Stefan Snyders

Historic champions crowned

Hepburn, Snyders & Hartzenberg go gold

Historic Racing South Africa crowned its 2019 champions at its final round races at Red Star Raceway outside Delmas on Saturday. Stefan Snyders (Porsche 911 RSR) delivered a virtuoso performance to wrap up the HRSA Sports & GT title with a double win, Sean Hepburn took his first race win to clinch the Universal Healthcare Pre-80 Saloon Car title and Werner Hartzenberg (Porsche 928S) took the final Charlies SuperSpar win to make sure of that championship title.

Snyders (Stenton Investments Porsche 911 RSR) beat Sports & GT rival Fred Konig’s similar Northern Bolt & Tool machine and Universal Healthcare HRSA Pre-80 Saloon Car winner Jannie van Rooyen’s Volkswagen Scirocco to the opening sprint race. Behind them, Alan Green dominated Class D aboard his Meissner Escort ahead of Stuart Konig (Nothern Bolt & Tool Scirocco), who pipped Johann Smith (Mazda Capella) with Marius Verwey (Mazda R100) next up ahead of Class E Winner Andre Ten Napel (VW Scirocco).

Sean HepburnSean Hepburn (HiQ Midrand Datsun 1200 Deluxe) took an easy Class F win over Marco Verwey (Datsun GX Coupe), while Harry Lombard (A-B Brickworks/ PSA VW Beetle) took Class G from Jan Jacobs (Olifantsfontein Training Centre Alfa Romeo GT Junior) and Harm Beens Sr. (H3 Generator Ford Escort) to Class G.

Snyders then did the double in Race 2 over Konig and van Rooyen again, while Johann Smith turned the tables on Alan Green to take Class C, with Verwey third after Stuart Konig stopped. Ten Napel took Class E, but there was an upset in Class F as Marco Verwey took the win after champion Hepburn retired, but Lombard did the Class G double over Beens after Jacobs hit trouble.

Overall, new champion Snyders took the day and S> Class B over Class C winner, while van Rooyen took Universal Healthcare Pre-80 overall and Class C honours, Green beat Smith to Class D, Ten Napel won Class E, Verwey Class F, Lombard G. Provisionally then, double winner Snyders wrapped up the 2019 HRSA Sports & GT championship, while Sean Hepburn is the Universal Healthcare Pre-80 champion.

Werner HrtzenbergThe Charlies SuperSpar HRSA Pursuit handicap races delivered their regular late race dramas as Fine Car Class duo Frans Venter (Nissan 280ZX) and Machiel Oberholzer (Mercedes Benz 190E) beat Trophy Class pair Kola de Klerk (Nissan 300ZX) and Werner Hartzenberg (Porsche 928S) to the opening race win. Rob van Aarle (Ford Escort) was fourth from Riaan Roux (VW Scirocco), Harm Beens Jr (Ford Escort), Evert Botha (Porsche 924), Clive Winterstein (T) (Porsche 356A) and Bert van Aarle (Lotus Elite) in tenth.

Hartzenberg then beat Rob van Aarle, Oberholzer, Kola de Klerk, Roux, Venter, Pretorius and van Niekerk to race 2 as Hartzenburg took the day and Trophy honours overall from Fines winner Rob van Aarle, Frans Venter and Kola de Klerk. Subject to final MSA ratification, Werner Hartzenberg is the overall HRSA Charlie’s SuperSpar champion for 2019 ahead of Kola de Klerk and Frans Venter, who took the Fine Cars title from Rob Clark and Henk de Klerk. Hartzenberg took the Trophy Class title from Kola de Klerk and Althea Pretorius.

The Historic Racing South Africa circus now takes a well earned rest before it begins all over again in the new season — see you in 2020!