Motoring reporter
Saturday’s SKW Off-road RC racing was once again a hive of activity, with the racetrack swarming with people and the distinctive sound of screaming Nitro engines could be heard for most of the afternoon.
The action started on Friday when the track was reconditioned to maximise the race potential for Saturday’s race . A total of 18 cars participated (8 Truggy, 6 Monster Trucks & 4 Buggy) in a day filled with dirt, crashes and action-packed racing.
The ever-so-popular Truggy class was hectic and kept the crowds on their feet the entire time. At the end of the 20-minute final it was Karl-Heinz Eisenberg who took the win on 23 laps, with Wilko Paape in second on 21 laps. The number 2, 3 and 4 spots were all close on 21 laps, with Cedric Brand in 3rd and De Waal Theunissen in 4th.
Team Wheels4all brought a total of 5 new entries with four of them being in the adrenaline filled Truggy section. Cedric Brand clinched a 3rd place for the day and Eugene Esterhuysen managed a 6th for the day with 11 laps.
Wheels4all’s Frikkie Brand and Ernest Thatcher were not so lucky, racing their brand new Losi 8ight-T 3.0 cars for the first time. Brand retired in heat 2 with a broken centre differential whilst Thatcher retired in the main race with a damaged drive-shaft and broken shock-absorber.
The Monster Truck section was no different, ensuring for plenty of action and crazy moments. At the end of the battle it was Wikus Heyns who won with a total of 20 laps, with team mate Nico Heyns in 2nd place on 18 laps. Adriaan Nel managed 3rd place with a total of 15 laps. 4th Place went to Stan Godfrey on 10 laps while Jason Bandlow from Team Wheels4all took 5th on 8 laps.
The Buggy (Sandmaster) class saw a non-stop dice between Guido Koch (Satcom) and Paul Joubert (Sam’s Hobbies & Toys). These two had a neck-to-neck battle throughout the entire main race and had the spectators and fellow racers cheering to the end. At the end it was Koch who won with Joubert in a tight 2nd place, both on 21 laps. Stan Godfrey and Mark Stenger unfortunately retired with mechanical problems.
News is that the Wheels4all guys plan to rebuild the entire racetrack later this year. The principle idea is to bring the track up to IFMAR standards (international body for this sport) with a brand-new design and lots of improvement to the entire venue. Plenty of work is scheduled for this project and promises to bring plenty more action-filled racing to the club.
SKW RC Leg #4 is scheduled for 12 July and will undoubtedly bring plenty more action.