SAFV: Series East London summary

Johns Shines in East London

The East London round, of the Pro Tour South African National Formula Vee Championship, left the chase for the 2008 title, wide open. With only four events to go, a mere fourteen points separate the top four, on the Championship Log. East London proved to be a happy hunting ground, for Dennis Johns (Geyser Attorneys Rhema 2) and he came away with maxim points, winning both races and claiming the bonus point, for fastest lap of the race. In the process, he also shattered the existing lap record, setting the new mark at, 1 minute 31.600 seconds. Log leader Alan Holm (Lasersprint Rhema 2) had a miserable weekend, by his high standard, only coming away with a fifth and a fourth place finish, while Peter Hills (Vacuform Rhema 2), lacking top end speed, fared even worse and had to be content with two seventh place finishes, dropping him to fourth on the log. Johns is now only three points behind Holm, while Jaco Schriks (Lasersprint Rhema 2) also leapfrogged Hills, into third place on the log, with two fine second place finishes, on the day.

For Alan Eustice (Execuline Rhema 2), it was a weekend he would rather forget. Toward the end of Friday afternoon's qualifying session, a car ahead of him suddenly slowed. Eustice was forced to brake, just before the high speed Rifle Bend, ran wide on the exit, spun back across the circuit, hit a bump in the infield and flipped three times. The car became an instant non starter and a checkup at the local hospital, revealed that Eustice had escaped with a cracked shoulder.

Race day produced two close action packed races, with Johns taking the first heat victory, from Schriks, Courtney Steenveld (Indy Oil Rhama 2), Trevor Bland (Office Direct Rhema 2), Holm, Symm Grobler (Auto Mecca Rhema 2), Hills, Zaahir Essa (NLDTF Rhema 1), Gareth Jackson (Lasersprint Rhema 2), Ben Pienaar (BJ Pro Welding Rhema 2), Jannie Geyser Jnr (Geyser Attorneys Rhema 2) and Jannie Geyser Snr (Geyser Attorneys Vision), after Johan Gouws (Mantis) had been forced to retire, when his throttle return spring broke.

Geyser Jnr required an engine change between heats but with the races fairly close together close together ran out of time and failed to start the second heat. There where however, no such problems for Johns and he stormed to his second victory of the day, ahead of Schriks, Steenveld, Holm, Bland, Grobler, Hills, Essa, Gouws, Pienaar and Geyser Snr , while Jackson picked up the final point, despite being sidelined with a blown motor, with a couple of laps to go.

-credit: safv