Round 6 of the 2017 Investchem Formula Ford Kent championship takes place at Red Star Raceway on Saturday, 16 September. While it is the second visit to the Mpumalanga circuit in 2017, the drivers will find it completely different to their first visit earlier this year as they will tackle the 4- kilometer long circuit in the opposite direction.
Despite a couple of tough days at the last couple of rounds, championship leader Dean Venter (Desco SA / Manitou Swift) has managed to keep accumulating points and has a comfortable 26-point lead at the top of the log. Short of a major disaster, it is difficult to see anyone preventing him from taking the 2017 title.
Defending champion Andrew Horne is in second place and is looking forward to another outing in his Xena Chemicals / Budd Power Van Diemen. He holds a 14-point advantage over Jeff Gable (Jacquet Racing Van Diemen) who is in turn just three points ahead of stablemate David Jermy (Lime Chilli Consulting Van Diemen) who both had very disappointing outings at Zwartkops in September, heaving the Pretoria circuit without adding to their points tally.
Jonathan Nash (Turnfab Engineering Swift) had his best result of the year at Zwartkops and could move up the log from his current fifth place if he continues that form. Allen Meyer (Van Diemen) is the next of the regular runners on the log, just a couple of points ahead of former champion Graham Hepburn (Suburban Body Shop Van Diemen).
More than a dozen cars will be out on track for the normal Friday practices sessions. While the long-range weather forecast indicates a sunny Friday with the possibility of afternoon storms, there is a strong chance that Saturday could be wet. This could make for an interesting qualifying session, which gets underway at 08h50. The two 8-lap races are scheduled to begin at 11h30 and 15h15.