Campos takes
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2008 Shelby Can Am champion Rui Campos came away from Zwartkops smiling after claiming two wins on a day when his title rivals faltered. Driving the Hugo Boss backed car Campos took both wins to establish himself at the top of the championship table. Having qualified only third fastest, Campos put in a controlled drive in the opening heat when conditions were terrible and the track was made extremely slippery thanks to heavy rain which had lifted all the oil and grime off the tarmac. He won a lengthy cat and mouse dual with poleman Brian Algar (Etana) to win by almost four seconds. Algar was the fastest of the pair but once in the lead Campos was able to maintain the gap. The big surprise performance of the race was that of Greg Walker in the Indy Oils/Sunoco Race Fuel entry. The flamboyant Cape Town driver managed to shrug off his often spectacular style and kept it all neat and tidy to take third, less than a second behind Algar. Fourth was fellow Capetonian Bertil Hoffman in the GP Energy car who showed great ability in the wet. He had an interesting race that included setting fastest lap and a clash with Alan Eve (Metal Used Spares) who was eventually classified 10th behind Justin Allison. Hanno Pengilly (Azura Retreats/Sunoco Race Fuel) was again consistent but had to work hard for fifth place. In only his second Shelby Can-Am event Nicholas Walker (Eco Construction/Sunoco Race) was delighted to round off the top six having driven a cautious yet sensible race in conditions all drivers said were treacherous. Craig Shorter (Hollard Insurance) made a rare appearance behind the wheel and acquitted himself very well to end the race in seventh place. Also entered under the Hollard umbrella was reigning Shelby Can-Am champion Darryn Lobb who did a last minute deal to race the car previously used by Thomas Reib. So late was the deal that he missed qualifying and as a result he started from the back of the grid. It was the beginning of an interesting day as without a set of rain tyres he had no choice but to start on slicks. Although he even battled with wheelspin in fourth gear along the straights, he did well to bring the car home in eighth place. Although damp in places off line, race two was dry and full of action from the start. Out halfway around the first lap were Justin Allison and Ferdi van Niekerk (duo Plus ADSL Modems). As the race settled down Eve looked the most likely to win, but then his car threw a fanbelt which took out a crank sensor and he was out. Algar’s hopes for a win were dashed when he clipped Campos who missed a gear coming onto the pit straight. Algar pulled out to pass but the front of Campos’ car hooked the rear wheel of Algar’s and broke the suspension which sent Algar spinning off into the infield. Campos then went on to take the win with Pengilly only a few car lengths behind. The final podium step was filled by Lobb whose performance on the day drew praise from all quarters. After crashing out of the first race Doug Macdonald (Fantastic Racing) was delighted with fourth some 10 seconds clear of Walker as Shorter rounded off the top six ahead of first heat retiree Andrew Strike. Round three of the Shelby Can Am Championship takes place at Cape Town’s Killarney circuit on 14 May. |