Robert Wolk leads
As expected in the run-up to the East London Extreme Festival on Saturday, it was championship leader Robert Wolk (41 – Chemical Logistics Mygale) who dominated the scene at this high-speed circuit. Wolk started the weekend by by producing a qualifying laptime of 1:25.025.
Wolk found a rival in this session in Julian van der Watt (42 – Investchem Mygale SJ08) who qualified his Duratec Formula Ford just 0.413 of a second behind him. Van der Watt made an error in not entering parc ferme after the qualifying session and had to start race one at the back of the grid, instead of from the front row of the grid in second place.
While Wolk stayed at the head of the field from the start of race one to the finish, it was Van der Watt that set the pace, posting the fastest race laptime as he worked his way from the back of the grid to finish in fourth place by the end of the 10 lap race.
Off the line, Van der Watt had made up four positions before the SASS field reached Potters’ Pass for the first time. Only Werner Scholtz (3 – Investchem / Motorvia Mygale SJ08) and Dewald Brummer (11 – MAD Racing Mygale SJ09) were able to evade his attentions during this event, with the pair taking second and third respectively.
In race two it was again Wolk that led the field from start to finish, showing yet again why he is the championship leader by a healthy margin. This time though, Van der Watt was able to take his second-place start, but it did get a bit touch-and-go when Keagan Masters (44 – Performance Masters Mygale SJ08) found a way past.
This was Masters’ first outing at the very demanding East London circuit, with his race day performance producing impressive results yet again. When Masters missed a gear toward the end of race two, both Van der Watt and Dean Venter (77 – Manitou Group / Turnfab Engineering Mygale SJ09) slipped past. Masters was able to re-take a position from Venter, but Van der Watt was having none of it, finishing in second place with Masters in third.
With Wolk again taking both race wins – and the overall victory for the day – it was Van der Watt that finished second with Masters rounding out the top three for the fourth round of the South African Single-Seaters championship.
The SASS championship also runs an internal championship, for “over 50s and ladies”. In this category Rick Morris (8 – Investchem) finished first in East London thanks to a seventh and fifth place finish respectively in the two races, also finishing sixth overall for the event.
Morris finished ahead of Allen Meyer (15 – Investchem Van Diemen RF07) and Ian Schofield (10 – Investchem) who were second and third in the category respectively.
The Duratec Formula Ford Phakisa Freeway for their next round of the Extreme Festival on Saturday, August 22. This event will certainly see the racers back in action pushing the speed envelope on another fast track. With limited championship rounds remaining, it is going to be crucial to remain on pace if they wish to finish the season well.
RESULTS:
RACE ONE:
1. Robert Wolk
2. Werner Scholtz
3. Dewald Brummer
RACE TWO:
1. Robert Wolk
2. Julian van der Watt
3. Keagan Masters
OVERALL:
1. Robert Wolk
2. Julian van der Watt
3. Keagan Masters