Exciting opener for Formula Vee’s 55th anniversary season!
Theodore Vermaak • February 27, 2020
The South African National Formula Vee series celebrates its 55th season of close racing in 2020. The series started on 15 May 1965 with three Formula Vee’s lining up on the Kyalami grid. Since then the series has carried National Championship status for the majority of its 55 year existence, with champions like Dave Charlton, John Love, Judy Charlton (Witter), Ettienne van der Linde and Scott Temple to name a few. The series has always attracted new talent and the racing has always been extremely close and competitive with a family atmosphere where competitors have become friends.
The series, sponsored by Hankook and DOE Quality Parts, kicked off the 2020 season, with the customary close and exciting racing. The first round was held at Redstar Raceway near Delmas in Mpumalanga on Saturday 22 February.
With the race in February being quite early in the year, getting 16 cars to the grid was an awesome effort by all members and a sure sign of the committee’s commitment. The condition of the cars was also quite impressive with various new paint jobs making the grid look splendid. Friday, official practise was spent sorting out some teething issues on some rebuilt cars and running in some engines. One of the major improvers of the day must have been Shaun van der Linde (Truck City Boksburg Rhema 2). Shaun showed great pace and finished the day in fourth. For the remainder, the usual contenders was up there with Lushen Ramchander (Liqui Moly Forza) showing 2020 intent by setting the fastest lap time on Friday.
Saturday morning during qualifying, Lushen looked like the man to beat until a small mistake cost him some time. Gert van den Berg (Hankook Rhema 2) then had the fastest lap until Lushen came back on the last lap to snatch pole position. So the grid was Lushen, Gert, Jaco Schriks (Lube Station Rhema 2), Lendle Jansen (Bull Security Forza) with Shaun van der Line in an impressive fifth. Further down, Brandon Hills (Mangaza Trading Rhema 1,5) took sixth with brother Vaughn Hills (Hankook Rhema 2) just behind him. Next up was a returning Greg Wilson (Forza) in a new chassis with Peter Hills (Liqui Moly Stealth) standing in for Jeandre le Roux in the newly built Stealth. Peter was assisting team Liqui Moly with development as Jeandre was out of country. At the back, Haydn Ellwood (Yellow Capital Sting) and Craig Forbes (Forbes Africa Holdings Sting) was on the grid in the two arrive-and-drive option cars. This was a brand new initiative by the committee and car owners to get new people into cars and testing the water before committing.
Race one started with Gert van den Berg getting the jump on Lushen Ramchander, with Jaco Schriks in close pursuit. Lushen then passed Gert on lap 3 and led until the end. He crossed the line 0,087seconds ahead of Van den Berg and they were less than a second ahead of Jaco. Lendle had a lonely race after touching Brandon Hills into turn one. He finished in fourth with Brandon and Vaughn Hills having a close battle till the end. Shaun van der Linde made mistake on lap one and fell back to tenth, but recovered well to seventh. Greg Wilson also had issues, having to come from last on the first lap to recover to an eventual eighth place. In the dice with these two was MD Bester (Mangaza Trading Rhema 2), Theo Vermaak (DOE Quality Parts Vision), Peter Hills and Jannie Geyser (Rhema 2). This was a four car battle with Shaun and Greg having some fun while passing the fighting pack. At the back, Dave Austin (DA Racing Rhema 2) and Craig Forbes had a close dice with Dave winning out at the end.
Race two, saw Gert taking the lead again, but this time he stayed ahead until Lushen made a small mistake allowing him to get away. Jaco passed Lushen for second, only to relinquish it on the last lap to Lushen again. Behind them, Lendle finished fourth with Brandon and Vaughn in fifth and sixth. Shaun was seventh after losing some places initially, but showing promise with the lap times. Greg fought with Brandon and Vaughn early on, but fell back to an eventual eighth. Behind him Peter Hills gave the Stealth a ninth in only its second race while MD Bester and Theo Vermaak had an almighty tussle for tenth and eleventh. Jannie Geyser and Roy Douglas (Forza) had a race long battle and they showed that you will always have a great battle on track in the Hankook Formula Vee’s!
Overall results for the day was Gert, Lushen and Jaco with Lushen and Gert tied at the top of the championship. The next round at Zwartkops is around the corner on 14 March. The Hankook Formula Vee Championship joins the National Extreme Festival for a bumper day at Zwartkops Raceway. Come join in the fun and meet the drivers in the pits.
The Hankook Formula Vee Championship is proudly brought to you by Hankook and DOE Quality Parts.
