The 2019 national Extreme Festival series came to a spectacular conclusion at the Red Star Raceway near Delmas on Saturday, with five South African titles wrapped up during the day.
The top item on the agenda was to appoint this year’s South African Global Touring Car champion. Race one saw early frontrunners Simon Moss (All Power Audi) and Robert Wolk (Investchem BMW) go off the circuit together, into a cloud of dust and immediate retirement. That left Keagan Masters (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta) to win, ahead of Johan Fourie (ESP Couriers BMW), Michael van Rooyen (Gazoo Toyota Corolla) and the experimental Volkswagen Motorsport Polo of Michael Stephen.
Race two, started from an inverted grid, went to Van Rooyen, chased to the flag by Fourie, Masters and Daniel Rowe (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta). Third place was enough to clinch the year’s title for an elated Masters in his first season in the Global Touring Car class.
Adrian Wood (Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI) took the first GTC2 race from Bradley Liebenberg (Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI) and Charl Smalberger (Universal Health Golf GTI). Liebenberg won the next time, followed by Wood and Paul Hill (Kalex Golf GTI). Liebenberg was crowned as the year’s GTC2 champion, while Volkswagen celebrated the Manufacturers’ Championship victory.
Liebenberg (Hello Mobile Polo) took the opening Falken Polo Cup race victory from Jeffrey Kruger (Universal Health Polo) and Keegan Campos (Campos Transport Polo). Liebenberg won race two as well, clinching the season’s South African Falken Polo Cup title in the process. He was chased to the flag by Arnold Neveling (Total Polo) and Kruger.
Steven Odendaal (Petra Yamaha R1) won both the SA 1000cc Superbike races from Clinton Seller (King Price Yamaha R1), with Lance Isaacs (Supabets BMW S1000RR) and Allan Jon Venter (Lekker Yamaha R1) taking the respective third places. In the process, Seller became this year’s South African Superbike champion.
Jared Schultz (Asap Yamaha R6) won the first 600 Supersport race, ahead of Dino Iozzo (King Price Yamaha R6) and Blaze Baker (JBR Yamaha R6). Iozzo took the second win from Kewyn Snyman (Hillbilly Yamaha R6) and Baker, with the result enough to ensure Baker of the year’s Supersport 600 title.
Julian van der Watt (Sard Mygale) won both the Investchem Formula 1600 races ahead of Nicholas van Weely (Magnificent Paints Van Diemen) and Siyabonga Mankonkwana (Investchem Mygale).
The first Hankook Formula Vee race went to Gert van den Berg (Hankook Rhema, leading home Lushen Ramchander (Forza Vee) and Richard Carr (Lucky Star Rhema). Race two was taken by Lendl Jansen (Bull Security Forza), followed by Van den Berg and Carr. The final round of the 2019 regional Extreme Festival will take place at the Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, November 9.
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