Down to the wire...

Saturday 19 November saw the AVL Africa / Logisticor 250 Superkart Series head to their home circuit of Zwartkops Raceway for the final round of the 2011 season. With the Overall Championship and third place battle still to be decided, there was a lot riding on the outcome of the day’s events.

Title contender Sean Moore (Logisticor PVP Superkart) was on the back foot before the first race had even started. He flew in from Belgium on Saturday morning after a business trip to Brussels, and was unfortunate to miss out on the morning qualifying session. He would have to start from the back of the grid for both races.

Qualifying

Veron Pappas (Graham Singer Racing Rotax Anderson Kart) dominated qualifying to claim an easy pole position ahead of Steve Levin (Hotdog PVP Superkart).

Pappas showed his intentions early on...

Tyron Davis (AVL Africa PVP Superkart) qualified in a solid third position with Capetonian Eerik Horn (OTTR PVP Rotax) alongside him on the second row. Andrew Greenslade (AVL Africa / Logisticor PVP Superkart) would start from the third row with Trevor Green (Rotax Superkart) rounding out the top six.

KZN resident Gary Gribben (Rotax Stealth) qualified in seventh position with Vincenzo Cassilo (V-Tek Service Centre Rotax Superkart) in a well placed eighth. Series newcomers Matthew Gregory (Mech Spec Auto PVP Rotax Superkart) and Philip Potgieter (Anderson Rotax Superkart) were not too far off of the pace in ninth and tenth positions respectively.

Steve Lavender (S.L.C Engineering BRC Anderson Superkart) would start from the back of the grid alongside Moore after experiencing mechanical gremlins before qualifying.

Race 1

The rolling start for the first race saw the field head through turn one, with competitors fighting for position as they ran through the tight turn two hairpin. Pappas emerged through turn three with an immediate lead over the rest of the field. Levin wouldn’t make it past the first lap and retired with engine maladies.

The rolling start saw the drivers fan out up to four abreast...

Moore was scything his way through the field and slotted into second position ahead of the chasing pack by lap two! A good third place battle had also developed between Horn, Davis and Greenslade. Green’s race came to an end on the fourth lap when a loose coil wire forced him into the pits.

Pappas had built up a solid lead ahead of the determined Moore by the half way point in the race. The race for third position was far from over as Horn and Davis were involved in a titanic battle, getting away from Greenslade in the process. The turning point happened on the fifth lap when Horn crumbled under the pressure and ran off the circuit through turn five, dropping him down to sixth position behind Gribben.

Horn regained a position on Gribben a lap later and set about chasing Greenslade and Davis ahead of him. Newcomer, Gregory, was having a great debut race but his efforts came to nothing when his pace was slowed by a broken spark plug top. He bravely soldiered on trying to hold the plug wire on top of the spark plug, giving himself an electrifying experience in the process.

Pappas crossed the line to take an easy win ahead of championship rival Moore, with Davis taking a comfortable third place position.

Pappas’ victory officially handed him the 2011 AVL Africa / Logisticor 250 Superkart Title.

Levin and Lavender were able to get their engine woes resolved before the start of the second race and would line up towards the back of the field.

Race 2

The reverse grid format for the second race has been a new addition for the 2011 season and has certainly become extremely popular with the various drivers and teams involved in the series.

Gregory would lead his first ever 250 Superkart race with Casillo alongside him on the front row. A frantic start once again saw the drivers jostling for position through the first two corners.

Levin had a demon start from eighth position and promptly took the lead down the back straight on the opening lap! Horn slotted into second position with Greenslade and Davis hot on his heels.

Horn inherited the lead on the second lap when Levin ran wide through turn three. Greenslade then grabbed the lead a lap later with a recovered Levin relegating Horn to third position.

Levin regained the lead on the fourth lap with Greenslade and Davis in tow. The leading trio were fighting tooth and nail to maintain their individual positions in the race.

Levin retired on the fourth lap with a jammed throttle cable while Greenslade’s chances ended a lap later when his motor seized. Davis inherited the lead with Horn and Moore closing down on him. Pappas was making a late charge as well and was slicing his way through the field.

Davis held on for a popular and well deserved victory – the first of his 250 Superkart career. Pappas grabbed second position on the last lap with Horn holding Moore at bay to claim third.

Davis’ victory also saw him seal third place in the championship ahead of his disappointed team mate Greenslade.

Davis ended the season on a high with his first race victory...

With the top three positions in the championship all being settled in the final event of the year, one couldn’t have asked for a more fitting finish to what has been an exciting and competitive 2011 race season!

Official media partner of the AVL Africa / Logisticor 250 Superkart Series. 

The smile of a champion...

Veron Pappas

Report by: Greg Reilly Photographs by: Dr. Mark Greenslade