Category: Special Events

BMW CCG Club Racing Series – Round 2 – Phakisa – 12 April 2014

Greg ReillyBMW Car Club Gauteng, BMW Club Racing Series, Phakisa Freeway, Race Reports, Special Events, Track Day
The second round of the 2014 BMW CCG Club Racing Series saw competitors, their families and friends head down to the Phakisa Freeway in Welkom for a fun filled weekend of racing on Saturday 12 April. BMW Car Club Gauteng
Mishal Sing (E92 M3) set the pace in qualifying and took pole position ahead of Sav Gualtieri (E46 328i Turbo) who was guest driving the MBS Carriers car of Joachim Kremnitzer. The race was over before it had begun for Dino Fameliaris (E30 325i), when electrical gremlins caused his car to come to a halt on the warm up lap. Andries Greyvensteyn (E46 M3) then retired to the pits on the same lap when a missing wheel spacer put paid to his chances of starting the race.
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Race 1

The first race of the day got off to a frantic start with Gaultieri getting the hole-shot over Sing into turn one. They were closely followed by Manny Ribeiro (E35 325i Turbo) and Gianni Giannoccaro (E46 M3 CSL GTR) with the rest of the twenty one car field in tow. Some robust driving between the leaders saw Sing retire to the pits after the first lap with two broken rims. The field bunched up again when the safety car came out on the second lap to clear Fameliaris’ car that was stranded in a dangerous position coming off of the back straight. Fifth placed Carlo Garbini (E46 M3) then retired on the same lap with a broken clutch putting paid to his chances of another good result.
Gaultieri claimed Overall Class A victory despite mixed results…
The re-start of the race on the third lap was a fast paced affair with Gaultieri blasting away out in front. Gianni Giannoccaro got the jump on Ribeiro this time around with Ricky Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR) and Thouca Mechanicos (E46 M3 Ti GTR) in tow. Duane Galloway (Nissan Skyline GTR R32) was having a great race as he led the class C ranks in sixth position. The battle behind him was the one to watch however with Riaan Woest (E36 328i), Warren Dodd (E36 325i) and Julian Fameliaris (E36 328i) all fighting for the same piece of tarmac.
[singlepic id=212342 w=320 h=240 float=center] Ricky Giannoccaro dived past Ribeiro to claim third position on the fifth lap. Fameliaris was also on a charge as he grabbed eighth position from Dodd on the same lap and then repeated the move by taking seventh position from Woest through turn four a lap later. The third place battle continued to be a close run affair with Ribeiro challenging Ricky through almost every corner. He made his move on the penultimate lap when a backmarker slowed Ricky’s run coming onto the back straight, allowing Ribeiro to blast past him to claim third position. Galloway threw away his chances of a good result when he ran wide coming out of the last corner on the final lap, handing the class C victory to Fameliaris in the process.
The class B battle between Ribeiro and Ricky Giannoccaro couldn’t have been closer…
Gaultieri romped home to an easy victory ahead of Gianni Giannoccaro with Ribeiro holding onto a hard fought third position.

Race 1 Class Results

Class A

Class B
  1. Sav Gaultieri – Best lap: 1:45.668
  2. Gianni Giannoccaro – Best lap: 1:47.585
  1. Manny Ribeiro – Best lap: 1:48.098
  2. Ricky Giannoccaro – Best lap: 1:48.779
  3. Thouca Mechanicos – Best lap: 1:51.836

Class C

Class D
  1. Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 1:54.314
  2. Duane Galloway – Best lap: 1:54.787
  3. Riaan Woest – Best lap: 1:55.157
  1. Hein Strohm (E36 M3 GTR) – Best lap: 1:59.446
  2. Mike Salt (E36 323i) – Best lap: 2:01.364
  3. Johan Dreyer (E46 330i) – Best lap: 2:01.496
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Race 2
The inverted grid for the second heat would certainly shake things up a bit – making for some interesting racing in the second race of the day. However a spark plug issue for Gianni Giannoccaro put him out of the running before the race had even begun.

The race picked up where it left off from the first heat, with Gaultieri grabbing the lead ahead of Sing and the rest of the chasing pack. Ribeiro took the class B lead ahead of Ricky Giannoccaro with Woest grabbing the class C lead ahead of Fameliaris and Dodd. Fameliaris then took the class C lead with a well timed move through turn three on the second lap.
Fameliaris got the better of Woest and Dodd in both races despite the close action…
Gaultieri’s chances faded when a boost pipe came loose on the third lap. He nursed the car home to cross the line in fourth position however. Woest was under pressure from Dodd coming off the back straight on the same lap. He lost the back of his car through the fast sweep and unfortunately spun out of contention.
The race appeared to have settled into a good rhythm by the half way point, but the drama was actually far from over. Giannoccaro suddenly slowed on the penultimate lap of the race and retired to the pits after running out of fuel. Second placed Ribeiro then saw his podium hopes disappear out of the window when a tyre burst coming out of turn three on the last lap, forcing him into immediate retirement alongside the track.
Sing cruised home to an unchallenged victory with Fameliaris and Dodd claiming the remaining podium positions respectively.

