters class. It was very close racing but in the end, it was Hughes who grabbed the overall by 1 point.
Marco Viegas (CRG) followed close behind the front 2 and added to the closeness of the racing. He finished 1 point off P2 and had to settle for P3 for the day.
Johan Hamman (Birel) enjoyed a very good return to karting with P4 and will look forward to joining the grid for around 7.
Andrew Thomas (CRG) and Neil Lambrechts (Zanardi) finished off the standings. Another tough day for Thomas who really deserves to be racing up front for podiums.
WP Clubmans (14th birthday +)
With 13 karts making up the final entry list, it was the biggest Clubman’s class we have seen in a long time. It’s great to see the Club’s most affordable and fun class growing once again.
Andre Le Riche (Seleka Racing Kosmic) took top honours and showed lots of quality to take the overall in this big pool of talent.
Gabi Lanfear (AMD Engineering / Cycle of Life CRG) is showing well on her karting return with a solid P2. She even took a win in race 2.
Sean Le Riche ( Seleka Racing Kosmic) made it 2 Seleka Racing karts on the podium in what was a fantastic fight for the final spot on the podium.
Luca Wehrli (OTK) and Jade Lanfear (AMD Engineering / Cycle of Life Kosmic) just missed out on that last podium spot, and will surely try to get hold of it next time round.
PJ Garbutt (CRG) managed to find some great consistency to take a solid P6 ahead of some stiff competition. Tailing him were the duo of Jade Smith (PCR) and Christopher Flack (Arrow).
The next bunch to have a full-on go at each other were Caitlin Walker (OTK), Declan O’Connor (CRG), Ethan Rutter (Arrow) and Dean Reichh (CRG).
Nathan Selly (CRG) would have also finished higher up in the order but in race 2 he finished with 0 points.
Conclusion
A race day of epic proportions. Every event gets better and the drivers keep delivering. With so many talented drivers involved the Sykes will keep getting higher and higher. Only 2 rounds remain so keep tuned to see how it plays out.
To all the drivers taking part in the Rotax National Karting Finale at Zwartkops in 2 weeks, all the best and bring those National titles home to WP!
Thanks to all the spectators for coming out and adding to the spectacle on Saturday!
Looking forward to the next one.
Issued on behalf of Western Province Motor Club (WPMC)