Killarney race report

By Barry de Klerk -special to Motorsport.com

20 Year old Rookie Jonathan du Toit dominated the first 2001 SASCAR meeting at Killarney this weekend. Du Toit started his racing career at the age of 14, and has recently been racing Formula Ford. He is the son of Zwartkops racetrack owner Peter du Toit.

Jean Jacques Maree qualified second, making it an all Ford front row. Behind them was the first Chevrolet, that of champion George Fouche. Johan Fourie, who dominated proceedings at the end of last season, had a gearbox failure and started from the back of the grid.

Come raceday and du Toit proved that qualifying on pole was no fluke by winning both races, although it certainly was no walkover, with 3 different drivers leading the first race before du Toit claimed victory. He was passed the Chevrolet of the champion George Fouche and the similar car of Deon Joubert. He then followed them each around for a couple of laps to see where he could outbrake them - it worked.

Fellow front row man JJ Maree smashed his car into the wall after 6 laps, bringing out a yellow, which was followed by a major shuffling of the running order. Finally Du Toit won from Joubert and Fouche. Fourie retired after suffering contact damage with the spinning Maree.

With Maree out of action his position on pole for the second race was held vacant, but du Toit held of a charging Fouche to retaon the lead, which he extended through the race. Midfield battles provided more escitement, with Zane Pearce, Rob Beaumont and John Simpson fighting it out, their battle being interupted as Joubert made his way through the field after a spin, before spinning out again. Despite all this Joubert finished 5th.

<pre> RESULTS OF RACE 1

1. Jonathan du Toit (#24 Team Big Z Racing - Ford

2. Deon Joubert (#9 Team Barnett - Chev)

3. George Fouche (#1 Team Rust Buster 10 - Chev)

4. Peter Lindenberg (#2 Team Bosal Kwikfit - Ford)

5. Kosie Swanepoel (#3 Team Tsingtao Beer - Chev)

6. Rob Beaumont (#69 Team Tyco Trucking - Chev)

7. John Simpson (#63 Team Simpson Trailers - Chev)

8. Zane Pearce (#18 Team Hi-Q - Chev)

9. d.n.f. Deon Auby (#96 Team Tyco Trucking - Chev) (8 laps)

10. d.n.f. Johan Fourie (#4 Team MD Transport - Ford) (6 laps)

11. d.n.f. Jean-Jacques Maree (#22 Team RCS Auto Card - Ford ) (2 laps - accident on third lap)

RESULTS OF RACE 2:

1. Jonathan du Toit (#24 Team Big Z Racing - Ford)

2. George Fouche (#1 Team Rust Buster 10 - Chev)

3. Peter Lindenberg (#2 Team Bosal Kwikfit - Ford)

4. Rob Beaumont (#69 Team Tyco Trucking - Chev)

5. Deon Joubert (#9 Team Barnett Auto Spares - Chev)

6. Zane Pearce (#18 Team Hi-Q - Chev)

7. John Simpson (#63 Team Simpson Trailers - Chev)

8. Deon Auby (#96 Team Tyco Trucking - Chev)

9. Kosie Swanepoel (#3 Team Tsingtao Beer - Chev)

10. Johan Fourie (#4 Team MD Transport - Ford)

Championship points after the first round of the SASCAR challenge series:

1. Jonathan du Toit (#24 Big Z - Ford) 205 points

2. George Fouche (#10 Rust Buster 10 - Chev) 188

3. Peter Lindenberg (#2 Kwik-Fit/Bosal - Ford) 176

4. Deon Joubert (#17 Barnetts Auto Spares - Chev) 175

5. Rob Beaumont (#69 Tyco Trucking International - Chev) 162

6. Kosie Swanepoel (#3 Tsingtao Beer - Ford) 140

Zane Pearce (#18 Hi-Q - Chev) won the Certina watch for the two closest qualifying laps. The RAM "Mr. Cool Award" went to JJ Maree who took his accident which deprived him of his first pole position with such good grace, and the Wynns' Most Beautiful Car award went to John Simpson (#63 - Chev), whose Simpson Trailers #63 car looked magnificently American. The Ryobi "Mechanic of the Day" award went to Derek of Hi-Tech who helped fix Fourie's car.

</pre> The next round of the 2001 SASCAR challenge will take place at Port Elizabeth's Aldo Scribante circuit on Saturday 24 March.