UP TO SPEED
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This year, for the first time since 2001, two national circuit racing championships toured South Africa. The Pro Tour series joined the calendar with the Hollard Shelby Can-Am series as one of the headline categories. The 2007 Pro Tour was spread over eight rounds with the majority of the races taking place at the Highveld circuits and the remaining event running at the historic East London Grand Prix circuit. Powered by 3.5-litres Nissan engines and running on massive Goodyear slicks the Shelby Can Ams are the country’s fastest single seaters. Prior to the season opener in February the country’s largest private insurance company, Hollard Insurance, came on board as the naming rights sponsor for the popular Shelby Can Am series. Similarly Goodyear reaffirmed its commitment to the series while Spanjaard Ltd, Execuline, Goodyear, British International and Carrera have also supported the series during 2007. They will not have been disappointed with their decision thanks to an action packed season of Shelby racing. The Pro Tour debuted at Wesbank Raceway in February with the Hollard Shelby Cam Am races taking centre stage. Donavan Roscoe (Stanley Tools) was the quickest man out the blocks but luck was not on his side and former champ Neil Lobb (DK Woodcraft) won both races. One week later the Shelby brigade headed to Durban to participate in the A1 GP festivities. The Shelby race ran as a support race through the streets of Durban prior to the running of the A1 GP race. Though it was a non-championship event, competitors pulled out all the stops, entertaining the large crowds. The championship was back underway at Kyalami with reigning champion Ruan Pretorius and the ever determined Darryn Lobb (DK Woodcraft) battling it out for top honors. The pair shared in the day’s victories but it was sadly the last race in which the 2006 champ, Pretorius, would compete. For round three of the championship the series headed to East London. The famous track provided plenty of action but it was Darryn Lobb who impressed cementing his championship intentions. He continued the trend at Zwartkops where he dominated ahead of father Neil and rival Roscoe. The halfway point in the season marked a dramatic twist in the championship. Darryn looked set to secure another clean sweep of wins only to be taken out of contention in the race by his father and teammate. Rui Campos (HUGO Boss) capitalised on the situation and took his first victory of the season. Darryn retaliated by taking overall victory at Kyalami and Zwartkops and moved within striking distance of his first ever national championship title. With just one round remaining Darryn’s nearest threat comes from Roscoe while former champ Niel Lobb is also mathematically capable of causing an upset. While the championship fight has come down to a three-way battle there has been plenty of action right through the ranks this season with a number a new contenders standing out. The ever consistent Brian Algar (Firedart) currently lies in sixth place in the overall standings, in his first full season of Shelby racing. Chris Hart (Hi-Q Plettenburg Bay) achieved a career best third place at round six of the championship and followed suit with another podium placing at the penultimate race of the season. Jennifer Murray (Bravo Holdings) joined the series midway through the year and is proving to be more than a match for many of her male counterparts, while Neil Lobb clearly leads the pack in the Masters Championship with his only opposition coming from Colin Frost (Strocam) and Harry Roscoe (Protea Playing Cards). The advent of the joint Hollard Shelby Can Am / Altech Porsche Unlimited races has also proved to be a revelation. The large field comprising of Porsches, Ferraris and Shelby Can-Am’s certainly got the attention of the crowds and has become a regular fixture at circuits like Kyalami and Phakisa. |