Strong entry, great racing and a fine family spirit in KZN

The 2021 Rotax Max Challenge karting season roared into life at a most entertaining and well supported KwaZulu-Natal regional opener raced in true family spirit at iDube neat Camperdown on Sunday. A most successful race day, it was also the first Rotax Max meeting under the auspices of controlling body WOMZA.

Rob Whiting got his DD2 season off to a splendid start with a handy triple victory on the day. Masters driver Jonathan Pieterse was a close second from Jamie Smith in the first race, before Jozi visitor Smith took second in both following heats. Pieterse’s absence in the final allowed Shane Foley to emerge third for the day to take the Masters win ahead of a fine day-ling spat between Divan Braak, Alistair Mingay and Bev van Heerde, with Chris Grobbelaar Stan Whiting and Brent Moyle in the mix too.

Troy Snyman was in imperious form in Senior Max, as he stormed off to a couple of wins in the opening races. But he hit technical trouble in the final and retired to hand the day’s win to final heat winner Riley Horner. Snyman ended up second for the day ahead of a fine tussle between Nic Wuite, Jack Roweand Juandre Nel. Yifan Li soldiered on to sixth overall ahead of Louden Bamford and Daniela Marzoppi.

There was a little drama in the opening Max Masters race when Eric Marzoppi looked set to take the win, but tussled with Richard van Heerde who sneaked the heat win from Allan John Rice. Marzoppi ended third, but he then went on to take the second and third races and the day form van Heerde and Rice. Richard Horner kept James Stewart at bay to take fourth from Peter John Garbutt, Allan Johnston and Shaun Yeld.

Tyler Robinson made no mistakes to take a 12 to 15 year old Junior Max triple from Corban Spies, Maahir Wahab and Nikheil Kulkaparsad each time. There was more drama in nine to 13 year old Mini Max, when East London visitor Caleb Odendaal lost his results for the day when his engine was found not to be sealed . Then Berlin Robinson mounted Odendaal’s kart to allow Travis Mingay to sneak the overall win from Robinson, Dylan Watkins and Travis Yeld.

Jozi visitor and Bambino graduate Mattao Mason had the perfect start to his seven to eleven year-old Micro Max career with a hat trick of wins. Harry Rowe emerged ahead off a fraught battle between Rafael da Silva, consistent couple Cristian Verheul and Ruald Hartzenberg and Reagile Mailula, who had an up and down day. Troy Pieterse was next up from Kiera Naidoo and Kyle Spies.

The Masons are not quite finished with the baby Bambino class however — younger sibling Maddox took a couple of seconds and a final race win to take the day from race 1 winner Santiago Frade and second race winner Matthew Shuttleworth in a splendid day of 5 to 9 year old racing. Rafael de Sousa also popped onto the podium en route to fourth ahead of Kayden Pistauer.

There were also races for 4-Stroke Sprint and Shifter karts, where Scott Falconer made no mistake to storm to a trio of wins over Brent Walden and Shrien Naidoo who shared out the second and thirds, Cody Sherratt, Richard van Heerde and Mauro Munari. And Richard van Heerde and Jonno Wilson shared the popular 4-stroke wins to come home in that order overall ahead of Eddie Lloyd, Peter John Garbutt, Stan Whiting, Lisa Mingay and the rest.

As can be seen, KZN karting is without doubt a family affair with dads, moms, sons, daughters, boyfriends and girlfriends all at it all day long. Thehe next iDube round just happens on 14 March.

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Over 200 competitors have registered to compete in this year’s revolutionary new South African Rotax MAX Kart Championships. Have you?


Get South African Kart Championships news to your inbox…

Join our mailing list

Over 200 competitors have registered to compete in this year’s revolutionary new South African Rotax MAX Kart Championships. Have you?