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As we enter the second half of the season with 4 races completed there has been 4 different drivers starting on pole position, 4 different drivers taking the fastest qualifying lap, 4 different race winners and get this, 3 different championship leaders… 2022 Saw a lot of changes come to the Vee’s with the move from National status to National Challenge status making it more affordable for members whilst still being able to stay on the National tour. Qualifying structure change has also brought a new twist on the swing of things with the top 6 drivers scrambled after their qualifying session resulting in the epic battles you have come to see so far this season. Still staying on the same Bridgestone rubber as the previous season also makes for closer racing amongst all the drivers throughout the grid. Coastal races are 3 heat races to give drivers more pleasure on those amazing circuits and more rewards for going all that way to race. On the Association side of things, the points structure has been changed giving driver credit for going down to the away races as well, adding valuable points to their championships for traveling. National Challenge Championship Race 1 - was held at Zwartkops Raceway in March with the Regional calendar. 23 cars took to the grid hitting off the season with a big field. Lendl Jansen taking his Rhema 2 quickest around Zwartkops but started in 3 rd place, the Bridgestone grid scramble saw Vaughn Hills on pole position alongside his father Peter giving the Hills’s a front row lockout. Lights out and go with hard racing from the first corner, in the end Gert van den Berg took the top podium spot followed by Greg Wilson and then Lushen Ramchander in the overall results. Race 2 - was held at Zwartkops Raceway again in April this time with the National tour showing the bigger categories that Formula Vee is back! 21 cars took to the grid giving the crowds some epic racing. This time around Greg Wilson dominated the field with his 2x wins and a pole position followed by Gert van den Berg and Lushen Ramchander having another podium finish. Greg taking over the top spot in the Championship from van den Berg. Race 3 – this time going down to Aldo Scribante and taking down a decent field of 15 cars. From the word go the old hand of Peter Hills topped the timing sheets in Friday practice sessions. Qualifying saw Brandon Hills put on a great display to take the fastest time; the grid scramble had other things to say giving pole position to Lushen Ramchander. Peter Hills standing on top of the podium with Lushen Ramchander taking second place and Greg Wilson just beating out Brandon Hills for third place. The month of June saw a midyear break giving all drivers some needed rest and time to work on their cars for the year ahead. Race 4 – Red Star Raceway sees Formula Vee again after not racing there in the 2021 season. The king of Red Star Gert saw him put on a magic lap in qualifying to get that needed point for fastest lap. Once again, the Bridgestone grid scramble mixing things up giving pole position to Greg Wilson. Race pace was all in the hands of Gert van den Berg and Lendl Jansen, with Jansen taking the 2x wins from Gert leaving Peter Hills and Lushen Ramchander to fight it out for that final spot in both heats one a peace. Hills took the third spot in overall over Ramchander. Association Championship As many people don’t know what the Association Championship is, it is for the drivers in the mid to rear end of the pack. Giving other drivers some recognition and something worth driving for. This season has been very tight amongst the association drivers just as it has been for the Overall championship Race 1 - Zwartkops saw Vaughn Hills put down some seriously fast times and with the addition to the new Bridgestone grid scramble he was the lucky one to start on pole position first time for him in his racing career and a first for him and his father Peter to start on the front row of the grid. With allot of action happening during both heats it brought the podium proceedings with Vaughn Hills taking first place, Henk van den Berg in second place and Roy Douglas having a solid weekend finishing in third place. Race 2 – Zwartkops brought some more interesting things happen in both championships. Sadly, Vaughn Hills has since relocated overseas but we will still have him over for racing towards the end of the year. Eric Booyens starting his 2022 campaign due to missing out the first event. Eric took over the luck from Vaughn in the first event with the Bridgestone grid scramble handing Eric second place on the grid. Racing was as tight as ever between the association drivers so when it came to the trophy ceremony Eric took the first place followed by Josef Kotze and then Theodore Vermaak in third. Race 3 – Down to Aldo Scribante we go and 3 heats giving the association drivers credit in earning points and 3 heats for that additional extra push in points. Between the 15 drivers down for the event 8 of them are fighting for the association title. 3 Drivers however made a full run away from the rest of the pack. Josef Kotze, Kyle Watt and Theodore Vermaak all three fighting it out in all three heats. Josef taking it top position over Kyle Watt and Theodore Vermaak in third. Race 4 – Red Star being a long-awaited race it gave some good battles yet again. Although Eric Booyens leaving all the association drivers in his dust; the rest of them had some serious fights on their hands. Kyle Watt, Josef Kotze and Theodore Vermaak fighting for the rest of the podium not leaving Henk van den Berg and Michael Kernick not to fall off their tails. Eric took first place with Kyle Watt in Second and Josef Kotze in third. 2022 Has been a good year to the Formula Vee Association thus far. Securing new sponsors and keeping those from the previous year. The field has grown tremendously with 27 active drivers. Midway through the season there is 5 new members signing up, and some drivers who have not yet raced this season will be joining the action later in the year. DOE Formula Vee will be joining the National tour again next month and for the first time in 7 years back at East London!!
