The Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series made history on Saturday 1 November as the first tin top series to host an event at a very hot and humid Red Star Raceway just outside of Delmas in Mpumalanga. A healthy field of cars turned out for the final event of the year with the class B and Overall Driver Championships yet to be decided.
All myths and theories about cars not being able to race at this predominantly motorcycle circuit were well and truly thrown out of the window with two action packed races proving that this popular venue was more than capable of handling tin top and single seater racing. Despite the tight and twisty nature of the circuit the series organisers and drivers in the series came away from the race day begging for more.
Free practice was somewhat unkind to some of the top contenders in the series. Jimmy Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR) and Riaan Woest (E46 M3) both suffered terminal electrical and alternator problems ending their day before it had begun. Mish-al Sing (E92 M3) had to retire his normally reliable racer after terminal engine problems ended his day before the qualifying session as well. Andreas Meier (E36 M3) then stepped forward and offered his class D spec car to Sing so that he would at least still be in with a chance of fighting for the Overall Drivers Championship title.
Qualifying
Gianni Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR) took pole position by more than half a second over Zimbabwean Darren Winterboer (F30 335i). Manny Ribeiro (E36 328i Turbo) would line up on the second row of the grid with Dino Fameliaris (E36 M3 Turbo) back to his old form in fourth position. Julian Fameliaris (E36 328i Turbo) qualified behind his cousin with Hein Strohm (E36 328i Turbo) rounding out the top six in what promised to be an exciting start to the first race.
Race 1
The charge through the first corner at the start of the race saw the leaders fan out three abreast with the rest of the chasing pack all getting through the first corner unscathed – once again dispelling all notions that the track was not capable of handling cars. Winterboer grabbed the lead with Ribeiro and Giannoccaro hot on his heels.
Strohm had a good start and was up to fourth by the end of the first lap. Julian Fameliaris slotted into fifth with Oscar de Oliveira (E86 Z4 M Coupe S/C) right on his tail. Class C front runner Stefano Martinelli (E36 328i) came into the pits for an unscheduled stop to remove a bumper from his front grill after an altercation with the back of Sing’s car – losing a lap in the process. There were no such worries for the rest of the field however with the battle for the lead heating up as well. Ribeiro charged down the long back straight to take the lead from Winterboer on the second lap.
Class D contender Craig Ball (E36 328i) retired to the pits with overheating issues while class B front runner Dino Fameliaris retired on the same lap with boost pipe problems on his car.
Third placed Giannoccaro retired a lap later with overheating problems putting a premature end to his race. Lorenzo Gaultieri (E36 328i) had picked up the class C lead and was up to sixth place overall by the third lap with Sing hot on his heels in his class D spec car. Mike Salt (E36 323i) led the class D pack with Arri van Heerden (E30 2.7) in tow. Sing was called into the pits with loose bodywork on the back of his car. His team made short work of removing the offending bodywork so he did not lose too many positions in the process.
After eight laps of hard racing, Ribeiro wrote his name in the history books as the first ever winner in the series at the Red Star Raceway, claiming the class A victory as well. Winterboer crossed the line to pick up second position as well as the class B honours ahead of third placed Strohm. Sixth placed Gaultieri drove brilliantly to pick up the class C win with Salt keeping van Heerden at bay to claim the class D honours.
Race 1 Results by class
Class A
1. Manny Ribeiro – Best lap: 2:05.713
2. Oscar de Oliveira – Best lap: 2:10.493
3. Mish-Al Sing – Best lap: 2:12.240 Class B
1. Darren Winterboer – Best lap: 2:05.830
2. Hein Strohm – Best lap: 2:07.864
3. Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 2:07.444
Class C
1. Lorenzo Gaultieri – Best lap: 2:13.098
2. Stefano Martinelli – Best lap: 2:12.742 Class D
1. Mike Salt – Best lap: 2:18.774
2. Arri Van Heerden – Best lap: 2:19.630
3. Paulo Loureiro – Best lap: 2:20.231
The day’s drama was not over however as Martinelli blew the engine on his normally reliable car on the last lap of the race. Series newcomer Johnny Markatzselis (E36 325i) then offered his car for the Overall title contender to drive in the second race, which he gratefully accepted.
Race 2
The traditional reverse grid by class for the second race would certainly make the first few laps exciting. Strohm got off to a blistering start to grab the lead out of turn one. De Oliveira held onto second place with Ribeiro and Winterboer in tow. Pole man Sing dropped back to fifth position in his class D spec car with class C leader Gaultieri hot on his heels. Bevan Meyer (E36 325i) led the class D pack but was being hassled by Salt through every corner. A determined Winterboer picked up two places before the lap was over and set about chasing after Strohm who was opening up an early lead.
With his Overall Championship hopes on the line Sing was driving like a man possessed. He passed Gaultieri to move into the top six on the third lap – and that in a class D spec car. The battle for the lead was just as intense with a three way battle developing between Strohm, Winterboer and Ribeiro. Winterboer was desperately trying to find a way past Strohm but he had to defend his position from Ribeiro as well.
The fifth lap couldn’t have been more exciting. Strohm ran wide through turn one allowing Winterboer to get alongside him. The pair ran side by side for the next four corners but when Strohm outbraked himself into turn six it opened up the door for Winterboer and Ribeiro to get past him. Ribeiro then focused on trying to get past the new race leader himself and closed in on Winterboer down the back straight. Ribeiro closed right up on the tail end of the race leader on the penultimate lap of the race and tried to pass him around the outside of turn one. With a loss of grip on the dirty side of the circuit Ribeiro was sent spinning off into the outfield, thankfully able to rejoin the race but not before losing a position to his team mate Strohm.
With the opposition dropping off around him Winterboer romped home to claim a convincing Overall victory and first in class B. Strohm crossed the line ahead of his team mate to claim second with Ribeiro having to be content with third Overall and first in class A. Gaultieri took the double in class C with Salt doing the same in class D.
The valiant efforts from both Sing and Martinelli were not enough in the fight for the Overall title.
Race 2 Results by class
Class A
1. Manny Ribeiro – Best lap: 2:05.241
2. Mish-Al Sing – Best lap: 2:11.689
3. Oscar de Oliveira – Best lap: 2:08.248 Class B
1. Darren Winterboer – Best lap: 2:05.663
2. Hein Strohm – Best lap: 2:06.249
3. Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 2:09.620
Class C
1. Lorenzo Gaultieri – Best lap: 2:12.647
2. Stefano Martinelli – Best lap: 2:25.042 Class D
1. Mike Salt – Best lap: 2:18.150
2. Bevan Meyer – Best Lap: 2:20.078
3. Arri Van Heerden – Best lap: 2:17.997
A star is born
With the class A, C and D championships being decided at the previous event, it was only the class B and Overall Championship titles that needed to be decided at the Red Star event.Darren Winterboer (F30 335i) officially claimed the 2015 Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series Class B Championship after the first race of the day.His second place Overall in race one and first place Overall in race two were also enough to hand him the 2015 Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series Overall Drivers Championship by a mere two points as well.
Top ten Overall Championship points
1. Darren Winterboer – 128 points
2. Mish-al Sing – 126 points
3. Stefano Martinelli – 123 points
4. Mike Salt – 112 points
5. Julian Fameliaris – 110 points
6. Riaan Woest – 88 points
7. Arri van Heerden – 77 points
8. Trevor Long – 56 points
9. Lorenzo Gaultieri – 55 points
10. Manny Ribeiro – 54 points