Three young South African racers will head to the USA on Sunday 11 October in a bid to take on the rest of the world at the Legends Cars Road Course World Finals. Lonika Maartens (Young Lion), Keagan Wessels (Semi Pro) and Clinton Bezuidenhout (Young Lion) will represent South Africa at this year’s event being held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway from 16 to 18 October 2015. The speedway, which opened in 1990 and hosts two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events each year, is located about one hour north of Boston in Loudon, New Hampshire, USA
Last year saw South African competitors achieve great success when the event was held at the Virginia Motor Speedway. Devin Robertson was crowned the World Champion in the Pro Championship category while Franco Di Matteo claimed sixth overall in the Masters Division World points and third at the World Finals. Lonika Maartens also impressed by claiming third position in the World Championship points in the Young Lions Division as well as seventh position at the world finals. Willie Erasmus did well to claim sixth position in the Semi-pro Division at the World Finals as well.
Lonika Maartens
This year Lonika Maartens will return to the World Finals in an attempt to improve on her impressive results from last year in the Young Lions Division.
She heads into this event ranked second in the Young Lions Road Course World Championship Points! With her experience from last year, fifteen year old Maartens is sure to be one of the favourites in her category.
Her consistent performance in the local championship has prepared her well for the World Finals and much is expected from this young talent.
Clinton Bezuidenhout
Fourteen year old Clinton Bezuidenhout, better known in karting circles joined the Legends Championship for the first time this year. Despite mixed results in the local championship – mainly due to mechanical issues, he heads into the World Finals ranked third in the Young Lions Road Course World Championship points.
His international experience in karting should set him in good stead as he takes on the best that the world has to offer.
As team mate to Maartens he is sure to gain valuable input which could certainly see him pull off a few surprise results as well.
Keagan Wessels
Keagan Wessels is the current championship leader in the Semi-Pro category in only his first year of competition in the local Legends championship. He has proved his mettle this year with many close battles amongst the top Pro racers in the country.
Currently ranked seventeenth in the Semi-Pro Road Course World Championship Points Wessels will be driving in one of the most fiercely contested divisions in the Legends World Finals with more than thirty drivers in his class.
He has his work cut out for him but this young talent has already shown that he has what it takes and a good result at the World Finals would top off a great debut season for him.
Regular updates of the progress of these three South African drivers in the USA will be posted on the RacePics and Legends Racing SA Facebook pages.
