Another double win for Investchem F1600 champion Andrew
Andrew Rackstraw finished his 2021 South African Investchem Formula 1600 championship pretty much as he ran his whole season - in dominant style.
He took another double victory over rookie of the year Josh le Roux, who clinched the title third in second in both races ahead of title runner-up Jarrod Waberski.
It was, however, not Andrew Rackstraw’s familiar red and black RDSA Investchem Mygale on pole position. That honour and the pole position bonus point went the way of Le Roux’s ICLA azure blue New Heights Mygale, which edged Rackstraw by all of 0.111 to line up alongside the recently crowned champion on the front row of the grid. Jarrod Waberski’s yellow DAW machine headed the second row another two tenths behind and just clear of an on-point Andrew Schofield’s Fly Safair Mygale.
Abacus Divisions Mygale brothers Gerard and Antwan Geldenhuys lined up each side of Nicholas van Weely’s Magnificent Paints & Hardware Van Diemen, with Alex Vos’ Ecurie Zoo DV Mygale next up ahead of Ewan Holtzhausen’s Total Plastics Mygale and Brendan Tracey’s Investchem Mygales. Graham Hepburn beat Ian Schofield’s Investchem Mygale the gentleman’s Formula Ford Kent pole from Paul Schultz and Allen Meyer, Ronald van Weely and Duncan Vos’ Van Diemens.
Rackstraw, however, took full advantage of Zwartkops’ second position grid slot being on the inside to make a fine start and move ahead as he left Le Roux to fend off Waberski and Schofield. Nicholas van Weely followed with a feisty mid-pack nipping at his heels after dealing with an early Gerard Geldenhuys attack. It went more or less consistently from there, besides a family spat between the Geldenhuys brothers as Rackstraw led Le Roux, Waberski, Schofield and Gerard and Antwan Geldenhuys home.
Behind them, Ewan Holtzhausen ended ninth ahead of Brendan Tracey. Josh le Roux meanwhile put an extra point into his tally to further cement his claim for that championship third with the fastest lap. And Graham Hepburn led the Kents from lights to flag from an energetic Duncan Vos, Ron van Weely, Allen Meyer and Paul Schultz after Ian Schofield stopped.
Rackstraw repeated his lightning start from pole this time around. Twice, after the red flag flew to clean up after Alex Vos and Ewan Holtzhausen tangled out of turn 2, Graham Hepburn spun to a stop in sympathy. At the restart, Rackstraw duly held Le Roux and Waberski at bay, leaving Andrew Schofield to become engulfed in tussling mid-pack that would go on to entertain throughout. Antwan Geldenhuys would emerge on top of that tussle from Van Weely, Gerard Geldenhuys and Schofield.
Ronald van Weely and Allen Meyer entertained at the head of the Formula Ford Kent race with Paul Schultz maintaining an overall brief after Duncan Vos ground to a halt. So champion Andrew Rackstraw finished the year off much as he’s raced the season – with a double win over Josh le Roux and Jarrod Waberski. Andrew Schofield emerged on top of that wild mid-pack in fourth overall, ahead of Van Weely, Gerard and Geldenhuys after Tracey retired. Ron van Weely took the Kent overall win from Meyer and Schultz.
All of which means that Andrew Rackstraw is a dominant South African Investchem Formula 1600 champion. The RDSA-run Cape Town youngster won 11 of the 12 championship races and scored most of the pole positions and fastest laps, and claims those bonus points, too. He fully earned his quarter-million rand champion’s prize and a test drive in both a Global Touring Car and a Formula Renault 3.5 racer.
Jarrod Waberski was the only other driver to win a round in East London on his way to second and claiming the R125 000 second place prize with a GTC test. And Josh le Roux’s weekend pace not only saw him clinch the R62 500 third-place prize and a GTC test, but also the Investchem Formula 1600 Rookie of the Year title. Nicholas van Weely had to settle for the R30 000 fourth-place championship prize, while Geldenhuys brothers, Antwan and Gerard took the R15k for fifth and R10k for sixth prizes respectively.
“That ends another brilliant season of Investchem Formula 1600 racing,” series patron Ian Schofield concluded. “All our champions have gone on to bigger things in racing over the years and we look forward to see what Andrew Rackstraw straps himself into next season. “We also look forward to another fresh new Investchem Formula 1600 championship 2022, where a few new faces will join our young guns and experienced regulars in the chase for South Africa’s most lucrative racing title. “Bring it on!”
Source: MotorsportMedia
