Robert Wolk and Leyton head up the respective Global Touring Cars (GTC) Championship & SupaCup points tables heading into this coming weekend’s (14-15 October) season finale at Zwartkops Raceway and will aim to extend their advantages.
Wolk, on the verge of his second title, was unable to celebrate in true champion style in 2021 due to the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in the cancellation of the seventh round. Fourie, just returning from his successful international debut in the BMW M2 Cup, could also make it two national titles in a row, having won the 2021 Polo Cup Championship. In a near-identical situation for both drivers, they have only one competitor who is still in with a chance. Both titles can be decided by the conclusion of Saturday’s first of two races.
GTC Championship
Robert Wolk will arrive at Zwartkops Raceway on the threshold of back-to-back GTC Championship titles. Wolk has consistently chipped away at his title advantage, building it up point-by-point as the season progressed in his Chemical Logistics Toyota Corolla.
A pole position, a fastest lap and a Race 1 victory would clinch it for Wolk, but it is not that easy with teenage Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) Corolla rookie sensation Saood Variawa close enough to turn it all around. Variawa also heads to his home circuit on the front foot off a maiden GTC race win at Killarney International Raceway in the previous round.
Third-placed Michael van Rooyen, in the second TGRSA Corolla, may be out of the mathematical range of a title chance, but he will undoubtedly play a part. Especially if he can help engineer his young teammate into a stronger position.
The closest championship tussle is for fourth place, with Brad Liebenberg in his Hype Energy Drinks / Sparco / Universal Motorsport Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI and Julian van der Watt in the Chemical Logistics Ford Focus RS heading to Pretoria two points apart. Both have won two races this year and had weekends to forget in Cape Town, and they will aim to make amends at Zwartkops Raceway.
Neither Liebenberg nor Van der Watt can afford another weekend as they had four weeks ago. Andrew Rackstraw, in the InvestChem / RDSA Audi S3, is within striking distance. Rackstraw heads into the weekend on the back of the best outing of his debut season.
There is a change in the third TGRSA Corolla for the season finale, with GR Cup winner, journalist and former PlayStation Academy GT3 driver Ashely Oldfield taking over from Mandla Mdakane for the weekend.
GTC SupaCup
Johannesburg teenager Leyton Fourie has delivered an exceptional rookie season in his Express Hire / Universal Motorsport Polo SupaCup. That despite Universal Racing stablemate Jeffrey Kruger keeping him on his toes throughout. Fourie, however, made a break with a more decisive run in the last round, which allowed him to extend his advantage into double figures over Kruger.
In his Turn 1 Insurance Brokers / Campos Transport Polo SupaCup, Keegan Campos took advantage of Team Perfect Circle’s Keagan Masters and Pagid Racing’s Arnold Neveling missing Round 6 to vault into third place on the points table. Campos will be looking to continue his excellent form and could prove a factor in the final champion’s reckoning.
Following his horrific accident at his home race in Cape Town, Danie van Niekerk rebuilt his Titan Stunts Van Niekerk Racing Polo SupaCup and aims to stay ahead of Jean-Pierre van der Walt (Platinum Wheels) in the battle for sixth place.
The final spots in the top 10 will be decided between Jason Campos (Turn 1 Insurance Brokers / Campos Transport), who makes a return after missing the last two rounds due to two births in the family, Jonathan Mogotsi (Sonax / Motul), Tato Carello (Carello Auto) and Daniel Rowe (Team Perfect Circle).
Trinity Protection Services’ Damian & Nathan Hammond, who missed the trip to Cape Town, will be back at Zwartkops Raceway. Calvin Dias, who’s last appearance was in Round 3, will also be back on the grid with his brother, Dominic Dias, set to make his debut in the second Chemi Polo SupaCup.
Nick Davidson (Stu Davidson & Sons), who already had a handy advantage of 26 points, has effectively taken the GTC SupaCup Masters title due to the absence of Paul Luti this coming weekend. The likes of Rui Campos (Turn 1 Insurance Brokers / Campos Transport) and Stefan Snyders (Telerex) will, however, be looking to finish their seasons on a high note.
Weekend Programme
Both Saturday’s races will be contested over 12 laps and will start at 13:05 and 15:50. Spectator tickets can be purchased at the Zwartkops Raceway entrance gate. All Saturday’s Extreme Festival races will be streamed live via the Global Touring Cars Facebook page (and 2WheelsTV YouTube Channel.
