PoloDriver

Round two of the 2014 Engen Volkswagen Cup saw close and exciting racing at the Killarney race circuit in Cape Town, South Africa over the weekend of 29-30 March. Dewald Brummer scythed his way through the pack from ninth place to emerge as the winner of race one. But, as is usually the way with a grid full of Polo Vivos, that race wasn’t without incident.

An on-track clash between Mathew Hodges and Eddie Rodrigues saw Rodrigues at the side of the circuit with a damaged Polo. Moments before, Juan Gerber ended up on his roof after striking the tyre wall, bringing out the safety car. Until that point, Brummer had been fighting a close battle with Daniel Rowe.

Once the sorry-looking cars had been removed from the circuit, the resulting two-lap sprint to the finish finished in favour of Brummer.

A draw for the top six fastest qualifiers in each race saw Tasmin Pepper draw a grid position in both heats, starting on pole for race two. Her pole position was Pepper’s first in the championship and she wasn’t giving in to anyone.

First past the chequered flag, she had Sheldon van der Linde almost hanging onto the bumper of her PG Glass-sponsored Polo Vivo during the last few laps. Van der Linde started in second place and had to hold off Jano van der Westhuizen.

Championship leader Daniel Rowe cemented his lead at Killarney. Posting the fastest qualifying times, he started each race from fifth place on the grid, but finished on the podium once the each event’s action had ended.

In the Masters category, Trevor Bland was the winner, ahead of Hodges and Shaun Holtzhausen. Bland took the lead of the Masters runners off Hodges who lead the category at the end of each round one.

RACE RESULTS
Race 1
1 Dewald Brummer (2: MAD Racing / GMP)
2 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing)
3 Jano van der Westhuizen (15: Kwikfix)

Race 2
1 Tasmin Pepper (31: PG Glass)
2 Sheldon van der Linde (16: Ferodo Racing)
3 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing)

Overall
1 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing)
2 Tasmin Pepper (31: PG Glass)
3 Sheldon van der Linde (16: Ferodo Racing)

Masters
1 Trevor Bland (M6: PG Glass)
2 Mathew Hodges (M3: ITR Africa / 959 Panelbeaters)
3 Shaun Holtzhausen (M9: Firequip / Phoenix Signs

Championship Points (unofficial)
1 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing): 90
2 Sheldon van der Linde (16: Ferodo Racing): 78
3 Jano van der Westhuizen (15: Kwikfix): 73
4 Mathew Hodges (M3: ITR Africa / 959 Panelbeaters): 72
5 Tasmin Pepper (31: PG Glass): 71
6 Dewald Brummer (2: MAD Racing / GPM): 67
7 Trevor Bland (M6: PG Glass): 64
8 Andrea Bate (37: Monroe Racing): 52
9 Michael Gibson (21: MAD Racing / GPM): 43
10 Christopher Shorter (33: Hollard / Glass Group): 31