The fancied Randfontein Oval Track hosted Round 2 of the Regional Championship Finals last Saturday (30 July) with drivers as young as 14 stunning the audience with some good driving.
It’s said that racers from all over Gauteng participated in the finals in the hope of qualifying for the national championships.
Niclas Schwartz, a 14-year-old midget race-car driver says while other boys dreamed of being firemen or policemen, he couldn’t wait to be old enough to get behind the steering wheel of a race-car.
“The day I got behind the wheel for the first time, I knew this was my destiny and the feeling I got when I drove for the first time, is the feeling I get every time I get behind the wheel,” Niclas said.
Niclas says when he is driving he feels as if he is able to conquer the world. “Nothing matters on the track, not the age of the other drivers, nor the small things that bother you in life. I am in the zone and I am unstoppable. Driving is my drug.”
Tiaan Flynn, another young midget race-car driver, who won first place in the race says the support he receives from his parents has contributed to his victory over the other racers. “I think I came first because of my parents’ help during the championships.”
Magriet Flynn, Tiaans’ mother, says some people question their parenting, because of the dangerous sport their child participates in. “People believe racing is unsafe,” she said “What they don’t realise is the extent of the safety measures racers take before even getting into a race-car.” She says the seat of race cars have built in neck supports, the car has a steel pipe exterior that wouldn’t collapse if the car rolled, and the driver always wear extensive safety gear. “I think you can die from crossing the street with a bicycle, so I won’t keep him from racing just because I think it is dangerous.”
Other racers also performed tremendously well during the day. Several types of vehicles, among them stockrods, 1600 modifieds, sprintcars and quads, participated in the qualifying round, with the winners qualifying for the National Championships.
Here are the first place winners, by category:
• Midgets cars
Tiaan Flynn
• Stockrods
Japie Cillier
• Sprint Cars:
Kenny Gouws
• 2L Modifieds
Louis van Rensburg
• Quads:
Steven Swanepoel
• 1660 Modifieds
Ben Morgenrood
• Lexus
CJ Bitzer
• Flexi A class
Carlie Rothman
• Hotrods
Hendrik van der Merwe
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
Also read:
Racers show their steel at Randfontein Oval
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