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Ben Morgenrood Historics ready to race at Zwartkops

HISTORIC MARCH ON PRETORIA

by Motorsport Media - 20 Sep 2022 06:00:00
What Ben Morgenrood Group Historic Racing SA Round 7 Preview
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 24 September
Community South Africa National

Ben Morgenrood Historics ready to race at Zwartkops

The Ben Morgenrood Group Historic Racing Series heads to Zwartkops next for their penultimate round at the Pretoria Raceway’s Historic Tour races, appropriately enough on Braai Day Saturday 24 September. It’s all to play for in the triple Sprint category championship chases, let alone in the classes, never mind in the overall Pursuit chase and its classes. So, expect some no holds barred racing on a splendid Highveld spring day.
 
The Ben Morgenrood Historic Sprint series races in a unique and clever culmination of an overall and an Index championship, which together crown an overall champion. Sprint points are paid at double that of Index, which is scored with the driver whose average lap time is closest to his quickest, as the winner. This unique system rewards both pure performance and consistency and makes for a truly intriguing championship. 
 
The overall championship is of course the one with the biggest allure. There, Stuart Konig’s record of pace and consistency sees him lead the march to Pretoria in his Class C Pro Auto Rubber Scirocco 12, points clear of Class E leader Sean Hepburn’s AA Datsun 1200 Deluxe. John Simpson’s Evoke Reality Alfa Romeo Giulia GT Sprint is a further eight points adrift, with Class D top two Andre ten Napel’s TMCC Scirocco and Gavin Lundin’s Silverguard Datsun 1200 Deluxe next on the sprint log.
 
Jannie van Rooyen’s Class C PAR VW Scirocco, Harm Beens Jr.’s Class G Escort, Class F man and Sports & GT leader Steve Pickering in his Porsche 914, Rene Janse van Rensburg’s D Escort, and Class B leader Andre van der Merwe’s Porsche RSR close off the top ten. Then it’s Tihan van Rooyen’s Class G Porsche 924, Class D duo, Andre Dannhauser’s Toyota Corolla SR5, Fred Konig’s D and Riaan Roux’s E Sciroccos and Class G man Stewart McLarty and his Ford Escort XR3.
 
John Simpson is the pace man, and he has a handy sprint title advantage over Sean Hepburn and Andre Ten Napel tied for second, with Stuart Konig in close pursuit. Harm Beens Jr. and Jannie van Rooyen are tied for second from Gavin Lundin, Rene van Rensburg, Tihan van Rooyen and Fred Konig. 
 
Stuart Konig is however Mr. Consistency as he leads the Index chase from, Lundin, Hepburn, van Rooyen and top S man Steve Pickering. Then its Andres, Ten Napel and van der Merwe, Simpson, Dannhauser and Roux. Add their respective Sprint and Index tallies up and you have the Overall order on top. Told you it was interesting!
 
Being an Historic Tour, it brings out the wildcards and less regular competitors to play a bit of championship interference. So keep an eye out for the likes of PE visitor Rudolf de Vos’ thundering Chev Can Am and Peter Bailey, Rui Campos and George Avvakoumides’ Porsche 911 GTRs in Class B, Johann Smith’s rasping Mazda Capella rotary in C, Evelthon Rotsides’ Class D Datsun 240Z.
 
Ian Kilburn’s Datsun, Kola de Klerk ‘s Nissan 300Z and Cape visitor Daniel Lotter should spice up Class E, as will Class F men Willie Vonk and Ian Odendaal’s Ford Escorts, and Alan Poulter’s Datsun SSS. Also watch for Jan Jacobs’ Alfa Romeo GT in Class G, and Heinrich Norton’s Porsche 924 and Hendrik van Zyl’s Anglia in Class H.
 
Moving on, the Ben Morgenrood Historic Pursuit gang can be expected to thrill as ever. Raced on handicap with each driver starting at his ideal race time before the finish, the field closes up as everyone approaches the finish line at the identical theoretical time. So, it gets increasingly hectic towards the chequered flag! 
 
That title is down to a two-way fight between former champions, Fines duo Werner Hartzenberg’s Porsche 916 and Wynand du Plessis Sr. in a Porsche 944 S2. It will still be an ask for Senior to catch Hartzenberg, who is mere points from wrapping it up. In fact, du Plessis is the man under pressure from behind as one slip, even an exclusion for beating his ideal time as happened last race, could allow Modified class leader Althea Pretorius’ Nissan Exa or Fines man Rob van Aarle’s Ford Escort Mk1 to steal that second place.
 
A fair way further back, there’s a tight fight for fifth between Wynand du Plessis Jr.’s Toyota MR2, Machiel Oberholzer’s Mercedes-Benz 190E and Modified duo Willem van Niekerk’s Marauder and Harm Beens Sr. in a Ford Escort. Also watch for Fines gang Michelle Smith's Nissan Skyline 2800 GT, Andre Hattingh’s Mercedes 190E and Henk de Klerk in a Honda Civic. And Modified lot, Riaan Roux’s VW Scirocco, Mike Thompson in a Ford Capri and Kola de Klerk’s Nissan 300ZX.
 
HRSA’s new Youngtimer class also races with the Pursuit class as it grows and there you can expect veteran tin-top racer Mike O'Sullivan and Rob Clark’s Honda Ballades and Tiaan Smith’s Nissan Sentra to fight it out, hopefully with one or two more new entries in this exciting new class. 
 
The Ben Morgenrood Historic classes race alongside a full Historic Tour program at Zwartkops on Braai Day Saturday 24 September. What finer way to spend a fine Highveld’s spring afternoon, trackside at your braai?
 
