Die-hard dirt oval racing fans braved a chilly evening to witness another entertaining night of high-speed, sideways action at Victory Raceway, with Round 6 of the Victory Raceway Club Championship delivering plenty of thrills and close racing.
With the championship battle heating up, drivers had little time to worry about the cold as they threw their cars into the corners, battling for every available metre of the track.
Johan Schoeman was the man of the moment, enjoying a highly successful evening by claiming victories in both the 1600 Stock Saloon and Heavy Metal classes.
His Heavy Metal victory was anything but easy, however, as Schoeman was forced to dig deep to hold off a determined challenge from Gordon Ascaray, who continues to impress as he gets more familiar with his new car.
Ascaray pushed Schoeman all the way and earned plenty of admiration for his performance, being rewarded with the Driver of the Day accolade for his efforts.
The 1600 Stock Saloon action was equally entertaining, with Schoeman once again emerging on top. Quade de Lange secured second place, while Niel Herselman completed the podium.
Aiden Barnard enjoyed a relatively comfortable evening in the 2.1 Modified class, taking the chequered flag ahead of Shaun Gough and Gene Gough.
The 2.1 Modifieds provided another demonstration of the speed and spectacle that makes dirt oval racing such a popular form of motorsport, with the drivers having to balance outright pace with the ever-changing grip levels of the track.
Dawid “Baba” Grundlingh also enjoyed a successful night, taking victory in the Hot Rod class where he controlled proceedings to finish ahead of Llewellyn van Wyk, while Annuschke Gough claimed third place.
The 1660 Modified Saloon class proved to be a battle not only against the opposition but also against mechanical gremlins, with multiple cars falling victim to failures during the evening.
Pieter le Roux kept his car together when it mattered most and was rewarded with victory. Keenan Gravett brought his car home in second, with Zane van Wyk completing the top three.
There was also plenty to celebrate for visiting competitor Riaan Jacobs from George, who capped a strong evening by taking victory in the V8 American Saloon class.
Jacobs guided his big V8-powered machine to the win ahead of Juan Roesstorff and Johnny Weitz, ensuring that the visiting competitor would make the journey home with a victory to show for his efforts.
Class results
1600 Stock Saloons: 1 Johan Schoeman (EC93), 2 Quade de Lange (E195), 3 Niel Herselman (E66)
2.1 Modifieds: 1 Aiden Barnard (E15), 2 Shaun Gough (E152), 3 Gene Gough (E155)
Heavy Metals: 1 Johan Schoeman (EC93), 2 Gordon Ascaray (E178), 3 Rexlee Beaton (C724)
Hot Rods: 1 Dawid Grundlingh (C727), 2 Llewellyn van Wyk (C502), 3 Annuschke Gough (E153)
1660 Modified Saloons: 1 Pieter le Roux (E777), 2 Keenan Gravett (E195), 3 Zane van Wyk (C769)
V8 American Saloons: 1 Riaan Jacobs (G42), 2 Juan Roesstorff (E97), 3 Johnny Weitz (C66)
Driver of the Day: Gordon Ascaray (EC178)
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