East London Grand Prix Circuit – Sasol GTC entertains again in East London

The Sasol Global Touring Cars delivered scintillating action to a large and appreciative crowd on a perfect autumn’s afternoon at the East London Grand Prix Circuit as Michael Stephen stormed to an emphatic double victory for the Terry Moss Engen Xtreme Audi GTC team at the third round of the series Saturday.

Stephen won both races — the first from third on the grid and then in an emphatic come from behind performance in the second, reverse-grid race. Bradley Liebenberg meanwhile delivered a similar virtuoso performance to give the new Mini team its first GTC2 win in another great performance.

Stephen started the first race third on the grid behind his pole-sitting teammate and Johan Fourie in the EPS Couriers BMW Friday evening, before out-dragging Fourie off the line and out-braking his teammate to take a lead he would not relinquish. There was drama behind as both the BMWs pitted at the end of the first lap to drop out of contention and hand fourth place to Daniel Rowe’s Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta, while a little further back, Michael van Rooyen reeled in the Mathew Hodges’ Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta and passed second Jetta, only for the RSC BMW to pit on the penultimate lap.

That left Michael Stephen to stroll to a comfortable 1.5-second win from Audi teammate Moss, with Fourie a further 3.5 seconds adrift ahead of the closing Rowe and Hodges some way behind albeit a lap clear of the BMWs. The GTC2 gang entertained with Kosie Weyers surprising to take the early lead before Liebenberg reeled him in, but the Chevrolet developed clutch issues to allow Bland to move up to second.

Weyers held on to third from Craig Shorter in the second Champion Mini, Iain Stevenson (Comsol VW Golf GTI) and the somewhat less than usually competitive Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI duo, Keagan Masters and Mandla Mdakane. A struggling Charl Smalberger (iCorp Volkswagen Parts Golf GTI) and Dayne Angel (Autohaus Angel Honda Civic Type R) were next up.

The reverse grid second race meant that the Sasol BMW duo Wolk and Bonafede started in front overall and Dayne Angel was on GTC2 pole in his brand new Autohaus Angel Honda Civic Type R. Bonafede made the early running up front from Wolk, but the Audis were soon up to third and fourth with Stephen relentlessly closing down on the BMWs ahead, soon taking care of Wolk and then dealing with Bonafede’s duff sounding car for the lead.

Stephen duly took over up front with three laps left to run and made off to take the win by 1.6 seconds from Bonafede, with Wolk making up for a tough weekend by completing the second race podium for Sasol BMW. Moss was struggling with the second Audi and could not hold off Fourie, Hodges or Rowe as those four came home in that order.

Dayne Angel also made good on the reverse grid to lead the entire GTC2 first lap until being tagged by Mdkane to leave Smallberger battling with Stevenson and Masters for the lead. Liebenberg and Weyers were however on the move as they came from behind, but the Chevrolet slowed and eventually stopped with clutch trauma. Liebenberg however soon passed all three of the early leaders as they inverted their running order too, but Bland was also putting on the pressure.

Liebenberg duly pulled off a popular come-from-behind win to make it a maiden double victory for Mini, while Masters redeemed Volkswagen Motorsport’s weekend with second in the end. Bland fought back to third from a relieved Smalberger, who had struggled with below par performance all weekend, but he held Shorter, Stevenson, Mdakane and Angel off for fourth.

Overall Michael Stephen gladly took the winners trophy to signify his return to the championship fray with a double win. Reigning champion Stephen also benefited 2017 championship leader Bonafede’s race 1 slip to maximise his new found championship traction, with Fourie second overall and the reliable Rowe taking home third placed silverware for his weekend’s work as he fended off Hodges, Moss, Bonafede, Wolk and van Rooyen.

Bradley Liebenberg was the standout GTC2 driver as he completed a dominant weekend — pole position, two race wins and the winner’s trophy for overall honours, with the delighted privateer Bland putting one over his works VW rival Masters to take second ahead of Masters, Smalberger, Shorter, Stevenson, Mdakane, Angel and Weyers.

In all, the Sasol GTCs impressed once again in East London following a difficult few races before that. The second heat once again provided the fireworks, but not even that reverse grid could prevent both Michael Stephen’s Engen Audi GTC or Bradley Liebenberg’s Ferodo Mini JCW GTC2 from taking a pair of impressive double wins.

The next round of the Sasol GTC series is at Zwartkops Saturday 17 June and sure to brighten any Gauteng midwinter long weekend blues. Diarise it now — the Global Touring Cars are sure to entertain once again in Pretoria that weekend…

Sasol Global Touring Cars – Race 1 Result
Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi GTC) 10 Laps
Simon Moss (Engen Xtreme Audi GTC) +1.464 sec
Johan Fourie (EPS Courier BMW GTC) +5.090 sec
Daniel Rowe (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta GTC) +6.199 sec
Mathew Hodges (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta GTC) +14.094 sec
Bradley Liebenberg (Ferodo Mini JCW GTC2) +1m05.195
Trevor Bland (TB Racing Volkswagen Golf GTI GTC2) +1m07.207
Kosie Weyers (NSI/Goodwood/Belfreeze Chev Cruize GTC2) +1m09.705
Christopher Shorter (Champion Mini JCW GTC2) +1m11.241
Iain Stevenson (Comsol VW Golf GTI GTC2) +1m11.788
Keagan Masters (Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI GTC2) +1m14.003
Mandla Mdakane (Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI GTC2) + 1m14.648
Charl Smalberger (iCorp Volkswagen Parts Golf GTI GTC2) +1m15.177
Dayne Angel (Autohaus Angel Honda Civic Type R GTC2) +1m31.843
Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW GTC) +1 Lap
Robert Wolk (Sasol BMW GTC) +1 Lap
Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW GTC) +3 Laps
Race 2
Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi GTC) 10 Laps
Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW GTC) +1.641 sec
Robert Wolk (Sasol BMW GTC) +4.019 sec
Johan Fourie (EPS Courier BMW GTC) +6.013 sec
Mathew Hodges (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta GTC) +8.625 sec
Daniel Rowe (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta GTC) +8.714 sec
Simon Moss (Engen Xtreme Audi GTC) +36.307 sec
Bradley Liebenberg (Ferodo Mini JCW GTC2) +1m03.705
Keagan Masters (Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI GTC2) +1m04.030
Trevor Bland (TB Racing Volkswagen Golf GTI GTC2) +1m04.989
Charl Smalberger (iCorp Volkswagen Parts Golf GTI GTC2) +1m07.766
Christopher Shorter (Champion Mini JCW GTC2) +1m13.828
Iain Stevenson (Comsol VW Golf GTI GTC2) +1m20.605
Mandla Mdakane (Volkswagen Motorsport Golf GTI GTC2) +1m34.864
Dayne Angel (Autohaus Angel Honda Civic Type R GTC2) +1m43.873
Kosie Weyers (NSI/Goodwood/Belfreeze Chev Cruize GTC2) +3 Laps
Overall GTC: 1: Stephen, 2: Fourie, 3: Rowe, 4: Hodges, 5: Moss, 6: Bonafede, 7: Wolk, 8: Van Rooyen.
Overall GTC2: 1: Liebenberg, 2: Bland, 3: Masters, 4: Smalberger, 5: Shorter, 6: Stevenson, 7: Mdakane, 8: Angel, 9: Weyers