1st Cape Gate Brackenfell Gymkhana
author: Patrick Vermaak
Izak van Zyl and Danye Louw made it three in a row with the Dynotech class G VW Golf MkII 2.0 Turbo when they won the inaugural Cape Gate Brackenfell Gymkhana on Saturday 5 June 2010. It was no walkover victory though, as Fanie du Toit and Kobus Wilson Jnr produced an absolute gem of a final run in their well sorted Propshaft & CV Joint Services Worcester class A Mazda Rustler LDV 2.0 16v to finish just 0.05 seconds down on combined times.
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Fanie du Toit and Kobus Wilson Jnr
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André Dreyer and Patrick Vermaak completing the podium positions in their Weskaap Bakwerke class A VW Golf MkII 2.0 16v.
Jehan de Jongh and Danye Louw impressed with fourth overall in the class C winning H&H Motor Spares & Rebuilds VW Golf MkI 1600, just 0.1 seconds ahead of the awesome Powerflow Exhausts class G VW Golf MkII of Duncan Jepthas and Nashrene Schloss.
The course was extremely challenging and to watch Duncan at work with the use of just one arm was inspiring to say the least. Class B winners, Günther and Louise Appelgryn, finished sixth overall after yet another immaculate display of disciplined driving in their WBMK VW Golf MkI 1800.
Seventh going to the hard charging class C H&H Motor Spares & Rebuilds VW Golf MkI 1600 of Danye and Marcile Louw with Jehan de Jongh and Danye Louw eighth in the class B Boland Trade Centre VW Golf MkI 1800. Possibly the most loyal GTi Club competitors of all time in the gymkhana series, Brent Laurings and Duncan Andrews, finished in a superb ninth overall position in their Opel Kadett GTE 2.0 8v! Their commitment in this Opel is something to aspire to, always giving 110% in every event. Marius Swart and Leon Engelbrecht also impressive with tenth overall in their Eikestad Plastic Repairs class A VW Golf MkI 2.0. Normally these two competitors would be embroiled in their own personal war, but Marius simply dominated this time around.
Every time Danye and Marcile Louw would appear in the class B Boland Trade Centre VW Golf MkI 1800 it would splutter and they had to accept a frustrating eleventh overall. Another team struggling with a temperamental machine was brothers, Jacques and Armand Otto, in their recently completed Toyota Conquest RSi 1800. New car niggles saw them in twelfth overall but this car clearly has great potential. Leon Engelbrecht and Marius Swart thirteenth in the Eikestad Plastic Repairs class A VW Golf MkI 2.0 with Geoff Wellstead and Günther Appelgryn fourteenth in their class B G&M Autospeed VW Golf MkI 1800. Geoff making welcome return to the WBNK series after a long absence.
Johann and Petra Zulch dominated class E in their Van der Merwe Houtsaery E30 BMW 325iM and really looked the part as the Beemer lifted front wheels and subtle powerslides saw the combination post impressive times as they headed towards fifteenth spot overall. In the absence of Albertus Loubser it was brother, Jacobus, who piloted the Pro Bru Spares class C Toyota Conquest RSi 20v to sixteenth spot with guidance from Robin Wakeford. Lourens van Litsenborgh and Jacques du Plessis struggled to find rythm in the normally ultra quick class C Honda Civic V-Tec 1600 and settled for seventeenth.
Herman Mathee and Jan van der Vyver were in very determined frame of mind and the little 1400 Datsun LDV were pushed as hard as it would go enroute to a class F victory and 18th overall. Ever consistent Morné Roux and Monica Robbertse, 19th in their class B VW Golf MkI 1800. Not having competed with this almost standard Golf for some time, they were impressed by the standard of competition present on the day. This car normally a top ten contender. Marius Swart and Leon Engelbrecht also entered a VW Fox 1800 in class B and impressed with a fine 20th overall result.
