South African Bridgestone Production Cars Round 1 - Audi Teams

By Johan Laubscher

The 2012 South African Bridgestone Production Cars got underway this weekend at Zwartkops near Pretoria in South Africa. The weekend got off to a warm start with very high temperatures for the entire weekend. The pre-event news from the Audi teams was bitter sweet. It had been known that four Audis would be ready for the start of the season, two from Terry Moss Racing and one each from Johan Fourie Racing and VMP Motorsport. Despite all four cars being ready only three took part at Zwartkops. Johan Fourie had lost his main sponsor just weeks before the 2012 season was to begin and without a sponsor for the start of the season the team decided not to travel across the country to the first round. This is a sad blow for the championship and everyone is hoping that Johan Fourie, the 2008 and 2009 champion will be able to find the necessary funding to compete for the rest of the year.

The Friday afternoon practice sessions saw a very competitive field with all the manufactures sharing very fast times. Qualifying on Saturday would see Michael Stephen, the 2011 champion continue on his good form from of last year by taking pole position for race one in his Audi S4. Stephen opted for a standing start for race one, the first standing start in the championship in over two years. When the lights went out the 2012 season got underway and Stephen raced onwards to a flag to flag victory. The rest of the day would prove to be up and down for the Audi drivers. The reverse grid for race two always provides for exciting racing and provided a Team Afrox BMW 1-2 with the highest Audi in fourth.

The third race of the day held over a larger distance again proved to belong to the Afrox BMW team with another 1-2. Tschops Sipuka put in a storming drive to try and catch the second placed BMW but eventually finished in third, the highest placed Audi finisher. Michael Stephen unfortunately retired from Race 3.

VMP Motorsport had a promising first outing with their new car. VMP Motorsport ran Audis from 2005 to 2009 famously taking Audi’s first win in this championship back in 2005. It is a delight for Audi fans to see the team return to the Four Rings. Melvil Priest in the VMP Audi had consistent top 5 finishes on the day in the immaculately prepared S4. The potential of the new car is clear and it will only be a matter of time before VMP takes their first win of the year.

As the race day came to an end the consistency and race wins of the Afrox BMW drivers sees the pair leading the championship with the top Audi driver outside of the top three. The championship now moves onto round two at Killarney in Cape Town on the 31^st of March.

More information at:

Audi Motorsport in South Africa FB page
Bridgestone Production Cars FB Page
Bridgestone Production Cars Website

Race Results:

Bridgestone Production Cars Round 1 Zwartkops Raceway - Race 1 - Class A:

1 Michael Stephen (Audi) Engen Xtreme
2 Hennie Groenewald (Subaru) Team Sasol Subaru
3 Anthony Taylor (BMW) Team Afrox
4 Etienne van der Linde (BMW) Team Afrox
5 Richard Pinard (Subaru) Team Sasol Subaru
6 Melvill Priest (Audi) VMP Motorsport
7 Kishoor Pitamber (BMW) Team Pirtek Racing
8 Tschops Sipuka (Audi) Engen Xtreme
9 John Mayer (BMW)

Bridgestone Production Cars Round 1 Zwartkops Raceway - Race 2  - Class A: 

1 Etienne van der Linde (BMW) Team Afrox
2 Anthony Taylor (BMW)
3 Hennie Groenewald (Subaru) Team Sasol Subaru
4 Michael Stephen (Audi) Engen Xtreme
5 Melvill Priest (Audi) VMP Motorsport
6 Tschops Sipuka (Audi) Engen Xtreme
7 Kishoor Pitamber (BMW) Team Pirtek Racing
8 John Mayer (BMW)
9 Richard Pinard (Subaru) Team Sasol Subaru

Bridgestone Production Cars Round 1 Zwartkops Raceway - Race 3 - Class A:

1 Anthony Taylor (BMW) Team Afrox
2 Etienne van der Linde (BMW) Team Afrox
3 Tschops Sipuka (Audi) Engen Xtreme
4 Hennie Groenewald (Subaru) Team Sasol Subaru
5 Melvill Priest (Audi) VMP Motorsport
6 Richard Pinard (Subaru) Team Sasol Subaru
7 Kishoor Pitamber (BMW) Team Pirtek Racing
8 John Mayer (BMW)
9 Michael Stephen (Audi) Engen Xtreme