In a day of exciting action at the East London Grand Prix Circuit supported by Buffalo City Tourism, the father-and-son pairing of Darron and Matthew Gudmanz (Supa Value Foods Ford Capri) won the season-ending Border 100 on Saturday, 10 December, from KwaZulu-Natal-based visitor Rob Prece (Powerking VW Golf). Western Cape visitor Louis Powell (Engine Hero Ford Escort) won the All Ford race from local man Johan van der Westhuizen (Ford Interceptor).
Image by Paul Bedford
The opening Cellucity Modified and Clubmans Saloon Car race was all about Bevan Choudree (The Doctor Racing VW Polo) at the front of the field after all of the Class A competitors experienced problems of one sort or another. Choudree claimed the win by almost nine seconds from Wade Wright in his Class B Go Store It Park BMW with RJ Green (Herbalife BMW), the first of the Class B competitors, in third place overall. Class D went to Jannie van Niekerk (BMW). Class E, in the absence of championship contender Craig Borges (BJR Budget Kitchen Opel Kadett), who broke his motor in the morning qualifying session, went to Melindre Marais (GB Racing Opel Kadett).
The second race had hardly got underway when the red flags came out after one of the competitors dumped oil around a large part of the circuit after suffering a blown engine. After a long break, while the marshals cleaned up the mess, Martin van Zummeren (Border Towing Nissan R34) disappeared at the front of the field to take a comfortable overall, and Class A win. Doc Choudree led the Class B field in second overall, with Wade Wright in third and again the leading Class C contender. As was the case in the first heat, van Niekerk took Class D while Marais took Class E. In the third heat, van Zummeren again disappeared at the front of the field to take the win from Choudree. Denver Branders, running in the Sports & GT category, crossed the line in third place on the road. This time, Gary Marais (GB Racing Harper) got the better of Wright to take Class C, while van Niekerk made it three out of three in Class D, as did Melindre Marais in Class E.
In the day’s overall standings, van Zummeren took Class A. Bevan Choudree led the way from Gareth Hewitt (Steel and Pipes for Africa BMW) and RJ Green (Herbalife BMW) in Class B. Despite having to settle for second in the final heat, Wright had done enough to secure victory in Class C for the day, with Zillen Harding (Concept Parts BMW) and Cherne Marais (GB Racing Harper) joining him on the podium. Van Niekerk took Class D from Daimen Parker (Goldwagen VW Golf) and Brady Choudree (The Doctor Racing Team BMW). Class E went to Melindre Marais from Gary Brown (EIS Impro Mobile Welding Ford Escort) and Sharniel Holmes (Selago Industries VW Golf).
Image by Paul Bedford
A large group of visitors from KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape joined the local historic racers. At the front of the field, Rudolf de Vos and Matthew Gudmanz had great dices in both heats in their Chev CanAms, with de Vos taking the victory on both occasions, albeit by very narrow margins, with both drivers setting their personal best lap times on the day. Behind the leading duo, Craig Czank claimed a pair of third places. In the overall standings at the end of the day, de Vos took Class A from Gudmanz, while Western Cape visitor and the man behind the Ford & Friends event piloted his Meisner replica Ford Escort to the Class B win from Ian Thompson and Alec Gudmanz. Class C and the 2022 Border Historics Club Championship went to Johan van der Westhuizen (Ford Interceptor), with Quentin Lessing and Theo Classen on the podium with him. Johan Bronner took Class D from Herman de Kok and Paul Manigold, while Dean van Rooyen won Class E.
The motorcycle classes had a slightly curtailed program after the oil spill made racing dangerous for them. In the overall standings, Nathan Ashington won the Unlimited class from Graigen Nel and Travis Warne. Nkululeko Majola win the Club class from Gerrie Havenga and Lodewyk Hattingh.
In the All-Fords race, Powell took a comfortable win from van der Westhuizen. Quentin Lessing just managed to hold off Alec Gudmanz to take third, while Herman de Kok took fifth. Gary Schultz just got the better of Danian Staffen to take sixth, with Carl Fantham rounding out the top eight.
The early challenge of the visiting Caterham and Birkin 7s in the Border 100 faded after they suffered mechanical problems, leaving the chase for line honours to be fought out between the Gudmanz Capri and Prece in the Powerking Golf. A late safety car closed up the field, but Darron, who was at the wheel for the second half of the race, could pull away slightly once the safety car pulled back into the pits and took the win by just over 15 seconds. Julian and James Herman brought their Mels Motors BMW home in third ahead of Jannie van Niekerk’s BMW. Ian Thompson (Opel Record) and Charne and Gary Marais (Harper) ended in sixth. Paul Manegold claimed the Index of Performance honours from Sharniel Holmes and Prece.