ENDS

Issued on behalf of Historic Racing SA

For further information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 |  SA Sportspress  |  SA Motorsports

HISTORIC MARCH ON PRETORIA

by Motorsport Media - 20 Sep 2022 06:00:00
What Ben Morgenrood Group Historic Racing SA Round 7 Preview
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 24 September
Community South Africa National

Ben Morgenrood Historics ready to race at Zwartkops

The Ben Morgenrood Group Historic Racing Series heads to Zwartkops next for their penultimate round at the Pretoria Raceway’s Historic Tour races, appropriately enough on Braai Day Saturday 24 September. It’s all to play for in the triple Sprint category championship chases, let alone in the classes, never mind in the overall Pursuit chase and its classes. So, expect some no holds barred racing on a splendid Highveld spring day.
 
The Ben Morgenrood Historic Sprint series races in a unique and clever culmination of an overall and an Index championship, which together crown an overall champion. Sprint points are paid at double that of Index, which is scored with the driver whose average lap time is closest to his quickest, as the winner. This unique system rewards both pure performance and consistency and makes for a truly intriguing championship. 
 
The overall championship is of course the one with the biggest allure. There, Stuart Konig’s record of pace and consistency sees him lead the march to Pretoria in his Class C Pro Auto Rubber Scirocco 12, points clear of Class E leader Sean Hepburn’s AA Datsun 1200 Deluxe. John Simpson’s Evoke Reality Alfa Romeo Giulia GT Sprint is a further eight points adrift, with Class D top two Andre ten Napel’s TMCC Scirocco and Gavin Lundin’s Silverguard Datsun 1200 Deluxe next on the sprint log.
 
Jannie van Rooyen’s Class C PAR VW Scirocco, Harm Beens Jr.’s Class G Escort, Class F man and Sports & GT leader Steve Pickering in his Porsche 914, Rene Janse van Rensburg’s D Escort, and Class B leader Andre van der Merwe’s Porsche RSR close off the top ten. Then it’s Tihan van Rooyen’s Class G Porsche 924, Class D duo, Andre Dannhauser’s Toyota Corolla SR5, Fred Konig’s D and Riaan Roux’s E Sciroccos and Class G man Stewart McLarty and his Ford Escort XR3.
 
John Simpson is the pace man, and he has a handy sprint title advantage over Sean Hepburn and Andre Ten Napel tied for second, with Stuart Konig in close pursuit. Harm Beens Jr. and Jannie van Rooyen are tied for second from Gavin Lundin, Rene van Rensburg, Tihan van Rooyen and Fred Konig. 
 
Stuart Konig is however Mr. Consistency as he leads the Index chase from, Lundin, Hepburn, van Rooyen and top S man Steve Pickering. Then its Andres, Ten Napel and van der Merwe, Simpson, Dannhauser and Roux. Add their respective Sprint and Index tallies up and you have the Overall order on top. Told you it was interesting!
 
Being an Historic Tour, it brings out the wildcards and less regular competitors to play a bit of championship interference. So keep an eye out for the likes of PE visitor Rudolf de Vos’ thundering Chev Can Am and Peter Bailey, Rui Campos and George Avvakoumides’ Porsche 911 GTRs in Class B, Johann Smith’s rasping Mazda Capella rotary in C, Evelthon Rotsides’ Class D Datsun 240Z.
 
Ian Kilburn’s Datsun, Kola de Klerk ‘s Nissan 300Z and Cape visitor Daniel Lotter should spice up Class E, as will Class F men Willie Vonk and Ian Odendaal’s Ford Escorts, and Alan Poulter’s Datsun SSS. Also watch for Jan Jacobs’ Alfa Romeo GT in Class G, and Heinrich Norton’s Porsche 924 and Hendrik van Zyl’s Anglia in Class H.
 
Moving on, the Ben Morgenrood Historic Pursuit gang can be expected to thrill as ever. Raced on handicap with each driver starting at his ideal race time before the finish, the field closes up as everyone approaches the finish line at the identical theoretical time. So, it gets increasingly hectic towards the chequered flag! 
 
That title is down to a two-way fight between former champions, Fines duo Werner Hartzenberg’s Porsche 916 and Wynand du Plessis Sr. in a Porsche 944 S2. It will still be an ask for Senior to catch Hartzenberg, who is mere points from wrapping it up. In fact, du Plessis is the man under pressure from behind as one slip, even an exclusion for beating his ideal time as happened last race, could allow Modified class leader Althea Pretorius’ Nissan Exa or Fines man Rob van Aarle’s Ford Escort Mk1 to steal that second place.
 
A fair way further back, there’s a tight fight for fifth between Wynand du Plessis Jr.’s Toyota MR2, Machiel Oberholzer’s Mercedes-Benz 190E and Modified duo Willem van Niekerk’s Marauder and Harm Beens Sr. in a Ford Escort. Also watch for Fines gang Michelle Smith's Nissan Skyline 2800 GT, Andre Hattingh’s Mercedes 190E and Henk de Klerk in a Honda Civic. And Modified lot, Riaan Roux’s VW Scirocco, Mike Thompson in a Ford Capri and Kola de Klerk’s Nissan 300ZX.
 
HRSA’s new Youngtimer class also races with the Pursuit class as it grows and there you can expect veteran tin-top racer Mike O'Sullivan and Rob Clark’s Honda Ballades and Tiaan Smith’s Nissan Sentra to fight it out, hopefully with one or two more new entries in this exciting new class. 
 
The Ben Morgenrood Historic classes race alongside a full Historic Tour program at Zwartkops on Braai Day Saturday 24 September. What finer way to spend a fine Highveld’s spring afternoon, trackside at your braai?
 
ENDS

Issued on behalf of Historic Racing SA

For further information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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