The first leg of the national circuit racing championships will go down in the history books as one of the finest local meets in recent memory.
Despite a record field of nine entries across various classes for the season opener, the event was a bittersweet affair.
While the competition was fierce, the day was marred by mechanical failures, technical gremlins, and soaring temperatures.
For rookie Ndapa Auala, the transition from E-sim racing on a computer to a cockpit exceeded all expectations.
“It was amazing, it was magnificent and too much fun,” he says.
Though it was his first official outing on tarmac, he managed to finish two of the three heats and secured first place in the beginners’ Class X.
He opened his racing account with 10 points and a best lap time of 80.37 seconds.
While a technical hiccup prevented him from finishing heat two, he successfully re-entered to complete the final sprint.
“It was amazing, it was so much fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed it; a dream came true today,” Auala said after the final heat.
In the Clubmans Class D, Horazio ‘Rassie’ Rietz made his mark with a newly prepared VW Golf.
Rietz showed impressive reliability – a welcome change from previous outings where technical issues forced early retirements.
He ended the day with 19 points and a best lap time of 80.58 seconds.
“I had an awesome race; it is most likely one of the best I’ve ever had on this track.
I am not fast on the straights, but I can make it up in the corners,” Rietz said after the event.
This highlighted one of the VW’s traditional strengths: While it may lack raw top-end speed, its nippiness and excellent road holding through the bends keep the brand competitive.
Official Results:
Clubmans Class B: First – Deon Friedenthal; second – Ekko Eisenberg
Clubmans Class C: First – Clive Strydom
Clubmans Class D: First – Rassie Rietz; second – Zachary Martin
Clubmans Class X: First – Ndapa Auala
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