Racing on all fronts & titles sealed in Week 43, others going down to the wire
Toyota Gazoo Racing Week 43 was busy across the globe as some championships were settled and others left on a knife’s edge through a thrilling weekend of motorsport.
Nasser’s Gazoo Hilux Wins Rally Maroc
It was a great week 43 for Toyota Gazoo Racing. Nasser Al Attiyah and Mattieu Baumel got their Dakar prep under way. They won Rallye du Maroc in their SA built Gazoo Hilux. Also on the dirt, the WRC goes down to a Toyota shootout between Gazoo duo Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans. He ended second behind Thierry Neuville’s Hyundai in Spain this weekend. Ogier, who was fourth behind Dani Sordo’s Hyundai, takes a 15-point lead into the Italian finale.
Across the Pond on the tarmac, Patric Niederhauser, Christopher Haase and Markus Winkelhock’s Audi R8 GT3 won a controversial Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hour. By 11 seconds from Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadella and Timur Boguslavski’s Mercedes-AMG GT3. GT America champions, SA hero Jordan Pepper and Andrea Caldarelli joined by Mirko Bortolotti in their Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, were third. The ICGT concludes at the 4 December Kyalami 9 Hour.
Sticking with the states, Kyle Larson won in Texas to keep his 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship hopes on track. Niclas Gronholm took the Portuguese World Rallycross win. Several South Africans raced the Rok World Kart Finals at Lonato in Italy. Luviwe Sambudla impressed with a stunning come from behind eleventh in Mini Rok. Resting GTC star Keagan Masters was 11th in Shifter Rok and Nikolas Roos came home 14th in Junior Rok.
Superbikes thrill, Odendaal sidelined
On two wheels, Steven Odendaal’s World SS600 charge ended when he clashed with Manuel Gonzalez in Argentina. Dominique Aegerter took the title as Jules Cluzel won both heats. The World Superbikes thrilled. Toprak Razgatlioglu’s Yamaha won two races and Scott Redding’s Ducati one as Jonathan Rea did enough to stay in title contention. And SA riders, Jordan Weaving ended second in British Supersport, while Sam Lochoff’s team won a Daytona USA endurance race.
It was also a great weekend for South Africans on dirtbikes. Wade Young’s Sherco and Travis Teasdale’s GasGas were first and third in the Sea to Sky hard Enduro in Turkey. Moving to Northern Africa, SA hero Bradley Cox ended second in Rally 2 on his Raid debut on Rallye du Maroc, while SA Lady rider Kirsten Landman also impressed. KTM rider Mathias Walkner won the bikes overall to clinch the 2021 world cross country title.
Bradley Cox then jetted home from Morocco to win SA Cross Country Motorcycle title on his KTM in Eston on Saturday. He was third overall and won OR2. Michael Pentecost’s Kawasaki beat Brett Swanepoel’s Husqvarna to the overall and OR1 win, and the OR1 title. Fourth man Davin Cocker’s Husqvarna took the OR3 title, as did Wade Blaauw’s KTM win to take the Senior and Greg Nairn’s Husqvarna the Masters titles. John Botha won the day as Dylan Jones took the High School title.
Regional action thrilled countrywide
There were several regional race meetings over the week 43. Marco Busi and Umpie Swart shared the GTi Challenge Class A wins, Eden Thompson won Class B and Kyle Wiltshire Class C at Killarney. Marcel Angel beat Fabio Tafani and Sean Moore to the V8 Masters win and Nian du Toit won Supercars. It was a family affair as BMW duo Imaad won Thundercars and Nieyaaz Modack Clubmans from Cody Alberts’ BMW and Jess Huggett’s Jetta.
Steve Humble took the Sports & GT win from Craig Jarvis’ Ginetta, Nick Adcock’s Ligier and Simon Murray’s Ginetta. Byron Mitchell took Libre from Andrew Rackstra. Franco Donadio’s Escort beat Dave Kopke’s Mazda and Trevor Momberg’s Capri V6 in Classics. On two wheels Malcom Rapson’s Suzuki won Superbikes from Jacques Ackermann’s Kawasaki and Michael du Toit on a Yamaha. Reginald Seale’s Yamaha won Clubmans and Slade van Niekerk’s Kawasaki Powersport.
Further north at Red Star, Peter Bailey dominated the Week 43 Historic races in his Porsche. He left Johann Smith’s Mazda to fight Jannie van Rooyen’s Scirocco for second and the Class C win. George Avvakoumides’ Porsche took Class D, Jaco Roux’s Scirocco Class. Sean Hepburn’s Datsun Class F and John Simpson’s Alfa Class G. Andre Hattingh’s Modified Mercedes took a double Charlies Super Spar Pursuit win from Fines duo Bert van Aarle’s Mazda and Rob Clark’s Citroen.
Red Star races into the sunset
Also at Midvaal, Eugene Gouws’ Chev beat Adrian McCaw and Ian Kilburn to the local Historics win. Jeffrey Kruger took the Lotus win from Thomas Falkiner and Mackie Adlem. Corrie Le Roux won Monoposto from Damien Archer and Josef Kotze and Gerald Wright took Clubmans from Dean Wolson.
Even further north, Red-Lined crew Eben Basson and Leander Pienaar took overall victory in a well supported TIORC Stella 300 Northern Regions Cross Country race from Ernest Roberts and Henry Kohene’s Century CR6. Jannie and Pieter Visser’s Hilux ended third ahead of Hennie de Klerk and Eben Basson in their BMW X3.
Last but not least on Week 43, Rotax Max Gauteng Karting action at Formula K. Brandon Smith took a triple DD2 victory. Carlo Gil did the same in Masters. Olerato Sekudu surprised to take Senior Max by a point from favourite Kian Grottis. Moosa Kajee was another to surprise with a Junior Max win over Jayden Goosen. The primary school classes went to form. Wian Boshoff took the Mini, Kegan Martin Micro and Matthew Shuttleworth the Bambino wins.
