Robertson grabs third Legends Championship
Plenty of action was to be had at the championship's penultimate round
It was action everywhere on track as the Liqui Moly Legends Championship headed to the rustic Midvaal Raceway on Saturday 14 November. The traditional ball draw for grid positions would keep things interesting as always.
Willie Erasmus (Pro) drew pole position ahead of Justin Robertson (Master). Morne Stoltz (Pro) drew third position with Johann van de Venter (Master) starting alongside him. Fred Els (Master) and Anton Repsold (Pro) rounded out the top six.
Race 1
Erasmus grabbed an early lead at the start of the race with Robertson and the rest of the field in tow. Championship contenders Seef Fourie and Devin Robertson were fighting their way through the pack after starting from seventh and twelfth positions respectively.
Robertson Junior was on an absolute charge as always and used the traffic to get past Fourie as well. He led the field across the line by the fourth lap with Fourie following his example by slotting into second place behind him. Erasmus held onto third position with Robertson Senior and Franco Di Matteo (Master) in tow. Fourteen year old Clinton Bezuidenhout (Young Lion) blasted through the field from the back of the grid to grab sixth position ahead of Els and Shaun Nel (Pro) on the same lap.
The battle for the lead was closer than ever with Fourie hassling Robertson through every corner, but it was Robertson who held on to take a narrow Overall and Pro class win ahead of Fourie – with 0.090 of a second separating the pair across the line. Erasmus did well to keep Masters Victor Robertson Senior at bay to claim third position overall. Young Bezuidenhout took the Young Lions category with an impressive sixth position.
Robertson and Fourie were closer than ever in race one
Race 1 Results
- Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:16.408
- Seef Fourie – Best lap: 1:16.477
- Willie Erasmus – Best lap: 1:16.819
- Justin Robertson – Best lap: 1:17.034
- Franco Di Matteo – Best lap: 1:16.970
- Clinton Bezuidenhout – Best lap: 1:17.599
Erasmus and Robertson Senior were in great form
Race 2
An inverted grid for the second race based on the ball draw for race one would certainly shake things up once again. With Robertson in pole position, it seemed that Fourie would have his work cut out for him starting from sixth on the grid. Fourie had other ideas however and was up to second place by the end of the first lap.
Di Matteo slotted into third position with Erasmus and Nel hot on his heels. With the chase at the front of the field settling into an early rhythm, the battle further back was far from over. Robertson Senior, Bezuidenhout, Lonika Maartens (Young Lion) and Els were changing positions on almost every lap making for some spectacular action packed racing.
Robertson made the most of his starting position to go on and claim his second Overall and Pro class victory of the day ahead of Fourie. Di Matteo had to work hard to keep Erasmus at bay to secure the third place and first in the Masters category. Seventh placed Bezuidenhout took his second win of the day in the Young Lions category.
Di Matteo had his hands full with the rest of the chasing pack
Race 2 Results
- Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:16.028
- Seef Fourie – Best lap: 1:16.163
- Franco Di Matteo – Best lap: 1:16.841
- Willie Erasmus – Best lap: 1:17.143
- Shaun Nel – Best lap: 1:17.403
- Justin Robertson – Best lap: 1:17.482
Bezuidenhout used his International experience to good measure
Race 3
The reverse grid for the third race was always going to set the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons. Steve Nel (Master) took the lead ahead of Anton Repsold (Pro) and the rest of the chasing pack. It didn’t take too long for the faster drivers to make their way to the front of the field however.
Devin Robertson was up to sixth position by the end of the first lap, with Fourie hot on his heels. Justin Robertson took the lead on the second lap with Repsold, Robertson Junior and Fred Els in tow. Robertson Junior made short work of taking the lead on the next lap with a determined Fourie moving into second place two laps later. The battle behind the leaders was just as fierce with Robertson Senior fending off attacks from Els, Di Matteo and Erasmus.
Di Matteo got past Els on the fourth lap, bringing Erasmus along with him. Erasmus then passed the experienced veteran with a well-timed move two laps later. Early race leader Nel Senior was unceremoniously punted off the circuit coming onto the main straight and was lucky to avoid hitting the start line post as he battled to regain control of his car to get back onto the circuit.
When the chequered flag came out after ten laps of action packed racing it was Robertson Junior who took his third Overall and Pro class win of the day – claiming the 2015 Liqui Moly Legends Championship in the process as well – his third Overall Championship title in as many years!
Fourie held on for second position with Robertson Senior getting the better of Di Matteo for third place and first in the Masters division – his best result of the season so far. Seventh placed Bezuidenhout made it a clean sweep in the Young Lions class as well.
Robertson celebrating his third championship in a row
Race 3 Results
- Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:16.002
- Seef Fourie – Best lap: 1:16.330
- Justin Robertson – Best lap: 1:17.311
- Franco Di Matteo – Best lap: 1:16.936
- Willie Erasmus – Best lap: 1:16.844
- Fred Els – Best lap: 1:17.639
The next round will see the series return to Red Star Raceway for the second time this season for round 11 of the championship on the 28th of November 2015.
