| FORMULA VEE 2013|

| Temple Takes Command |

13 May 2013
Kevin Jenkins

The third round, of the 2013 Hankook South African National Formula Vee Championship, was run at the Extreme Festival event at Kyalami, on the 11th May and saw young Scott Temple (Ferodo Rhema 2) take both victories on the day and open up a commanding lead, at the head of the 2013 National Championship log.

In the first heat, Temple led from lights to flag, extending his advantage over the rest of the field, by just over a second per lap, as Greg Wilson (Reflex Solutions Rhema 2) fought a torrid battle, with four times SA National Formula Vee Champion Alan Holm (Lasersprint Office Direct Rhema 2), for second place. This battle was resolved in favour of Wilson, by a margin of 0.078 of a second and they were followed home by Gert Van Den Berg (BP Nantes Motors Rherma 2), Peter Hills (Renexcon Rhema 2) and Symm Grobler (Rhema 2) who beat Henk Swanepoel to the line, by 0.054 of a second! The remaining points scorers, where Gareth Jackson (Lasersprint Rhema 2), Luschen Ramchander (Miami Products and Services Rhema 1), Ben Pienaar (BJ Pro Welding Rhema 2), Jannie Geyser Snr (Vision) and Mile Stewart (Direction Group Rhema 2), after Hugo Wallendorf (BJ Pro Welding Lantis) had spun, at the final corner!

Lotus Challenge racer James Forbes made his Formula Vee debut, in the Simplicit-e Gaming Rhema 1, which he has bought for his daughter, while Stan Alford (CG Print Rhema 2) was deputising for his son Trystan who has not yet fully recovered from the intestine problem, that put him into Hospital a couple of days before round two, at Zwartkops. Another new comer to the category was Peter Meitjies (Afrihost, Rhema 1) who was making his circuit racing debut, at the event. Bradley Benningfield (Rhema 2) finished without a nose cone, after hitting the back of Stewart’s car, while Stewart had lost his nose cone as well, courtesy of a slow starting Hills moving across on him, in the opening lap. The only car that failed to cross the line was the first of the brand new Forza cars, making its racing debut, in the hands of Michael Mastnak, after the gear lever broke early in the race.

In the second heat, early retirements came from Shaun Van Der Linde (Len Schoen Estates Rhema 1) who had failed to start the first race and Geyser. Temple was out front on his own again but another torrid battle, between Wilson and Holm, saw Wilson run into the back of Holm’s car, under braking for Clubhouse corner. Wilson spun and ended up with one back wheel in the gravel trap, which just spun and dug in further, as he tried to get underway again and he had no option but to climb out, run across the gravel trap and watch the rest of the race, from the side lines.

Temple recorded yet another victory and he was followed across the line, by Holm, Van den Berg, Hills, Grobler and Jackson who finished a mere 0.033 of a second, ahead of Swanepoel, who was followed home by Pienaar, Ramchander, Wallendorf, Benningfield, Mustnak, scoring the first Championship points for the new car and Stewart who picked up the final point on offer. The next round of the Hankook SA National Formula Vee Championship, will be at the Extreme Festival event at Phakisa, on the 22nd June.