Slow start for motorsport calendar

A slow start and few entries did not keep hardcore motorsport racers from hitting the tracks over the weekend.

The first leg of the national circuit championships at the Tony Rust Raceway may not have boasted many entries, but the standard and spirit on and off the track made up for it.

There were seven entries in four classes, although only five vehicles finished the races, which consisted of three heats around the tracks.

The Tony Rust Raceway is described as one of the most technical race tracks in the region due to the mountainous terrain it covers. Unlike other tracks which mostly cross even terrain with slight up and down inclines, racers on the Tony Rust course have to face various uphill and downhill corners and straights.

But as the saying among racers goes, “straight roads do not make good drivers.”

Richard Slamet, the chairperson of the Windhoek Motor Club, commended caretaker Geh Visagie and his team’s efforts to ensure the tracks were race-ready, following damage due to heavy rains this year.

Zachary Martin, a regular on the racing circuit and rally tracks, told Top Revs he had a ball on the tracks against opponent Jan Everson from Walvis Bay. Despite some technical issues in the beginning due to a loose timing belt and dirty injectors, a quick stop in the pits put Martin back in full racing mode.

“I picked up a nice dice with Oom Jan [Everson], a local also from Walvis Bay and we had a super close race from the flag drop to the end,” Martin says.

The young racer says he and his navigator will be ready for the rally at Swakopmund next weekend.

Everson commended Martin, adding that the third heat was a real tight race between the two. Though they race in two different classes, Everson says it was an awesome race.

Deon Diergaardt, clerk of the course, said after the races that he was disappointed by the low entries, but hailed the high standard of the entrants.

Despite the low numbers, spectators around the tracks and in the stands enjoyed every second, as their cheers and support could be heard over the roaring engines.

The second leg of the national circuit championships is scheduled for 17 May, also on the Tony Rust Raceway.

The results of the first leg were:

Clubmans Class B: Alan Martin (first place, only entrant)

Clubmans Class C: Everson (first place), Clive Strydom (second place)

Clubmans Class D: Marius van Zyl (first place), Martin (second place)

Clubmans Class X: Ekko Eisenberg (first place), Horazio “Rassie” Rietz (second place)