Race 2 Class Results

Class A

Class B
  1. Mishal Sing – Best lap: 1:45.677
  2. Sav Gaultieri – Best lap: 1:45.821
  1. Manny Ribeiro – Best lap: 1:48.712
  2. Ricky Giannoccaro – Best lap: 1:48.478

Class C

Class D
  1. Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 1:54.663
  2. Warren Dodd – Best lap: 1:54.278
  3. Stefano Martinelli (E36 328i) – Best lap: 1:56.977
  1. Daniel Koekemoer (E36 M3) – Best lap: 1:58.780
  2. Hein Strohm – Best Lap: 2:00.527
  3. Johan Dreyer – Best lap: 2:01.489
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Two podium results in class D saw Strohm claim overall class honours…
With the Overall and individual Class points now being well and truly scrambled after the second event of the 2014 season, a battle royale is expected from the main contenders in each class at the next event which is being held at the popular Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria on 28 June.
Race Report by Greg Reilly.
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Website: www.BMWCarClub.co.za
Facebook: BMW Car Club Gauteng or
BMW CCG Club Racing Series
Twitter: @BMWCarClubGP
Event Photographs: www.RacePics.co.za
Media requests must please be forwarded to RacePics at Click-to-Reveal@racepics.co.za

Photographs of BMW Car Club Gauteng Events
BMW CCG Club Racing Series

BRIDGESTONE / BMW CCG Club Racing Series – Phakisa Track Challenge – 11 and 12 April 2014

Greg ReillyBMW Car Club Gauteng, BMW Club Racing Series, Phakisa Freeway, Special Events, Track Day
The long awaited Bridgestone / BMW CCG track challenge at the Phakisa Freeway is only weeks away and regular club members and racing competitors within the series are raring to go. This will be the only visit to this popular race circuit during the 2014 season so it is sure to attract many entries. BMW Car Club Gauteng
After the first Time Trial event of the season at Kyalami an exciting battle for top honours looks set for the year ahead. If you are not ready to mix it up with the real racers then this is a great opportunity for you to get yourself accustomed to racing conditions in a more controlled environment. The 10 fastest cars – the top 5 from the Time Trials and the top 5 from the Race Series, will also be entered into a special one-lap shootout that will take place at the end of the day. To even things out a bit, the cars will be set off from a standing start as well. With trophies and bragging rights up for grabs there is plenty to fight for. Competitors from other race series are also welcome to use these events as practice in a mock race environment.
A number of BMW S1000RR and HP4 motorcycle riders will be joining us for this event in their own track session on Saturday as well. The sound of these impressive superbikes certainly added to the excitement and atmosphere of last year’s event and we are thrilled to have them back again this year!
The highlight of the day will be the second round of the MSA sanctioned BMW CCG Club Racing Series. The first event of the season held at Kyalami certainly created a few surprise results. A mere 8 points separate the top 10 drivers, with Bruce Turner and Carlo Garbini tied on points at the top of the log. With a number of entries expected to make their debut at Phakisa, as well as a few familiar faces making a welcome return to the series, the class battles should be closer than ever!
Entry fees start at R800 for Time Trial entrants. Full event details and entry fees can be found on the Club website www.BMWCarClub.co.za. The action kicks off at 08:00 AM and entrance to the circuit as a spectator is free. Food and beverages will be readily available for purchase in the pit complex area.
For just R100, spectators can also be taken around the track by a professional driver in one of the Bridgestone Hot Lap vehicles – provided that they have long pants, a long sleeved top and a helmet supplied by the organizers. The obligatory indemnity form will need to be completed and signed as well.
If you are interested in joining or attending this event please forward your details to Click-to-Reveal@bmwcarclub.co.za. Further correspondence will then be sent to you.
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Website: www.BMWCarClub.co.za
Facebook: BMW Car Club Gauteng or
BMW CCG Club Racing Series
Twitter: @BMWCarClubGP
Event Photographs: www.RacePics.co.za
Media requests must please be forwarded to RacePics on Click-to-Reveal@racepics.co.za

Photographs of BMW Car Club Gauteng Events
BMW CCG Club Racing Series