Thriller delivers record setting championship winner!
Theodore Vermaak • November 18, 2019
The Grand Finale of the Extreme Festival held at Zwartkops, promised to deliver close battles. The Hankook Formula Vee National Championship was setup to go down to the wire. Jaco Schriks (Lube Station Racing Rhema 2) had a 7 point lead going into the event and could barely afford any mishaps. Gert van den Berg (Hankook Rhema 2) had his work cut out, but both could easily be upset by the new winners that emerged during the season. Lendl Jansen (Bull Security Forza) and Brandon Hills (Mangaza Consulting / Just Water Rhema 1.5) could play a role, as could Lushen Ramchander (Liqui Moly Forza), Peter Hills (Lube Fusion Rhema 2) and Richard Carr (Lucky Star Rhema 2). These were just some of the front runners. Then you add “Mr Zwartkops” Symm Grobler (Rhema 2) and things could get hairy for either of the two contenders.
During Friday, Schriks proved he was going to be hard to beat. Having spent the previous two Wednesdays testing and determining whether his cars problems was resolved or whether he had to use an alternate car, he was constantly fastest in all the practise sessions. Carr and Ramchander showed they would be the closest on track challengers as Van den Berg struggled with minor brake problems.
During Saturday’s qualifying, the gloves were off and Schriks put in a blistering couple of laps to claim pole position for both races. He beat out Carr, Ramchander and Grobler. The first eight cars were covered by 0,8 seconds. Van den Berg had a carburettor issue and only managed seventh for both heats. With pole position and the bonus point, the championship dynamic shifted, and Schriks could afford to finish second in both races. But that is not what any potential champion wants to do. Further back there were some guests. Blane de Meillon (Firebreak Sting) joined the class for a race from the Monoposto field and Haydn Ellwood (Mangaza Sting) flew up from Cape Town to join the group in anticipation of a possible season to be spent in the National category in 2020.
Race one delivered on the promise. Into turn two, Grobler and Peter Hills made slight contact which forced them wide. With Van den Berg starting from seventh, he had to win to stand a chance. On lap two, Schriks had a one second lead from Ramchander and Carr. Schriks then outbraked himself at turn five and rejoined making contact with Carr. He then joined behind Jansen in fifth. Title contender Van den Berg already made his way to third and things looked ominous for Schriks. He quickly got past Jansen and set off chasing Van den Berg. Schriks got past Van den Berg, who then threw it to the inside of Schriks in turn two to retake the position. It was a close move, but with the two respecting each other, there was no touching. Things then changed as Ramchander had Carr going down the inside of turn one. The two touched and Carr got stuck in the gravel trap. Van den Berg found himself in the lead, with the safety car being deployed. At the restart, Schriks had the better pace and passed Van den Berg to pull away to a comfortable lead. Van den Berg grabbed second with Peter Hills finishing third ahead of Grobler and Brandon Hills after a close fought battle. Behind them Shaun van der Linde (Truck City Boksburg / Len Schoen Estates Rhema 2) and Ben Pienaar (DOE Quality Parts Rhema 2) finished ahead of Michael Kernick (MJ Art & Design / Track SA Tasman 95) who recovered well after some qualifying difficulties. MD Bester (Mangaza Consulting / Just Water Rhema 2) just beat out Jeandre le Roux (Liqui Moly Lantis). They also had a great dice throughout the race. Jannie Geyser (Rhema 2) rejoined after having been spun around by Theo Vermaak (DOE Quality Parts Vision) earlier in the race. He finished just ahead of Vaughn Hills (Hankook Sting) who also had to recover from a spin while avoiding Geyser. The race definitely lived up to expectation, but with Schriks finishing ahead of Van den Berg, his championship lead was now 11 points.
In race two, the battles were just as hectic, however by the time the racing got underway the nerves were a little more relaxed. Schriks had an easier race and also stayed on the track to pull out a clear lead. Van den Berg again had to come from seventh and fought through to come home second. He was however chased to the line by Ramchander. Behind him Grobler just beat out Jansen. Peter Hills finished a lonely race ahead of Brandon Hills while Carr finished just behind Brandon Hills after recovering from an earlier mistake. Shaun van der Linde was also chasing them across the line for a strong ninth. Ben Pienaar had a proper battle with Jannie Geyser and just pipped him to the line and Michael Kernick completed the points scoring positions. Interestingly, all finishers finished on the lead lap and that was a true testament to the close racing seen on track. Haydn Elwood and Blane de Meillon had an excellent dice with Dave Austin, with all of them improving their lap times over the weekend significantly.
Jaco Schriks won the championship with 15 points and thus sealed his record equalling fifth national championship. The formula has grown and with new energy brought in by new drivers, cars, sponsors, the class is going from strength to strength. With 2020 being the 55th anniversary year of Formula Vee in South Africa, stay tuned to see the growth and fun had by each and everyone in this formula.
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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!!
