After a long two month break, the competitors of the popular Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series made their way to a very cold Midvaal Raceway in Meyerton on Saturday 20 June. A strong field assembled on the day, honouring outgoing club chairman Michael Broom at his swansong event with the club. As always the dedicated competitors of this well organised series once again produced some exciting and competitive racing throughout the five classes that qualified on the day.
Qualifying
Devin Robertson (E90 320i Turbo) grabbed pole position ahead of class B front runner Julian Fameliaris (E36 328i Turbo), with Ricky Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR) a second off the pace. Stefano Martinelli (E36 328i) threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the class C pack, with rookie driver Lorenzo Gaultieri (E36 328i) impressing all by taking pole position ahead of the class D regulars. Mike Grobler (E36 328i) was back to his old form as he secured a front row position in class E as well.
Race 1
Drama struck before the first race had even started when pole man Robertson was forced to start from pit lane after a flat battery prevented him from getting to the grid in time. This set the tone for an action packed charge through the field.
When the lights went out it was Fameliaris who grabbed the lead ahead of Giannoccaro. Mishal Sing (E92 Mslotted into third position with Zimbabwean Darren Winterboer (F30 335i) and Riaan Woest (E46 Mhot on his heels. The battles behind them were just as close with the leaders of each class jostling for position. Martinelli had his hands full in class C with Warren Dodd (E36 328i) hot on his heels. Gaultieri had taken an early lead in class D, but the action behind him was closer than ever. Another series newcomer Neil Reynolds (E39 M5), was giving class regular Mike Salt (E36 323i) a real run for his money.
Robertson was scything his way through the field and was up to sixth position by the end of the fourth lap! The battle ahead of him was just as close with Sing powering past Giannoccaro down the back straight to pick up second position on lap six. Robertson followed his example as he got past Woest to grab fifth a lap later, and then proceeded to take fourth position on lap eight as he blasted past Winterboer. Gaultieri made a rookie error when he came into the pits on lap seven after responding to a black and orange flag that was actually intended for Stephen Tsalavoutas (E36 M3), ruining his chances of what would have been a convincing class win.
When the chequered flag came out it was an elated Fameliaris who claimed his first Overall and class B victory in the series. Sing held on for second position ahead of Giannoccaro, but it was fourth placed Robertson who picked up third position after Giannoccaro was penalised thirty seconds after being judged to have jumped the start. Martinelli was hassled all the way to the line but held on for the class C victory ahead of Dodd. Reynolds had to work hard for the victory in class D but was able to keep Salt at bay to claim his first victory in the series in only his first race event. Grobler did enough to claim the honours in class E.
Race 1 Results by class
Class A
1. Mishal Sing – Best lap: 1:09.815
2. Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:08.958
3. Ricky Giannoccaro – Best lap: 1:09.526
Class B
1. Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 1:09.320
2. Darren Winterboer – Best lap: 1:10.198
3. Riaan Woest – Best lap: 1:11.038
Class C
1. Stefano Martinelli – Best lap: 1:13.670
2. Warren Dodd – Best lap: 1:13.853
3. Dimitrios Tsimenoglou – Best lap: 1:15.402
Class D
1. Neil Reynolds – Best lap: 1:18.174
2. Mike Salt – Best lap: 1:17.772
3. Trevor Long – Best lap: 1:18.152
Class E
1. Mike Grobler – Best lap: 1:23.117
2. Alan Hilligenn – Best lap: 1:23.527
Race 2
A reverse grid by class for the second race was sure to set the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons. Arri van Heerden (E30 2.7) got off to a disastrous start when he ran off the track on the warm up lap. There were no such worries for the rest of the pack however. When the lights went out it was a mad rush into the first few corners as the field jockeyed for position.
