Fender-benders galore
Crashes kept spectators’ attention firmly on the action in East London on Saturday, with every participating tin-top category providing at least one spectacular fender-bender.
Michael van Rooyen’s Williams Hunt Chev Cruze was decorated to celebrate Independence Day. Pictures: Dave Ledbitter
One lap into the opening Sports and V8 GT car race, the Mustangs of Mackie Adlem and Ben Morgenrood tangled coming into the pit straight.
Morgenrood’s car limped on with a broken wheel rim while Adlem’s vehicle spun and stopped in the middle of the track, causing alarm and despondency among the closely following pack.
Nobody will ever know how they all missed him, but all 21 of them did, and the race only lost the two damaged Mustangs.
Franco di Matteo went on to win in his Varta Batteries Jaguar, leading home Larry Wilford (Motul Corvette), Rui Campos (Liqui Moly Shelby), Alan Eve (Pilot Pens Shelby) and Christopher Leeson (Claasen Auret Shelby).
Morgenrood returned to win race two in his IndyOil Mustang, leading home Larry Wilford, Rui Campos and Alan Eve.
Previous winner Franco di Matteo indulged in a huge 250km/h spin through Potter’s Pass, while former bike racer Christopher Leeson was disqualified because his car was underweight.
The first Engen Volkswagen Cup race was red-flagged when the Crazy J’s Polo of Noel Greyling lost its brakes before Potter’s Pass, ran out of road at over 180km/h, flipped twice and ended up on the spectator bank.
Luckily, your average East London spectator is young, fit and quick on the uptake, which meant they managed to scatter before the car ploughed through their seating area.
The driver was taken to hospital and later discharged.
Matthew Hodges (ITR Africa Polo) won the opening race from Daniel Rowe (Ferodo Polo), Dewald Brummer (MAD Polo) and Tasmin Pepper (PG Glass Polo).
Brummer won race two from Sheldon van der Linde (Ferodo Polo), Matthew Hodges and Daniel Rowe.
Race favourite Robert Wolk blew the engine of his Midas FVW in the first Formula Volkswagen race. That left Nicholas van Weely to win both times in his Alglo-rand FVW. In the first race he led home Matthew Swanepoel (FVW) and Jason Campos (Hollard FVW).
In the second, he was followed by Werner Scholtz (Motorvia FVW), and Matthew Merton (FVW).
Scott Temple (Investchem Mygale) and Keegan Campos (Hollard Mygale) swapped the first and second places in the Midas 1600 races, followed by Graham Hepburn (Suburban Body Mygale).
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