RUSTENBURG HERALD - ZWARTKOPS - Warm autumn skies greeted spectators and competitors alike on Saturday, 18 May, when the National Extreme Festival made its way to Zwartkops Raceway for the third round of the 2024 season.
For Rustenburg's Pocket Rocket - Michael van Rooyen - the day ended as a memorable one, since it's been quite some time since Van Rooyen found himself up on the winners podium. Robert Wolk (Chemical Logistics BMW 128ti) had no sooner led the South African Touring Cars field away from pole position when the safety car was deployed to allow the marshals to recover Roberto Franco’s Graphix Supply World Polo SupaCup from the gravel trap on the exit of the first turn.
After four laps behind the safety car, racing resumed with Nathi Msimanga (Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla) leading Wolk and Saood Variawa (Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla). With four laps still to run, Variawa slowed dramatically allowing teammate Michael van Rooyen through into third. That is how it ended, but Msimanga was hit with a 30-second post-race penalty for a jump-start, which handed the win to Wolk. Van Rooyen was classified second, and Julian van der Watt (Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf 8 GTi) third. The opening lap of the second race was full of drama. First, Msimanga and Variawa clashed, going up the hill to the tabletop. Then Anthony Pretorius (OMP / LTR Racing Toyota Corolla) and Wolk came together at the bottom of the hill in the final corner. When the dust settled, Pretorius was out of the race, Wolk and Variawa were near the back of the field, and Msimanga was running in third behind van Rooyen and Van der Walt. With four laps left to run, the bonnet on Msimanga’s Corolla flew open, and he retired, allowing Andrew Schofield (FlySafair BMW 128ti) into third place. All the while, Wolk and Variawa had been working their way through the SupaCup field, but for Wolk, a points-paying finish was not to be. Although he crossed the line in fourth place, a post-race hearing determined he was to blame for the collision with Pretorius and was placed behind the rookie in the standings, effectively meaning Wolk was not classified and didn’t score any points. At the front, van Rooyen took the win from Van der Watt and Schofield.
