Formato stars in East London drama
East London is South Africa's fastest race track and it lived up to its reputation for drama on
Saturday.
Multiple South African champion Gary Formato emerged as the hero of the day, but there was enough
incident to keep even the most cynical motor racing enthusiast satisfied.
The Bridgestone Production Car series introduced a four-race format this season and Formato
became the first driver to go home with a full house of class wins.
Formato (BP Ford Focus), won all four Class T heats and, when the points are totted up, probably
did enough to take over the championship lead from arch rival Graeme Nathan (Indy Oil VW Golf) who
did not have a happy day at the office. Nathan managed only two trips to the podium - a second and a
third - and with two rounds of the championship left now has to mount a rearguard action.
In the premier Class A another multiple South African champion was both hero and villain. A rare
mistake by the hugely-experienced Hennie Groenewald (Sasol Subaru) on the run up to Beacon Bend on
lap two of the opening race put paid to the Subaru, and also left the Engen Audi S4 of Tschops
Sipuka and the two Afrox BMWs of Anthony Taylor and Melvill Priest hors de combat.
Both BMW entries were out for the rest of the day with a contrite and apologetic Groenewald
taking full responsibility for an incident that took much of the gloss out of the remaining
production car races. Michael Stephen (Engen Audi S4) took the first heat ahead of championship
leader Johan Fourie (Indy Oil Audi S4) Marco da Cunha in the Nissan Exa 350Z.
Fourie then took the next two wins, the second rather fortuitously, to cement his championship
lead. Race three winner Sipuka was hit with a jumped start penalty that dropped him to sixth and
gave Fourie the victory. Just when it looked as though Audi entries would take all four Class A wins
Groenewald, in team-mate Richard Pinard's car, then provided what was probably the drive of the day
in the final race. Groenewald produced all his skill and determination to withstand lap-after-lap of
pressure to hold off Fourie by a coat of paint.
Two high-quality SA Superbike and SA Supersport motorcycle races saw history repeat itself and
produced a new championship leader. With chief rival Sheridan Morais away on overseas duty,
championship leader Greg Gildenhuys (BMW) had the opportunity to open up a meaningful gap at the top
of the Superbike championship.
The last time Gildenhuys was faced with the same situation he faltered and Chris Leeson (Siris
Kawasaki) took maiden wins. History repeated itself with Leeson again taking both wins and two
seconds were a disappointing return for Gildenhuys who has now not won a race since April. Two solid
performances took James Egan (Rocket88 BMW) into third place in both races.
There was a change of leadership in the Supersport championship with a win and a second for Clint
Seller (Bikefin Honda) turning a three-point championship deficit into a six-point advantage over
Cape rider Dave McFadden (Pepper Kawasaki). McFadden was a disappointing fifth in the opening heat,
and then judged a second heat charge to perfection to catch Seller on the final corner.
Veteran Lance Isaac (Bikefin Honda) and youngster Cam Petersen (Siris Kawasaki) were second and
third in the opening heat, with Isaacs taking third in the second heat. With two rounds left the
battle lines have now been drawn between Seller and McFadden.
Two entertaining WesBank V8 Supercar heats also left the 'big banger' championship wide open.
Reigning champion Brandon Auby (Q8 Oils Ford 'Falcon') won the opening heat in the premier Super GT
Class ahead of brother Jimmy, in a similar car, who is the current championship leader. Veteran
former champion Ben Morgenrood (BM Ford 'Falcon') was third.
Jimmy Auby then won the second race from Franco di Matteo (Varta 'Jaguar'), Morgenrood and
brother Brandon only to be penalised for a jumped start that dropped him down to fifth. Auby lost a
protest to the stewards of the meeting and then lodged an appeal that left the results provisional.
As matters stand, however, only six points separate Auby, brother Brandon, Morgenrood and di
Matteo in the championship. An appeal court could, however, alter that situation.
In the GT Class veteran Des Gutzeit maintained his 100 percent finish record to consolidate his
position at the top of the championship. Gutzeit shared wins with Darron Gudmanz (Country Range
'Corvette') and added a second place in race one to take a tight hold on the championship.
