Gutzeit wins V8s GT Class
In a tale of two halves, run over Saturday and Sunday at Kyalami last weekend, Des Gutzeit (Dezzi Ford) beat good friend Darron Gudmanz
(Indigo Chev) for the GT Class title, after a season-long battle which also involved Larry Wilford (Ford).
Gutzeit finished second to Gudmanz in Saturday's first heat, but the latter suffered a puncture in Heat 2 on Sunday and finished well
down the order. Gutzeit finished runner up to Roelf du Plessis (RJ Ford) in Heat 2 and took the title by seven points. Third in the overall
classification was Larry Wilford with Du Plessis fourth.
In the Super GT Class, Brandon Auby (ELT Jaguar) had won the title at the penultimate round, but the runner-up spot was still up for
grabs going into the last round at Kyalami. Jaco Correia (Liqui Moly Chev) and Deon Auby (ELT Jaguar) were the two protagonists in with a
chance.
After Heat 1 on Saturday, Auby looked the better-placed man to do it after winning the race on the line, courtesy of son Jimmy Auby's
gesture in slowing on the finish straight to let his father pass him. After that Auby one-two, Jaco had it all to do on Sunday, but sixth
place was enough to assure him second place overall in the title chase.
Heat 2 was won by Mark Auby who stood in for Brandon, doing duty in the Superstars race. In the championship table, Deon then finished
third, just 3 points behind Jaco, with Danie Correia (Liqui Moly Chev) fourth and Franco di Matteo (Varta Jaguar) in fifth place.
The annual Mechanic of the Year Awards were made on Saturday night and the winner of the Gedore toolkit was Shane Webb, of Auby Boyz
Racing. Second place went to Steve Herbst, with Rudolph du Plessis, son of Roelf, in third spot.
Heat 1
Super GT
1 Deon Auby
2 Jimmy Auby
3 Ben Morgenrood
GT
1 Darron Gudmanz
2 Des Gutzeit
3 Larry Wilford
Heat 2
Super GT
1 Mark Auby
2 Danie Correia
3 Deon Auby
GT
1 Roelf du Plessis
2 Des Gutzeit
3 Romano Sartori
Final Championship Standings
Super GT Class
1 Brandon Auby 96
2 Jaco Correia 75
3 Deon Auby 72
GT Class
1 Des Gutzeit 94
2 Darron Gudmanz 87
3 Larry Wilford 74