Ettiene Swart and Izak van Zyl again winning class D in the neatly prepared Cape Fire & AirconVW Golf Chico 1.4i, proving that this combination have now become the stars of the category. Placing a 1.4i in 21st spot was no mean feat as the competition proved exceptionally tough. Hennie Odendaal and Donald Loubser 22nd in the SR Radiators clas B VW Golf MkI 1800.
Pierre Schoeman and Morné Roux joined forces in the Strand Fitment Centre class A VW Golf GTi MkII 2.0 in 23rd spot with Francois Naudé and Ulrich Joseph 24th in their neat class A Opel Kadett GSi 2.0 16v. Changing seats they also finished 25th in the smae car with Deon and Maralize Conradie somewhat out of kilt in 26th spot with the very neat 2.3 FFR class E VW Buggy. Cahrl Carr and Richard Hough had the silver class D Opel Corsa Classic 1.4i working overtime enroute to 27th spot and they were followed closely by the Innovative Woodwork class F 1600 Toyota powered Datsun LDV of Anton Smit and new navigator, Gavin Parsons.
Jan van der Vyver and Herman Mathee 29th in the three wheeling class D VW Golf Chico 1.4i. Danye and Marcile Louw somewhat disappointed with 30th spot in their class A Boland Trade Centre Renault Clio Sport 2.0 16v after the car developed brake problems. Dan Traut and Patrick Vermaak 31st overall in the E30 class E BMW 325i after another fun event. Nashrene Schloss and ouise Appelgryn winning class I as the first all ladies crew home in the VW Fox 1800 with the E30 KS Panelbeaters class E BMW 325i of Jacobus and Lizelle Smit 33rd overall. Nashrene Schloss and Louise Appelgryn also taking 34th spot as a class B entry in the VW Fox 1800 and they had the blue JPW Transport clas F Datsun 1400 LDV of Kobus Wilson Snr and Herman Mathee hot on their heels.
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Kobus Wilson Snr and Herman Mathee
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Robin Wakeford and Morné Roux 36th in the clutchless clas C Toyota Corolla 1600 whilst Jacques du Plessis and stand in navigator, Lourens van Litsenborgh, had to accept a frustrating 37th spot in the normally very quick class C du Plessis Auto Toyota Conquest RSi 1600. A broken CV curtailing their chances of another top ten result.
Though clearly never intended to be the quickest car on the day the very entertaining class F Chana 1300 LDV of Desmond Harding and Henry Köhne quickly became a firm favourite with the Brackenfell crowd and it enjoyed very vocal support every time it made an appearance on the route.
Richard and Jacolien Hough 39th in their Hough Electrical class D Opel Corsa 1.3i after a consistent outing with newcomers, Pietie Erasmus and Mike Mathee 40th overall in their class D VW Fox 1.3. Swopping seats they also placed the same car 41st. Leon and Monique Engelbrecht proved very entertaining in 42nd spot with the first appearance of their immaculately prepared 1947 Studebaker LDV – complete with V8 Corvette power. Not only was this an extremely attractive vehicle, it even handled better that expected and led to a rather heated debate when the Most Spectacular Driver of the Day had to be announced. The Chempet Chemical Technologies award going to the Studebaker as they always stuck to the scheduled route.
For tyre smoking appeal alone there was no contest when the antics of Kobus Wilson Snr and Herman Mathee had to be evaluated in the JPW Transport class E BMW 535i. Incredible to see what this car is really capable of doing to a set of rear tyres when driven with enthusiasm.
Hermie de Kock and Pieter Hugo 44th in their neat Super Airbrake & Clutch class D Opel Corsa 1.3 with Monica Robbertse and Marcile Louw in 45th spot with the class I VW Golf MkI 1800. They had Jacolien Hough and Petra Zulch close behind in their Hough Electrical class D Opel Corsa 1.3i. Kobus Wilson Snr and Herman Mathee not classified as finishers in the very spectacular JPW Transport class G Datsun Skyline GTX V8.
