Clinton Bezuidenhout bounced in style by racing his Glyco Engine Expertise Polo to a double podium at the fourth round of the Engen Polo Cup series, putting the disappointment of the last round firmly behind him.
Altan Bouw, the youngest member of the team, enjoyed his best qualifying and race since joining the multi championship-winning Signature Motorsport Team this year. He qualified his Ferodo and Champion-backed Polo inside the top six for the first time and raced strongly in both heats.
Darren Oates (Payen Polo) had a difficult weekend after qualifying in the mid-pack and never recovered his front-running form at the coastal circuit.
Clinton qualified in third place, and kept his position in the superpole shootout, while Altan qualified in fifth place, dropping to sixth in his first-ever superpole experience.
In the first race, Bezuidenhout was immediately up into second place and pressured race leader Jonathan Mogotsi for four laps until he found a way past. Clinton held off Mogotsi for two laps before yielding once more to the factory-run driver.
With laps running out, Clinton made another attempt to pass Mogotsi into the complex but ran wide on to the grass and had to back off, costing him a position as Tasmin Pepper flashed past.
Altan held on to the leading pack but experience gear-selection problems midway through the race. He slid wide in the complex and made contact with a rival which affected his Polo’s handling. He out-braked himself and slid off the track at the final corner and dropped to 12th position.
Darren settled into a bumpy ride and was squeezed off the track by Altan in the complex, ending a disappointed 13th.
In the second race, Clinton made a decent start from his fifth grid slot position and set off after Keagan and Jason Campos. He had a coming together with Keagan Campos in the complex and made up a position. After passing Daniel Duminy he set off after second place but ran out of laps before mounting a serious challenge.
Altan had a tardy start but fought his way into seventh place after starting from ninth place. A good scrap inside the top 10 with a number of more experienced rivals saw him pass and re-pass as they raced three abreast at times. He was stuck for a few laps behind teammate Darren which let his racing rivals to open a gap. He ended in ninth position.
Darren was in a good battle with Duminy when Darren was hit from behind and had a sideways moment. With lost momentum, he was passed by a number of rivals and tumbled down the order.
From the cockpit:
Clinton Bezuidenhout (#38 – Glyco): “I had good pace this weekend and took Potters Pass flat out in the superpole shootout. Race one was great. I caught Jonathan everywhere but it took a while for me to find a way past. Once I did, he got back past me. I overcooked things a bit going into the complex and lost a place to Tasmin. I’m happy with two third places though”.
Darren Oates (#13 Payen): “I felt comfortable with my car and was shocked not to make the top six in qualifying. Altan had a moment in the first race and pushed me wide which dropped me to near the back of the field. In the second race I had a few bumps and scrapes which upset the handling of my car. I’ll be back at the next round”.
Altan Bouw (#11 Ferodo and Champion): “The car felt great all weekend. I was quite nervous in the superpole shootout. I held on to the leading pack in race one but had a moment in the complex when I slid wide. I had a good fight in race two but got stuck behind Darren; by the time I got passed him the other guys had pulled a gap”.
The Signature Motorsport Team heads back to the Eastern Cape, this time to Port Elizabeth’s Aldo Scribante Circuit for the fifth round on 14th July.
Story by David Ledbitter – Signature Motorsport Image: Dave Ledbitter