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The VW Challenge drivers headed for Phakisa Freeway outside Welkom for the third round of the 2015 championship. The biggest field of the season provided the customary door handle to door handle racing that the series is known for. When all was said and done it was Waldie Meintjies (Marty’s Body & Spray Polo) on the top step of the class A podium, Darren Nathan (Sex Trader Polo) took class B and Zander Roos (Nathan’s Motorsport Polo) was back to his winning ways in class C.  Qualifying took place on a chilly track just 20 minutes after sunrise. Meintjies signalled his intentions with a lap nearly two tenths of a second quicker than Rory Atkinson (Comsol Polo) to take pole position in class A. Defending champion James Hurley (The Starter Pack Company Polo) was just over quarter of a second further back in third. Devon Piazza-Musso (Tooling Promotions/ SA Platform Polo) completed the second row of the grid. The third row was shared by Iain Stevenson (Comsol Polo) and Gavin Ross (Norbrake & Metal Used Spares Polo). Nic Clarke (Central Technical Services Polo) put in a couple of blisteringly fast laps to take the class B pole from Nathan with Gerhard Henning (Polo) in third. Brad Hall (HellermannTyton Polo), Mile Stewart (Grandmark International Polo) and Elna Croeser (Polo) rounded out the top six. Class C defending champion Jacques Smith (Triplicon Construction Polo) was making his first appearance of the season and it was one he would rather forget. An error under braking saw him run into the back of another competitor and his day’s racing was over. Pole position went to Stuart Mack (Goldwagen JHB CBD & Wynberg Golf) who was just five thousandths of a second quicker than Zander Roos. Francois van Zyl (Jesus Saves Polo) and Shaun Crous (X35 Energy Drink Polo) filled the second row of the grid with Elke van Vledder alongside husband Henry on the third row. When the lights when out to signal the start of the first race it was Hurley who reacted quickest, leading the class A pack into the first corner. He had Meintjies and Atkinson hot on his heels but the expected three-way battle did not materialize as Hurley’s gearbox let go on the second lap. This left Meintjies and Atkinson to fight it out for the lead. There was never more than a couple of car lengths between them throughout the race with Meintjies in front until the final lap when Atkinson forced his way past and took the flag. Piazza-Musso claimed the final podium spot in only the second outing in his new car with Stevenson in fourth. Ross and Louis Robbertse (Soulpro Polo) both suffered mechanical issues late in the race but had done enough to be classified fifth and sixth respectively. In class B Clarke didn’t get the start he wanted from pole position and he followed Nathan into turn one with Henning in close attendance. Clarke almost ran into the back of Nathan through the fast double right sweep. Quick reactions saw him miss Nathan’s car but most of the class B field had got past him by the time he regained control of his car. He fought back to fourth place at the flag came out. At the head of the field Nathan had an easy run, winning by almost three seconds from Henning who had Hall less than a second behind. Daine Stewart (Grandmark International Polo) and Andy Gossman (Chamdor Veridot & Police Clearance Golf) rounded out the top six. Mack led the class C field until the halfway mark but could not keep the more aerodynamic Polo of Zander Roos behind his Golf and had to settle for second. He did, however, manage to hold off van Zyl who took the final podium step. Fourth went to Shaun Crous while Philip Croeser (ATE Polo) and Elke van Vledder were fifth and sixth respectively. In the second race the anticipated three way fight at the head of the field materialized as Atkinson led Meintjies and Hurley, the trio opening up a substantial gap over the chasing pack. A missed gear change with two-and-a-half laps to go cost Atkinson dearly, dropping him from first to third as both Meintjies and Hurley got through. Meintjies took the flag ahead of Hurley and Atkinson. Piazza-Musso led the chasing pack from Wayne Crous (X35 Energy Drink Polo) with Ross, whose car was stuck in third gear for the final few laps, in a distant sixth. Clarke wasn’t going to make another mistake in the second class B heat and made sure that he had the early lead. Despite Nathan trying everything he could to get past Clarke held on to take the win. The pace of the leading duo was such that Henning in third place was over six seconds behind the leader at the flag. Hall finished in fourth with Andre Needham (Polo) just edging out Mile Stewart for fifth. The class C result was the same as the first race with Roos leading Mack and van Zyl home but Roos didn’t have it all his own way in the early stages. The race was approaching the half-way mark when he got past early leader van Zyl but from there he could control the pace and went on to win by almost three seconds. Mack got past van Zyl on the last lap to take second. Deon Crous (Golf), making his first outing of the season, took fourth from Elke van Vledder and Philip Croeser. Meintjies’ win and second place in the two heat were good enough to give him the overall class A victory from Atkinson and Piazzo-Musso. Nathan took home the class B winner’s trophy with Clarke in second and Henning third. Zander Roos was the comfortable class C winner from Mack and van Zyl. The next outing for the VW Challenge is on 13 June at the Aldo Scribante Circuit in Port Elizabeth. Overall Points
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