Pre Race: Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series – Round 5 – Phakisa

The Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series will travel to the sleepy mining town of Welkom in the Free State on 18 July for the fifth round of the 2015 racing season. This will be the first of two visits that the series will make to the popular Phakisa Freeway circuit this season. An endurance race is planned at the end of the day and will see various makes of vehicles take the challenge to the high performance BMW’s.

The focus will still be on the Overall and individual class championships battles within the Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series however. With the championship title chase now at the midway point of the 2015 season, a number of main contenders have emerged at the top of their individual classes.

Mishal Sing (E92 M3) continues to lead the Overall and class A championships with Devin Robertson (E90 320i Turbo) still trailing the current class A leader. Unfortunately third placed Ricky Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR) will lose points to his rivals after injuries sustained in a recent quad bike accident will put him out of action for the rest of the season. His father Jimmy Giannoccaro (E82 135i) and twin brother Gianni Giannoccaro (E46 M3) are expected to fly the family flag in his honour however.

Riaan Woest (E46 M3) has seen his lead amongst the class B contingent whittled down to a mere two points. Young Julian Fameliaris (E36 328i Turbo) has really come to grips with the new turbo charged power of his car and has notched up a number of victories in last few races. Darren Winterboer (F30 335i) will once again make the long trip from Zimbabwe to try and improve on his current third place in the class as well. After a string of bad luck this season Dino Fameliaris (E36 328i Turbo) will be keen to get back to challenging for a podium position.

Once again the battle amongst the class C contenders is expected to be a close run affair. Stefano Martinelli (E36 328i) grabbed the class lead at the previous event and is now eight points ahead of Feroz Ebrahim (E46 M3 GTR). Fred Kruger (E46 M3) still holds on to third position despite missing the previous event due to mechanical woes. Johan Dreyer (E46 330i) will also be hoping to make up on lost ground but will have to worry about the likes of Shane Grobler (E36 328i) and Warren Dodd (E36 328i) who have both shown good form of late.

The class D title chase has also seen a change in leadership with last year’s runner up Mike Salt (E36 323i) snatching a narrow four point lead over early season leader Arri van Heerden (E30 2.7). Mr Consistency Trevor Long (E36 328i) jumps up to third position but will have to worry about Craig Ball (E36 328i) and series newcomer Bevan Meyer (E36 325i). With various other competitors in the class capable of taking a points scoring position it will be anyone’s race to win or lose.

Alan Hilligenn (E36 328i) still leads the newly formed Challenge class ahead of Mike Grobler (E36 328i) but with only two points between them it is expected to be a close run affair.

Mish-al Sing (E92 M3) leads the coveted overall title chase by sixteen points over nearest rival Riaan Woest (Class B E46 M3). Julian Fameliaris (Class B E36 328i Turbo) has leap frogged up to third position with Stefano Martinelli (Class C E36 328i) moving into fourth, a mere three points behind him. Darren Winterboer (F30 335i) finds himself in the top five with Mike Salt (Class D E36 323i) dropping back to sixth place.

The Club was formed in 1981 to afford likeminded enthusiasts the opportunity to interact with each other through a comprehensive calendar of events, a club magazine and website portal. The Club also organizes adrenaline and social based events such as breakfast runs, classic car gatherings, Concours d’Elegance competitions, noggins, weekend trips, gymkhana’s and top speed events. The Club is proud of its family ethos where all enthusiasts are welcome. Annual membership starts from as little as R350, more information is available at www.bmwcarclub.co.za.