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The Investchem Formula Ford
championship is a two way fight as it heads to
Zwartkops near Pretoria for the penultimate event of
the season.
After a disastrous outing in East
London at the last round where he crashed out of the
opening race, Nicholas van Weely (Magnificent Paints
Van Diemen) had his lead cut down to a mere three
points over Benoni’s Mathew Merton in the Matsam
Supplies Mygale.
The score card makes for
interesting reading. Van Weely has won five races
with Merton only getting three wins, but Merton has
been the more consistent driver. Past form is always
a good indicator and four of van Weely’s wins this
year have been at Zwartkops.
Former SA A1GP
team Rookie driver Wesleigh Orr (Bravo
Holdings/Brett Maybery Racing Van Diemen) has four
wins behind his name but lies sixth is in third
place
after a disastrous
outing at round five where mechanical problems saw
him score a single point. He then missed the last
round after a big accident in a Formula VW race at
Zwartkops.
As a result Pretoria based Werner
Scholtz (Chemical Logistics Mygale) has moved up to
third place but he’s under pressure from the two
newcomers. Fifteen year old
James Temple in the GWM Mygale
and
Dean Hirschowitz (Nightsbridge
Mygale) are tied on points and just nine points
behind Scholtz. Temple has the benefit of coming up
through the karting classes but ‘Hirschoblitz’ has
the advantage of more track time as he also contests
the Formula Volkswagen championship.
Besides the championship battle,
the other big news is that former championship
contender Stevie Morris will finally return to the
fray at the wheel of a Van Diemen and he could play
a major part in the championship pantomime.
Another interesting entry is
former Group N champion Grant Wentzel in the GWM Van
Diemen who hasn’t done much racing in the last
decade.
In the Zetec Challenge class
where cars are slightly older and use a longer
lasting harder compound Avon ACB tyre which is
treaded, Ian Schofield (Investchem Mygale) is the
man to beat. He has a comfortable lead over Allen
Meyer (Mygale) and could take the title at Zwartkops.
Thanks to consistency Andreas
Petrou (Investchem Mygale) lies third ahead of easy
going British Formula Ford legend Rick Morris
(Chemical Logistics Mygale) who was one of the few
drivers to give Ayrton Senna a run for his money in
the junior ranks. He’s missed a few races this tear
but could take the Zetec Challenge win.
Paul Schutlz (Knottsberry Foods
Mygale) is in the hunt for wins, but wretched luck
has spoilt his season but he is still in contention
for a top three position in the championship.
Barry Harrison (Bravo
Holdings/Brett Maybery Racing Mygale) has had some
good races of late and could well surprise the hot
shots.
The field is rounded out by
passionate single seater enthusiast Tony Sack in the
Sissy Boy Jeans Mygale who races simply because he
enjoys it and Van Diemen mounted gentleman racer
Richard Bonnischen. |
