Blairgowrie-based racer Johan Gouws shows resilience at Zwartkops Raceway

Blairgowrie racer Johan Gouws showcased grit, skill, and relentless pace to secure a pair of standout performances in Round 3 of the 2025 Formula Vee Championship at Zwartkops Raceway.
Qualifying brought early drama when Gouws could only clock one timed lap before a sudden electrical issue struck.
He said, luckily, it turned out to be just a battery earth wire that had come loose, and that single lap was good enough for 10th on the grid.
Race 1 saw Gouws come alive off the line, launching past two cars before even reaching the first corner. With his car handling superbly, he took a hard-fought and well-deserved fifth-place finish.

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Starting fifth in Race 2, he wasted no time as he passed a couple of cars to slot into third early on. He said that while applying pressure on MD Bester in second place, he was under attack from a hungry six-car train behind. “Midway through the race, proceedings were abruptly halted following a high-speed incident. Fortunately, both drivers walked away unscathed.”

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The restart brought fresh drama with Gouws involved in another chaotic contact and a high-speed spin.

“I was lucky not to hit anything; I managed to get the car started again and still passed two more cars to finish eighth. One of the best races I’ve ever had.”

He added that his team did an amazing job prepping the car. “It felt dialled in, a huge thanks to my sponsors for making this possible: Arcanjo Printer Repairs, Ja.Co Engineering, IRCA Global, and Advanced Fastening Systems.”

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