- Maiden win, pole position, for young lady racer Tyler Robinson
- Title fighters, Mo Karodia wins race 2, Ethan Coetzee Overall
- Volkswagen rookie Judd Bertholdt, Masters man Wayne star
The Astron Energy Polo Cup delivered another day of multiple winners, thrills and drama at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit’s Blockbuster Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola on Saturday. Young lady racer Tyler Robinson stood up to deliver a spectacular performance with pole position and the opening race win.
Title rivals, Mohammed Karodia then took the second race win, while Ethan Coetzee the overall victory. Wayne Masters took another Astron Energy Polo Masters win but only after brother Bevin took a debut win in the opening race, while Volkswagen Rookie champion Judd Bertholdt was on pole position for race 2, before coming home fifth and scoring his best result yet as he took rookie honours for the day.
With all cars running new specification bigger turbochargers on top of recent bigger tyres, aero and other upgrades for the first time, official action commenced when Killarney pole man Rory Atkinson’s Industry Petroleum Polo Cup topped qualifying. Mohammed Karodia was second in his Fast 5 Motorsport LTR version from most impressive debutant Anthony Lessing’s Insurisk machine. AF Fans lass Tyler Robinson, Upward Spiral Roshaan Goodman, and Ethan Coetzee’s LTR version followed.
The top six progressed to Superpole, where Tyler Robinson, who had topped qualifying at the previous Killarney round, gained vengeance over Rory Atkinson, who topped the shootout on the Cape, to scoop the Kyalami pole from Rory. Goodman and Karodia shared the second row from Coetzee and Lessing. Behind them, best of the rest Kyle Visser’s Charl Engineering car, BLI International KM lady driver Lonika Maartens, Shiren Rajpaul’s Dubcorp car and Hannes Scheepers Dainfern Dental entry closed off the top ten.
Judd Bertholdt was next up in the Astron Energy Volkswagen Rookie Cup car from Sabertek lad Charl Smalberger and Dhivyen Naidoo’s Production X Polo. Kyalami Exhausts lad Nirav Singh. Bjorn Bertholdt’s Sizanani Plastics car, Team Red driver Milan Emslie and Pierluigi Muzzulini’s FSS International version closed off the Cup grid.
John Kruger topped the Astron Energy Polo Masters grid in his Habot Lubricants Polo from Performance Master Wayne Masters and Derick Smalberger’s Sabertek version. Bevin Masters was fourth in his debut qualifying in his CPS Warehouse entry, from PABAR man Mike Barbaglia, Elio Muzzulini’s FSS International car, Norbrake man Gavin Ross and Roberto Franco’s Graphix Supply version.
Tyler Robinson delivered an inch perfect start to lead the way with Rory Atkinson leading a line of cars snapping at her heels. Atkinson, Mo Karodia, Ethan Coetzee, and Anthony Lessing were however at each other’s throats; to allow Tyler a little leeway as Karodia and then Coetzee took turns at second. Ethan stayed there while Lessing took advantage of the bickering to move up to third from Atkinson.
So a delighted Robinson won from Coetzee, Lessing, and Atkinson. Kyle Visser fought back to fifth from Shiren Rajpaul, who was sent back to ninth behind Hannes Scheepers and Judd Bertholdt whom Rajpaul had compromised, and Bjorn Bertholdt in tenth. Roshaan Goodman followed from Charl Smalberger, Dhivyen Naidoo and Milan Emslie. Nirav Singh and Pierluigi Muzzulini loitered among the Masters as Lonika Maartens’ season of woe continued with another retirement.
Speaking of the Astron Energy Polo Masters, Bevin Masters put one over brother Wayne, with Derick Smalberger fourth from Mike Barbaglia, John Kruger, Gavin Ross, Elio Muzzulini and Robbie Franco. With all the action in the pack, Judd Bertholdt emerged on pole position for heat 2 from Mo Karodia, Shiren Rajpaul, Ethan Coetzee, Anthony Lessig, Charl Smalberger and race 1 winner Tyler Robinson back in seventh.
Karodia, Rajpaul, Coetzee and Scheepers quickly shuffled pole man Judd Bertholdt back to fifth on the opening lap before Karodia sped to race 2 victory. Coetzee put one over Rajpaul for second with Scheepers fourth from a happy Bertholdt. Charl Smalberger made a late move on Tyler Robinson for sixth from Rory Atkinson and Roshaan Goodman. Dhivyen Naidoo in tenth, and Lonika Maartens came on strong from the back.
Nirav Singh was twelfth from Pierluigi Muzzulini and Bjorn Bertholdt, with the delayed Kyle Visser among the Masters after Anthony Lessing, Milan Emslie and retired.
Wayne Masters regained his expected Astron Energy Polo Masters status with the race 2 win from Derick Smalberger and John Kruger. Mike Barbaglia was fourth in the battle of the Italians from Roberto Franco and Elio Muzzulini, and Gavin Ross, after race 1 winner Bevin Masters stopped.
Overall, Ethan Coetzee took the day from race 2 winner Mohammed Karodia to keep their title battle alive. Race 1 winner Tyler Robinson was third from silent assassin Hannes Scheepers, Rory Atkinson, Shiren Rajpaul and rookie winner Judd Bertholdt. Wayne Masters took the Masters day from Derick Smalberger, John Kruger, and Mike Barbaglia.
Astron Energy Polo Cup heads to its home race next at Aldo Scribante raceway in Gqeberha on Saturday 10 May, a stone’s throw from the Volkswagen Plant Kariga and Motorsport headquarters.