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Günther and Louise Appelgryn
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Dee-Jay Booysen claimed the Fastest Time of the Day and class H honours behind the wheel of his incredibly quick Honda 400cc powered Dico Formula M racer. Izak van Zyl second in his Dynotech VW Golf GTi MkII Turbo 2.0 and in third it was André Dreyer in the Weskaap Bakwerke VW Golf GTi 2.0 16v. Duncan Jepthas finishing fourth in the Powerflow Exhausts TSi 2.0 VW Golf MkII with Günther Appelgryn fifth in his VW Golf MkI 1800 and Fanie du Toit sixth in the very rapid Mazda Rustler LDV 2.0 16v.
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Ryno Pentz
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Brent Laurings seventh with the yellow Opel Kadett GTE 2.0 8v, Francois Naudé eighth in the black Opel Kadett GSi 2.0 and Pierre Schoeman ninth in the Strand Fitment Centre VW Golf GTi 2.0. Jan van der Vyver tenth in the 1.4i Chico and Arno Hougraadt eleventh in his 250cc powered Bohemian Tattoos Formula M racer. Unfortunately Ryno Pentz lost an argument with a solid pavement and failed to finish in his 400cc powered Dico Formula M racer.
Leon Engelbrecht opened the proceedings with a fitting scripture reading and prayer before a group of enthusiastic rally drivers demonstrated their distinctive vehicles to the appreciative crowd. Running before the start of the event and between each of the three legs the presence of the 2009 Junior WP Rally Championship winning class S4 Winning Business Solutions / Forsdicks Tygervalley E36 BMW 325i of Thorsten Pey and Mark Palmer certainly attracted much attention. Specially remaining as it completed the recent CPMCC Vlakvlei Night Rally the car looked the part with thick mud an broken spotlights to complete the tyre smoking scene.
The Teletubby still strapped to the rear spoiler!
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Günther and Louise Appelgryn
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Harry Giliomee and Frits Blom had their neat class S3 Toyota Corolla Breadvan 1800 present whilst Mike Nathan fitted in a few very entertaining runs in the awesome Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Turbo 4x4 racer of Alexander Herbst as well as the gloriously sounding BMW M3 CSL. The class A7 Toyota Run X RSi 2.0 20v of Ettiene du Toit and Patrick Vermaak proved to be a highlight of the day as Ettiene demonstrated the amazing agility of this car to good effect with a very worried looking Anette Vermaak as navigator.
The Dros Restaurant supported the event by hosting the prizegiving and included a special Gymkhana Hamburger and Chips on their menu for the day. In the weeks leading up to the event listeners of the Radio Tygerberg 104Fm Motorsport Fokus program actually had the opportunity to win free meal vouchers and on the day the Dros enjoyed brilliant support whilst Radio Tygerberg announcer, Neels Rabe, kept the crowd spellbound with his customary humour and wit.
The Virgin Active Gymnasium sportingly made their undercover parking available as pit area to the competitors and PIC Projects provided the perimeter fencing for the day. Wayne Zwicky and Imperial Toyota Brackenfell also assisting in making this event a success.
Start and Finish marshals as always were Dewald and Meghan Nortjé with Xandré du Toit and Paul Arendse as the Judges of Fact. Arie Stylen the ever reliable track marshal on route whilst Pit Control was once again in the capable hands of André Brinkman. A task he did so well that the Marshal of the Day Chempet Chemical Technologies award was unanimously awarded to him. Chief Marshal Neville Gleeson and Scorer, André Mitchell, reported a flawless run on the Jayen Timer with John McLinden taking care of technical support.
Pierre van der Westhuizen the Clerk of the Course with Daniël Terblanche the MSA Steward and Tony Hardenberg as MSA Environmental Steward. Anette Vermaak the Event Secretary. A special word of thanks to Günther and Louise Appelgryn who were instrumental in making this event happen with the support of Pierre Appelgryn Jaco Matthee and Robin Wakeford.
Cyan Fernandes was the elated winner of the WBMK Raffle, winning a drive with event winner, Izak van Zyl, in the Dynotech VW Golf 2.0 Turbo whilst the earnings were donated toward classroom renovation at the Vissershok Primary School.
The next event on 17 July 2010 – the 5th Fairbridge Mall Brackenfell Gymkhana.
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