Sing emerged onto the back straight in the lead with Robertson in tow. Jimmy Giannoccaro (E46 M3 Ti) had slotted into third position with Manny Ribeiro (E36 M3), Winterboer and Giannoccaro Junior in hot pursuit. Sing and Robertson were side by side as they came onto the main straight for the first time, with Robertson grabbing the lead with a bold move through turn two. The class C battle was also starting to develop into a rather heated affair. Dimitrios Tsimenoglou (E36 M3) had grabbed the lead ahead of Dodd and Martinelli and was driving what must have been the widest BMW in the field.
With the leaders opening up a gap out in front, the battle behind them was far from over. Winterboer picked up fourth position from Ribeiro on lap four and then proceeded to grab third from Giannoccaro Senior a lap later. Ribeiro then got past the veteran on the next lap and brought Fameliaris along with him. The class C front runners were getting desperate and it showed on the sixth lap. Dodd succumbed to the pressure as he spun exiting turn one. Tsimenoglou then followed suit as he spun out in a cloud of dust coming onto the back straight, handing the class lead to a relieved Martinelli. Gaultieri was out to silence his critics as he broke away from the rest of the class D pack to make the race his own.
More drama struck on the seventh lap when race leader Robertson got tangled up with one of the back markers who appeared not to notice the leaders coming through. The pair spun out with Robertson able to rejoin the race, albeit quite a way behind new race leader Sing. The battle behind the leaders continued with Fameliaris fighting his way past Ribeiro on the penultimate lap of the race.
Sing crossed the line to take the chequered flag ahead of a recovered Robertson. This victory was short lived however when Sing was judged to have jumped the start, dropping him back to seventh position overall. Robertson inherited the victory with Winterboer taking second position and first in class B ahead of Fameliaris. Martinelli took an untroubled win in class C with Gaultieri putting in an impressive performance to romp home to claim the honours in class D. Once again Grobler came home to take the double in class E.
Race 2 Results by class
Class A
1. Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:09.218
2. Ricky Giannoccaro – Best lap: 1:10.566
3. Mishal Sing – Best lap: 1:09.425
Class B
1. Darren Winterboer – Best lap: 1:10.794
2. Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 1:10.675
3. Manny Ribeiro – Best lap: 1:11.564
Class C
1. Stefano Martinelli – Best lap: 1:14.298
2. Warren Dodd – Best lap: 1:14.076
3. Shane Grobler – Best lap: 1:17.234
Class D
1. Lorenzo Gaultieri – Best lap: 1:16.200
2. Bevan Meyer – Best lap: 1:18.971
3. Mike Salt – Best lap: 1:17.524
Class E
1. Mike Grobler – Best lap: 1:22.990
2. Alan Hilligenn – Best lap: 1:23.272
The fifth round of the championship will head to the dusty plains of the Phakisa Freeway on the 11th of July in what is expected to be an action packed day of racing with the KZN based GT Supercup joining the series on the day.
Website: www.BMWCarClub.co.za
Facebook: BMW Car Club Gauteng or BMW CCG Club Racing Series
Twitter: @BMWCarClubGP
Event Photographs: www.RacePics.co.za
Race Report by Greg Reilly
Media requests must please be forwarded to RacePics at media@racepics.co.za
More about BMW Car Club Gauteng
The Club was formed in 1981 to afford likeminded enthusiasts the opportunity to interact with each other through a comprehensive calendar of events, a club magazine and website portal. The Club also organizes adrenaline and social based events such as breakfast runs, classic car gatherings, Concours d’Elegance competitions, noggins, weekend trips, gymkhana’s and top speed events. The Club is proud of its family ethos where all enthusiasts are welcome. Annual membership starts from as little as R350, more information is available at www.bmwcarclub.co.za.
Photographs of BMW Car Club Gauteng Events
Fameliaris was impressive in the first race
Martinelli was always going to be tough to beat in class C
Grobler showed some of his old form to take the honours in class E
Robertson was gifted the victory in race two
Gaultieri drove with experience beyond his years
Winterboer had to work hard to take the class B victory in race two