What Gauteng & Cape Rotax Max Challenge Race Reports
Where Formula K GP, Killarney WP
When Saturday 15 April 2023
Community Gauteng & Western Cape Regional
Cracking provincial karting action lays National gauntlet down
The South African Rotax Max karting Challenge limbered up to its second round National with a double header of cracking action both in the Cape at Killarney, and at Formula K at Benoni at Gauteng over the weekend. If nothing else, extreme action at both those meetings points to a cracking National weekend back at Formula K in two weeks’ time.
Starting with the Formula K premier class DD2 action, Jamie Smith returned to karting in fine style as he held gearbox class legend Bradley Liebenberg off with a two race to one victory. Kian Grottis ended third for the day from Masters duo Kyle Lawrence and Eugene Brittz, Nicolaos Vostanis and Tiaan Eloff. Ryan Schaper took the DD2 Vets win from Grant Veenstra and Philippe Chapat. Moving down to the Cape, Sebastian Boyd had to fight Joseph Oelz and Jason Coetzee off for a two race to one overall DD2 win over Oelz in an entertaining day of racing. Masters’ winner Conor Hughes was fourth from Rafe Tayler, Jaden Jacobs and second and third Masters’ men, Michael and Jared Jordan.
Staying in the Cape, Charl Visser won the Seniors day with second and third race wins after a delighted Storm Lanfear nicked the first heat victory. Ethan Stier was a lonely third, while Julius Schwager, Matthew Wadeley, Zac Laden, and David Franco thrilled in their dice for fourth. It was all about KC Ensor Smith who took a triple Gauteng FK Senior victory over Olerato Sekudu and Roshaan Goodman, with Kian Spies fourth from Ross Campbell and Ethan Bostander.
Wian Boshoff maintained the dominant Formula K trend with a triple high school Junior Max win. Georgia Lenaerts shared her two second places with Kent Swartz’ one, ahead of Amani Kinyua, Mauro Da Luz, JH de Villiers and Jonno Wilson. It was a different Junior story down in the Cape as Reese Koorzen and William Marshall shared a heat win apiece in a closely fought afternoon. Koorzen took the day from Marshall, James Nash, Jordon Wadeley, Ethan Deacon, and Jude Stuart. Keagan Beaumont had a tough day with a heat 1 exclusion but bounced back to set a new Killarney Junior Max lap record and win the final heat.
Keagan Beaumont made no mistakes en route to a triple under-13 WP Mini Max win over Cody Schultz, Aaron Mason, Franco van der Merwe, Liam Koekemoer and Nicholas Lennox. His biggest National rival Caleb Odendaal similarly took a dominant three-heat win up in Gauteng over Reagile Mailula, Taylin Patel, Durelle Goodman, Ewan Venter and Franco Gibhard. Staying with Gauteng primary school action, Rafael Da Silva dominated under-11 Micro Max over Rafael De Sousa, Brodi Dowling, Johan Nolte, Ronaldo Koen, and Logan Billau. And Michael Danks beat Liam Wharton two Cape Micro wins to one ahead of Jayden van der Merwe, Michael O’Mahoney, Kiyaan Reddi and Ruan Lewis.
Michael O’Mahoney took a triple Killarney baby Bambino win over Yaqeen Gamieldien, Slater Smith, Carter Cedras, Jake Steyn, and Caleb Lingeveldt. And Adriaan Steyn took the Zwartkops Bambino win over Luke du Toit, Luhan De Wet, Ronald Bodhi Venter, Raidyn Reddy, and Sebastien Shuttleworth.
All Rotax Max eyes now shift to that second National at Formula K in Benoni on Saturday 29 April. If the past weekend’s regional action was anything to go by, then it’s a matter of light the blue touch paper and step back five paces when they all come together at Benoni. That action will be explosive. Diarise it now!
Issued on behalf of Rotax Max Challenge
Photography by: Action in Motion
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