BMW 335i driver Johan Fourie wrapped up the 2014 Bridgestone Production Car championship with a flag to flag victory in the series’ first of two races at Zwartkops on November 1– dashing Michael Stephen’s hopes of retaining his crown and taking an unprecedented fourth class A title in a row.
 In a supreme irony, matters were ultimately decided in Fourie’s favour by an ill-considered move by Stephen’s Engen Audi team mate Simon Moss – which dropped Stephen right to the back of the field and behind the class T cars. Moss had tried to join a ménage à trois which included the Sasolracing Audi S4’s of Gennaro Bonafede Hennie Groenewald, the three side by side and mere inches apart down the back straight … When they got to the end of it and braked, Moss didn’t – or at least he didn’t until it was too late. He rammed into Groenewald, who bounced into Bonafede, who in turn made contact with Stephen and sent him into the kitty litter. And that was that. Fourie’s easy win gave him an unassailable lead, even with the feature race still to run. He was followed to the flag by his team mate Gavin Cronje in the second Alcohol Killer BMW, a one-two finish the cherry on the top for a team which started the season without a sponsor… In Class T, Michael van Rooyen in the Williams Hunt Chevrolet did what he’s battled to do all year: convert a front-row start into a win. But Graeme Nathan in the Genuine Parts Golf got the jump at the start, but lost out when he went off the road while being passed by Stephen’s Audi. That moved Gary Formato into second in the Ford Racing Focus ST, while Lee Thompson moved up to third, the Castrol MINI seemingly on song again after issues on Friday. That’s how they finished, with the Tyremart Golf of Charl Smalberger next, followed by a recovering Nathan. With both class championships decided there wasn’t much to play for in the grand finale, other than putting on a great show. And that the country’s fastest production saloons did. Things got underway dramatically with a massive spin along the pit straight and off onto the dirt for Groenewald as he and Moss tangled in turn eight, the rest of the field avoiding the carnage as they crossed the line to complete the first of 15 laps. Remarkably, Moss didn’t lose a position, but Groenewald retired with ABS problems related to the incident, while Moss was also ultimately forced to park it. Bonafede thus found himself a slightly surprised leader and took full advantage to set the fastest lap in the process of opening up a commanding seven-second lead by the flag – a well-earned end-of-season fillip for the youngster. Behind him, Cronje and his recently-crowned champion team mate Fourie (his steed looking decidedly battered) held off Stephen, the handling of the Audi unable to overcome the power of the Beemers. Fourie slowed in the dying laps, promoting Stephen to third. The front-drive, 2-0-litre turbo cars in T were evenly matched as usual, and while Formato rapidly found his way to the front and then opened a gap to make an escape (though never able to relax thanks to the Smalberger Golf in his mirrors, albeit at a distance), behind him there was plenty of excitement. Old sparring partners Nathan and Shaun Duminy in the second Ford Racing Focus ST had a bruising encounter, their compromised pace allowing Thompson to close them down, turning it into a three-way tussle. It ended in tears though, Thompson inadvertently running into the back of Nathan – which punctured the radiator and scattered the bodywork of the Castrol-backed car along the straight. Van Rooyen had a lonely race to third place, the Cruze’s bodywork showing signs of an earlier altercation with Nathan. What could’ve been a great race for Mandla Mdakane turned into a disaster when he was forced to pit with a loose wheel while leading, losing him five minutes and possibly costing him a win… Full results are attached With 16 races completed the top three in each class are as follows: Class A points: 1.) Johan Fourie (Alcohol Killer BMW 335i) 210 2.) Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi S4) 190 3.) Gennaro Bonafede (Sasolracing Audi S4) 151 Class T points: 1.) Graeme Nathan (VW Genuine Parts Golf GTI) 202 2.) Gary Formato (Ford Racing Focus ST) 172 3.) Michael van Rooyen (Williams Hunt Chevrolet Cruze) 140
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