First Race Wins For New NASCAR Toyota, Aleix & Aprilia in Moto GP
MotoGP topped the international headlines, while Toyota snatched its first
MotoGP topped the international headlines, while Toyota snatched its first Next Gen NASCAR Cup victory. And local youngsters starred on their maiden outings overseas this past Toyota Gazoo Racing Week. Closer to home, it was a case of double domination at the national motocross. With endurance and GT racing, and karting action too.
FABULOUS FIRSTS FOR ALEIX, APRILIA
Aleix Espargaro overcame Jorge Martin’s Ducati to claim his first ever, and Aprilia’s first win of the modern MotoGP era at the Argentine MotoGP. Suzuki duo Alex Rins and Joan Mir were third and fourth from Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia and Brad Binder’s KTM. SA hero Binder remains second in the championship chase, now behind Espargaro. Bother Darryn Binder fought hard to 18th, while Celestino Vietti took his second Moto2 win of ’22 and Sergio Garcia won a dramatic Moto3 race.
Denny Hamlin made a late tyre change to steal the Toyota Camry’s first Next Gen NASCAR Cup Series win at Richmond. He beat Kevin Harvick’s Mustang and William Byron’s Camaro. Moving across the pond, SA DTM Hero Kelvin van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, and Charles Weerts’ Audi R8 worked hard to overcome unlucky safety car breaks and win the GT World Challenge Europe season opener at Imola. Teammate, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi impressed until a pit bungle.
It was also a good weekend for young South African talent overseas. On two wheels, Jessica Howden took an historic first victory in the Women’s European Cup at a damp Misano in Italy, while Brett Roberts ended second on his European 600cc Stock debut at Jerez. And on four wheels in England, SA Formula 1600 lad Jarrod Waberski impressed with a podium third and a couple of fifth places on his British GB4 series debut at Snetterton.
SA MOTOCROSS RACE DAY OF DOUBLES
Moving closer to home on a day of SA National motocross doubles, KTM teammates Cameron Durow and Tristan Purdon shared out both the Maritzburg open MX1 and 250cc MX2 wins. Anthony Raynard won both senior class MX3 races on his Yamaha. And Kayla Raaf took the Ladies double on a Kawasaki. KTM kids Luke Grundy took High School 125, Trey Cox 85cc and Evan Frost 65cc double victories. Rayden Woolls’ Husqvarna and Ross Mackenzie’s KTM each won a 50cc moto.
Michael Stephen and Mikaeel Pitamber’s Porsche took a lucky SA Endurance Series 4 hour victory at Red Star in Delmas. Leaders Nick Adcock and Michael Jensen’s Ligier Honda went off on oil in the dark, late in the race. They recovered to end second from Jeffrey Kruger and Riaan Botma in another Ligier. Also at Delmas, Silvio Scribante’s Lamborghini Huracan GT3 and Dayne Angel’s Ferrari 458 GT3 shared out the GT Series heat wins.
The second round of the Gauteng Rok kart series meanwhile went down a littke to the east at Formula K. Calvin and Paulo Dias took KZ and KZ Masters honours, while Michael Pringle won KZ2 and Roshaan Goodman Senior Max. Taya van der Laan took OK Junior honours, Durelle Goodman Mini Max. And Sebastian Dias Mini Rok, where Mattao Mason was the top Under 10 lad. Maddox Mason won Kid Rok and Diego Antunes Bambino.
