Zwartkops Showdown: Alberton racers rule historic tour
Alberton motorsport enthusiasts recently turned Zwartkops Racetrack into their playground as they competed in the fifth round of the Gauteng Historic Tour.
It was a day filled with roaring engines, squealing tires, and more adrenaline when Alberton motorsport enthusiasts took to the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria on September 23.
Meyersdal’s Rob van Aarle strapped himself into his trusty 1969 Ford Escort Mk1 and dove headfirst into the Ben Morgenrood HRSA Pursuit category.
He snagged victory in the first heat, battling against a pack of 18 cars.
“Rob is not a one-heat wonder; he nabbed a third place in the second heat. When you crunch those race times together, Rob claimed the throne as the overall winner for the day,” explained Stan Hattingh.
Motorsport multitasker, Brackendowns’ Blane de Meilon did not settle for one category. He had his hands full with both Historic Single Seaters and the Formula Monoposto.
In a bustling field of 32 cars, De Meilon started in 24th place with his 1980 S&J.
“He clawed his way up to 21st in the first race and 20th in the second race. When the dust settled, Blane secured an overall 19th place, thanks in part to some of his competitors experiencing ‘mechanical hiccups’”, Hattingh said.
Impressive triumphs
Hattingh said the motorsport gene runs deep in the family, after Bruce van Niekerk’s brother, Jody Morrison, took a bold step into the Historic Single Seater category with his 1973 Cobra replica.
“This was Jody’s debut in both the car and the category. He played it cool, qualifying in 26th place. On race day, he powered through to 24th in the first race and 22nd in the second race. A round of applause for Jody’s performance in his rookie outing,” Hattingh explained.
De Meilon was also tearing it up in the Formula Monoposto category, piloting his Sting Super Vee. He grabbed the 17th spot on the grid, and Bruce van Niekerk had to start at the back because of a technical hiccup.
Hattingh explained De Meilon zipped into 10th place in the first race, while Van Niekerk was not far behind, securing 12th place.
“After mechanical gremlins struck, Blane could not take part in the action-packed second race. The track reminded us that motor racing is not all fun and games with not one, but had three restarts because of accidents. Bruce finished 13th in the second race, which earned him a second place in Class D,” he said.
Despite mechanical issues, Hattingh said they are hoping to see De Meilon’s car roar back to life at their next race on November 4 at Red Star.
The Alberton racers are promising their next race to be another wild ride.
