Audi South Africa Press Release
The Audi S4 quattro racers will return to competition in the National Production Car Championship (NPCC) at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, August 8, for round five of their championship season.
Hennie Groenewald (8 – Audi Sasolracing) enters this round of the series as the new leader, with a two-point advantage over his rival Michael Stephen (12 – Engen Xtreme). Two points, in a championship that sees qualifying times between the top runners measured in fractions of a second …
While Groenewald knows Stephen will be aiming to out-qualify him at Zwartkops – and will fill his rearview mirror at every possible opportunity – he will still enjoy the lead he has, knowing that he's in the driving seat as far as the championship goes.
From Stephen's perspective, second place in the championship provides a reasonable cushion, but without the pressures of maintaining the leading status. This is not to be confused with having no championship ambitions, rather that Stephen is willing to pace himself with an overall championship vision.
Two Audi S4 quattro racers, two very different race strategies and both with championship title ambitions. The combination is a recipe for absolute motorsport action for the rest of the National Production Car Championship (NPCC) season.
For Gennaro Bonafede (32 – Audi Sasolracing) the 2015 season will see him continue with his focus on a championship while consolidating his current third place and eroding the gap to second place – and then on to the overall championship lead.
Simon Moss (38 – Engen Xtreme) will be looking to his East London results – a podium finish in rather trying circumstances after a wheel broke, causing him to hit tyres and damage his race car. Going on to achieve a podium result at the high speeds demanded by the East London circuit puts him in good territory for the coming Zwartkops event.
Moss has had mixed results in the NPCC but this season has seen him making solid progress. The podium result in East London will boost his confidence and he will clearly be aiming for at least a repeat of that success at Zwartkops.
Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za (Morne Condon)
