Zwartkops’ Monster Rotax MAX Weekend

National & Continental champions to be crowned in Pretoria

The 2021 South African Kart Championships comes to a head at the Zwartkops International Kart Circuit on Saturday 2 October. That blockbuster weekend also includes the wildcard Rotax African Open on Sunday. The two days will determine the South African team to fly the flag at the ‘Olympics of Karting’ Rotax Max Grand Finals at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit, 11-18 December 2021.

Joseph Oelz and his BirelART take a 17-point advantage into the DD2 gearbox final in a Cape Town 1-2-4 there. His closest rival is compatriot Sebastian Boyd in his BirelART, Boyd has some poor scores to boot once all has settled, but will have local Gauteng hotshot Brandon Smith on on his case, 10 points adrift aboard a Ricciardo. Another Cape lad Jason Coetzee, who like Boyd has some bad scoring rounds to bin, has Gauteng five, Wayland Wyman, the on form Nicolas Spanoyannis, Niko Zafiris, Divan Braak and Jamie Smith in tow. And don’t ignore KZN king Robert Whiting.

Sticking with DD2 but for the African Open, two star wildcards have been received for Sunday’s race. Four-time DD2 champion Bradley Liebenberg and South Africa’s W Series star Tasmin Pepper return to their karting roots in search of that off chance to represent SA at those grand Finals.

It’s too close for comfort in the over-32 DD2 Masters class where Ricciardo-mounted EP race hero Michael Stephen takes a half point lead into the Zwartkops weekend over KZN flyer Jonathan Pieterse’s Tony Kart. They however have Gauteng locals Nicholas Verheul in his CRG and Eugene Brittz in an Intrepid to keep an eye on and Cape lad Andrew Thomas and another local, Carlo Gil are also ready to pounce.

Cape kid Tate Bishop has control of Senior Max aboard his Kosmic, with KZN lad Riley Horner’s Tony Kart and local hero Kian Grottis’ Kosmic his closest championship rivals. Several other drivers will be out to make an impression and maybe even steal that African Open seat on Sunday. They include local lad Olerato Sekudu, KZN trio Jack Rowe, Yifan Li and Juandre Nel and a proper wildcard in Shrien Naidoo who knows his way to the front. It’s great to see a return to National karting for Jordon Brooks who joins the Senior Max fracas.

Under-15 high school Junior Max is closer than ever. Less than 2 points separate Cape Kid Reza Levy’s CRG and Maritzburg flyer Troy Snyman’s Tony Kart and in local Exprit hero Muhammad Wally’s back yard. Should prove explosive! Especially considering class wildcards with the likes of Jayden Goosen, Tyler Robinsob and Dhivyen Naidoo and also championship contenders, Cape kid Matthew Wadeley and Corban Spies out of KZN are in the mix.

Gauteng kid Wian Boshoff and his Tony Kart take a 15-point advantage into the under-13 Mini Max finals over Cape lad, Joaquin de Oliveira’s Parolin. And there’s a mad spat just behind them where Gauteng trio Caleb Odendaal’s Tony Kart, Erich Heystek’s Praga and Kent Swartz’ Parolin, KZN lightie Travis Mingay’s Exprit and Cape duo, Joshua Smit’s RS Jordon Wadeley on a CRG are all ready to take advantage.

Reagile Mailula and his Praga have a handy under-11 Mini Max title advantage over Gauteng compatriot, Mattao Mason’s Parolin. But there’s a tight fight behind them between WP lad Keagan Beaumont’s Parolin, local driver Kegan Martin driving a Praga and EP kid Joshua Moore’s Ricciardo. But Rafael da Silva may just be the lad to beat on his Tony Kart and don’t forget Jack Moore, Kyle Spies, Harry Rowe and Aiden Beaumont either.

Then there are the baby Bambinos, where Eastern Cape youngster Jack Moore leads Gauteng duo Matthew Shuttleworth and Maddox Mason in the championship chase heading to Pretoria. Cape kid Michael Danks and Gauteng duo Logan Billau and Santiago Frade are all more than capable of winning. The karting kinder-garden, Bambino is also the breeding ground of champions and with a huge entry once again for Zwartkops, it certainly looks bright.

Saturday’s action sees four heats in each class, all counting for the 2021 South African Kart Championships. That also lands each champion a berth in the South African team to fly the flag at the ‘Olympics of Karting’ Rotax Max Grand Finals at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit 3-11 December.

Sunday’s Rotax Max African Open is a wildcard winner take all affair with the top class winners in Mini Max, Junior Max, Senior Max and DD2 also each earning a Grand Final seat as well as R10,000 towards their travel to Bahrain with great prizes for the remainder of the classes.

Follow it via live stream on kart.co.za and Youtube.

If you still haven’t entered, now is your chance to book your spot on the grid and make history.

ENTER NATIONAL ROUND 4 >

ENTER 2021 RTX AFRICAN OPEN