Inland series ends tough year on a high

This year’s Inland circuit racing series ended in style at the Red Star Raceway near Delmas on Saturday, with seven competition disciplines in action.

Topping events were the final two rounds of the Bridgestone BMW Car Club series, with the overall championship up for grabs. Darren Winterboer (Barons BMW M3) won race one from Leon Loubser (BMW 335i) and Len-Henry Goby (BMW Z4 M). Winterboer’s car broke its gearbox and Loubser took race two, ahead of Goby and Oz Biagioni (Bio Pool BMW M3). Two smooth Class E victories clinched the season’s overall championship for matriculant Nicholas van Zyl (Luxury Fragrances BMW 328i).

Top title contender Jeffrey Kruger (Universal Health Birkin) dropped out of the opening Lotus Challenge race, leaving Mackie Adlem (Adlem Auto Birkin) to win from Andre’ Human (Birkin) and Rudi Barnard (Barney’s Birkin). Kruger won race two from Adlem and Barnard, with the year’s title going to Adlem by a single point.

Devin Robertson (Big Boss Auto Legend) won all three of Saturday’s Inex Legend races at Red Star. Picture: Reynard Gelderblom.

The opening Clubmans  race was won by Dirk Lawrence (VDM Tuning Honda Ballade), followed by George Economides (BMW 328i) and Kalyn Miller (Kia Pride). Giles Darroch (GRD Volkswagen Golf Turbo) won race two ahead of Lawrence and Economides.

Jannie van Rooyen (Volkswagen Scirocco) took the opening Pre-1980 Saloon Car race from Stuart Konig (Northern Bolt Volkswagen Scirocco) and Johann Smith (JMS Mazda Capella). Van Rooyen won race two as well, this time chased by Smith and George Avvakoumides (Porsche 911 RSR).  The first Sports Car race went to Pieter Zeelie (Speads) ahead of Glenton Rebello (Birkin S3) and Gerald Wright (Sports 2000). Zeelie’s car slowed halfway through race two, leaving him second behind Rebello and ahead of Wright.

Devin Robertson (Big Boss Auto Legend) took the first two Inex Legends wins. In race one he was followed by Seef Fourie (Legend) and Justin Robertson (Liqui Moly Legend), while Justin Robertson and Gerhard Roux (Rubro Legend) filled the podium in race two. Devin Robertson, Justin Robertson and Roux took the first three places in race three.

Mackie Adlem (Adlem Auto Birkin) took the year’s overall Lotuc Challenge title at Red Star Raceway. Picture: Reynard Gelderblom.

Deon van Vuuren (Hoosier Mazda R100) won both the Midvaal Historics races from Andre’  de Lange (Opel Kadett), with Travis Jensen (Datsun 1200) and Franz Jensen (Datsun 1200) taking turns in the respective third places. The first Monoposto race was won by Hayden Archer (Advanced Wound Rhema) followed by Duncan Cloete (Kawasaki) and Clayton le Roux (Kawasaki). Louis van der Merwe (Liabri-Qtees Swift) won race two from Le Roux and Archer.

Rounding out proceedings were two Charlies Superspar Pursuit handicap races, with the first going to Wynand du Plessis (Porsche 944) ahead of Kola de Klerk (Nissan 300ZX) and Frans Venter (Nissan 280Z). Riaan Roux (Addfin Scirocco) won the next time, ahead of Venter and Sean Hepburn (Datsun 1200).

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