Latest news with #Sharonlea-based
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Father and son pull impressive performance at Zwartkops Raceway
A father and son, race drivers from Sharonlea, performed well on August 8 and 9 in historic single seater races at Zwartkops Raceway. The father, Alan Kernick, and the son, Michael, had a memorable weekend sharing the track, Alan in the 1970 Dulon Formula Ford, and Michael in the customary Capital, competing in the historic formula vee class. Read more: Sharonlea-based racer shines at KZN raceway During the practice runs, both drivers kept a respectable pace and were satisfied with their cars. Michael stated that he enjoyed being in the Capital, and the fastest in class. 'We were both in a great position for qualifying. Dad qualified sixth overall and fourth in class. I finished first in my class and tenth overall, which made us both very happy.' In race one, Alan was eager to move up the field, while Michael focused on the historic vee race. Alan worked quickly to move up a few ranks, and get to the front of his class. Michael was able to maintain a lead over the other vees, even passing some formula ford vehicles. 'I was thrilled,' said Michael, 'because I could see Dad a few cars ahead of me. I was able to get a nice run and open up a distance that I kept until the end, winning the historic formula vee class by five seconds and placing ninth overall.' Alan, after a long battle, ended sixth overall and fourth in class. In race two, both racers followed the same plan: To do their best and see what happened. Alan managed to finish fourth overall and third in class, but Michael had clutch issues on the final two laps, only managing to pull a win by seven seconds, and finishing seventh overall. 'It was a terrific weekend,' concluded Michael, 'and it was a joy to race on the same track as my father. I'm glad he had a successful day of racing. Thanks to everyone involved in making this happen.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!
The Citizen
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Blairgowrie-based racer Johan Gouws shows resilience at Zwartkops Raceway
Blairgowrie racer Johan Gouws showcased grit, skill, and relentless pace to secure a pair of standout performances in Round 3 of the 2025 Formula Vee Championship at Zwartkops Raceway. Qualifying brought early drama when Gouws could only clock one timed lap before a sudden electrical issue struck. He said, luckily, it turned out to be just a battery earth wire that had come loose, and that single lap was good enough for 10th on the grid. Race 1 saw Gouws come alive off the line, launching past two cars before even reaching the first corner. With his car handling superbly, he took a hard-fought and well-deserved fifth-place finish. Read more: Sharonlea-based racer gets a taste of historic 1962 RE Alfa Formula 1 (F1) race car Starting fifth in Race 2, he wasted no time as he passed a couple of cars to slot into third early on. He said that while applying pressure on MD Bester in second place, he was under attack from a hungry six-car train behind. 'Midway through the race, proceedings were abruptly halted following a high-speed incident. Fortunately, both drivers walked away unscathed.' Also read: Sharonlea father and son racers deliver at the championship round of the Historic Single Seaters The restart brought fresh drama with Gouws involved in another chaotic contact and a high-speed spin. 'I was lucky not to hit anything; I managed to get the car started again and still passed two more cars to finish eighth. One of the best races I've ever had.' He added that his team did an amazing job prepping the car. 'It felt dialled in, a huge thanks to my sponsors for making this possible: Arcanjo Printer Repairs, Engineering, IRCA Global, and Advanced Fastening Systems.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Minor setback could not stop Blairgowrie racer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
