Night of high drama at PE Oval Track Raceway

Dirt Oval racing enthusiasts came out in their droves to support the second round of the regional championship that took place in perfect weather conditions at PE Oval Track Raceway on Saturday evening.

A large number of enthusiastic spectators were treated to a night of high drama across all  the classes competing in the closely contested championship that saw blown motors, high-speed accidents and standout performances out on the track.

Jason Brink (Auto Aid) was the star performer of the night and deservedly earned himself the driver of the day award after claiming victory in the hotly contested 1660 Modified Saloon class that saw a field of 22 of the region’s top racers going head to head out on the circuit.

Having been split into two groups leading up to the finals it was always going to be a nail-biting finale to end off the evening's racing with 20 cars lining up to do battle.

Brink had earned the most points in the heats and as a result of this was in pole position alongside Francois Engelbrecht (BG Auto/Dasi Spares) and SA Champion Marthinus Muller (Redline Group) right behind him on the second row of the start grid.

Brink used the advantage from pole position to break away from the charging pack and control the 22-lap race from the front to come home a very popular winner in front of the appreciative home crowd with Engelbrecht in second and Muller taking third.

Jaco Aylward (Protech Collision Centre/Ferobrake) made a welcome return to the Hotrod class and had performed admirably in the heats leading up to the final where he started alongside Tiaan Oliphant (RT Automotive Engineering) on the front row of the start grid.

Having taken the early lead Aylward seemed to have the win in the bag but unfortunately, on the last lap, he chose to go around the outside a backmarker that ultimately forced him to run wide, leaving a large gap on the inside for Oliphant to slip through to take a last gasp win.

Juan Roesstorff (Black Ginger Farm/Custom City/All about Paint) continued his dominance in the V8 American Saloon class with a relatively easy win to extend his lead in the regional championship and Daniel Renison’s great run of form in the 1600 Saloon class came to an abrupt halt with a blown motor after just two laps of the final, allowing Donavan Lee (BG Auto) to secure his first win of the season.

Class results:

Rookies: 1 Tyde Geddes, 2 Azriel Aroonslam, 3 Justin Fourie

Heavy Metals: 1 Jean-Pierre Coetzee, 2 Neville Ellard, 3 Dane van Tonder

2.1 Modifieds: 1 Daniel Renison, 2 Dawid Grundlingh, 3 Tyler Mansfield

Hotrods: 1 Tiaan Oliphant, 2 Jaco Aylward, 3 CP Vermaak

V8 American Saloons: 1 Juan Mario Roesstorff, 2 Rohan van Vuuren, 3 Jean-Pierre Coetzee

1600 Stock Saloons: 1 Donavan Lee, 2 Keegan Ellard, 3 Kelly Dowling

1660 Modified Saloons: 1 Jason Brink, 2 Francois Engelbrecht, 3 Marthinus Muller.

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