Go-GP.org Shelby Can Am |
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For the third year the Shelby Can-Am sports prototype series was invited to support the South African A1Gp event. After three years on a street circuit in Durban the A1GP moved to Kyalami for 2009, and as the track familiar to most drivers, the pace was hot right from the opening practice session. Qualifying saw former champion Ruan Pretorius put his Castrol backed car on pole with almost half a second advantage over another former champion, Darryn Lobb in the DK Woodcraft sponsored example. To be fair, Lobb battled to find a good set up in his new car and was confident about his chances. Reigning champion Rui Campos (Hugo Boss) lined up third and had the very experienced Alan Eve (Phakisa/Sunshine Testing) alongside. Former 250 Superkart champion Veron Pappas (Arma) and Guy Botterill (Just Tools) completed the top six. There were problems for Sean Greve (Vulcania Reinforcing) who didn’t record a time and JP Bredenhann who suffered a gearbox problem and would take no further part in proceedings. The first of two races took place on Saturday afternoon and there was action from the start. Heading through the first series of corners Pretorius and Lobb clashed which put Lobb’s wheel alignment out and he lost a few places as the race wore on. Campos benefited most and moved up to second and set about chasing Pretorius. On lap three Dave Beattie smote the barriers hard at turn two after avoiding another car and this caused the safety to come out for three laps while the wreckage was cleared. Shortly after the race restarted there was more drama. This time it was at turn three on lap seven when Botterill was t-boned by Bertil Hoffman in the IOU Music car. Both cars limped round to the pits where they retired. When the dust settled the order was Pretorius ahead of Campos and Eve with Lobb doing well to keep them in sight. Campos couldn’t catch Pretorius before the flag. Eve was then penalised for passing under safety car conditions which promoted Lobb to third, less than three seconds ahead of the hard charging Greve while Craig Shorter (Phakisa) got fifth ahead of Eve while the ever improving Hanno Pengilly was sixth. Race two was almost over before it started. After a fast rolling start, the pack attempted to get through turn two with cars five abreast and the predictable carnage ensured. It appears the incident was triggered by a coming together between Campos and Hoffman which left the latter spinning in the middle of the pack. The result was nine cars out on the spot and the safety car was deployed while the wrecks were moved. Hoffman, Lobb, Greve, Colin Frost and Derek Frost were among the casualties. The restart saw 10 survivors and it was Shorter leading from Pretorius and Botterill for a couple of laps before Pretorius squeezed his way passed Shorter at Clubhouse corner, but the man on a charge was Campos who then passed both Beattie and Shorter within three corners. At the flag the order was Pretorius from Botterill and Campos with Eve in fourth and gradually pulling away from Shorter. After much work Beattie was rewarded with sixth in his hastily repaired car and Pengilly was seventh after another impressive showing. |