Alberton teenager Devon Robertson (Sparco) suffered two rare defeats in the Engen VW Polo Cup but
still leads the championship by a country mile. Kyle Barnes (PG Glass) took the opening race ahead
of Bryan Morgan (Great Soft) and Robertson, with Kosie Weyers winning race two ahead of Robertson
and teenager Kelvin van der Linde in the Ferodo car. Both Masters category wins for drivers over the
age of 27 went to championship leader Lee Thompson (Ferodo). Thompson is a former VW Polo champion.
In the Formula VW single-seater series championship leader Robert Wolk (Midas) stretches his
series lead over Jayde Kruger (First Freight). Wolk won both heats and took the first race ahead of Kruger
and Ernie van der Walt (Southern Sun).
Race two saw reigning champion Simon Moss, in a second Southern Sun car, sneak in ahead of
Kruger. That earned Wolk and extra point or two and he is now in a position of strength in the
championship.
Championship leader Mathew Merton (Matsam Mygale) and James Temple (GWM Mygale) fought out two
great battles in the Midas Formula 1600 races. Merton won the first heat by a whisker with Temple
repaying the compliment in race two, with Nicholas van Weely (Anglorand Van Diemen) taking both
third places.
Results
WesBank V8 Supercars
Race 1
Super GT Class - 1 B Auby (Ford Falcon); 2 J Auby (Ford Falcon); 3 B Morgenrood (Ford Falcon).
GT Class: 1 D Gudmanz (Corvette); 2 D Gutzeit (Ford Falcon); 3 S Herbst (Corvette).
Race 2:
Super GT - 1 J Auby (Ford Falcon); 2 F di Matteo (Jaguar); 3 B Morgenrood (Ford Falcon).
GT Class - 1 D Gutzeit (Ford Falcon); 2 P Seddon (Lumina); 3 S Herbst (Corvette).
Bridgestone Production Cars
Race 1 - 1 M Stephen (Audi S4); 2 J Fourie (Audi S4); 3 M da Cunha (Nissan 370Z).
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 J Duminy (Ford Focus); 3 G Nathan (VW Golf6).
Race 2 - 1 J Fourie (Audi S4); 2 M Stephen (Audi S4); 3 T Sipuka (Audi S4).
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 S Duminy (Ford Focus); 3 G Bonafede (VW Golf5).
Race 3 - 1 T Sipuka (Audi S4); 2 J Fourie (Audi S4); 3 M Stephen (Audi S4).
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 G Nathan (VW Golf6); 3 G Bonafede (VW Golf5).
Race 4 - 1 H Groenewald (Subaru); 2 J Fourie (Audi S4); T Sipuka (Audi S4).
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 G Bonafede (VW Golf5); 3 E Levy (VW Golf GTI).
Engen VW Cup
Race 1 - 1 K Barnes; 2 B Morgan; 3 D Robertson.
Race 2 - 1 K Weyers; 2 D Robertson; 3 K van der Linde.
Formula VW
Race 1 - 1 R Wolk; 2 J Kruger; 3 E van der Walt.
Race 2 - 1 R Wolk; 2 S Moss; 3 J Kruger.
Midas Formula 1600
Race 1 - M Merton (Mygale); 2 J Temple (Mygale); 3 N van Weely (Van Diemen).
Race 2 - 1 J Temple (Mygale); 2 M Marton (Mygale); 3 N van Weely (Van Diemen).
SA Superbikes
Race 1 - 1 C Leeson (Kawasaki); 2 G Gildenhuys (BMW); 3 J Egan (BMW).
Race 2 - 1 C Leeson (Kawasaki); 2 G Gildenhuys (BMW); 3 J Egan (BMW).
SA Supersport
Race 1 - 1 C Seller (Honda); 2 L Isaacs (Honda); 3 C Petersen (Kawasaki).
Race 2 - 1 D McFadden (Kawasaki); 2 C Seller (Honda); 3 L Isaacs (Honda).