Round nine of Extreme a thrill

The Red Star Raceway near Delmas hosted round nine of this year’s Extreme Festival on Saturday, with spectators treated to 10 races on both four and two wheels.

The top-billed Volkswagen Challenge events saw veteran Iain Pepper (Husqvarna Polo) take the opening race, leading home Stiaan Kriel (Spanjaard Polo), Wayne Crous (Delway Polo), Waldie Meintjies (VW Polo) and Adrian Wood (Laserfische Polo).

Pepper repeated the winning performance in race two, this time ahead of Meintjies, Crous, Kriel and Wood. Jonathan du Toit (TAR Honda Civic) took the first autObarn SuperHatch race, narrowly ahead of Reno van Heerden (Remington Peugeot 206), Nic Martin (Rex Diff Opel Kadett) and Andre’ Dannhauser (Pro Auto Opel Corsa).

Pre-event favourites Brett Garland (autObarn Honda Civic) and Chris Davison (Opel Superboss) both retired after trying to claim the same piece of tarmac on the opening lap.

Du Toit led the second race from start to finish, followed by a recovered Garland, Tyler Scott (Lopec Opel 200T) and Karel Stols (Pta Noord Toyota RunX).

Heinrich de Villiers (VW Polo) won the first race for 111 Sport and Saloon Cars. He was chased to the flag by Lucas Bezuidenhout (Pta North Toyota Lexus), Bjorn Gebert (Alfa GTV6 3,0) and Brent Henshaw (Toyota Celica).

After spinning off on the first lap, Louis Cloete scythed through the field from the back, to eventually finish ninth out of 34 cars in his turbocharged VW Beetle.

The Heinrich de Villiers Polo spun early in race two.

That left Bezuidenhout to win, leading home George Bezuidenhout (Nicolade Nissan Primera), Roan Ehlers (FEC Polo) and De Villiers. Brandon Goode (Yamaha R1) took the first Bridgestone Thunderbike race, setting the day’s quickest lap time in the process.

He was chased to the finish line by Gavin Upton (Motion Perfection Yamaha R1), Shaun Vermaak (Fourways Kawasaki ZX10R) and Jordan Agliotti (Honda CBR 1000).

Goode pitted with technical maladies in race two, leaving Upton to win from Vermaak, Charles Momberg (BMW S1000RR) and Marnus van der Merwe (Iron Fury Kawasaki AX10R).

Pieter Botes (No Rules BMW S1000RR) won the opening Bridgestone Challenge race from Ian Thomas (SA Compressor Kawasaki ZXR6), Naasief Wadvalla (Kawasaki ZX10) and Kyle Tavares (Frost Honda CBR1000).

Botes repeated his victory the second time around, finishing ahead of Tavares, Thomas and Deon de Beer (No Rules BMR S1000RR).

James Forbes (Ipoweb ADR MCE3) won both the National Sports Car races ahead of Fritz Kleynhans (Comenius Ligier) and Ian Smith (Revolution Shelby).

The next round of the Festival will be held at the Western Cape Killarney circuit this weekend.