Franco Di Matteo – 2015 Super Saloons GTA Class Champion
South African racing legend Franco Di Matteo has done the unthinkable.
He has claimed his second V8 racing title in as many years this past weekend at the Midvaal Raceway outside of Meyerton in the Vaal Triangle.
Technically this is the second title that the veteran racer has won this year as he was only acknowledged as the rightful 2014 National V8 Supercars Champion five months ago.
This was due to the torturous six month legal battle that ensued after the final event of the last National Super Series event at the end of the 2014 racing season, tainting what should have been the realisation of a dream for the popular “Italian Stallion”.
However Di Matteo has proven in no uncertain terms what a worthy champion he is by taking the 2015 Super Saloons GTA Class Championship as well – a category created especially for the former National V8 Supercars Championship within the ranks of the Northern Regions Inland Series.
2015 Liqui Moly Legends Masters Championship
Not only has Di Matteo claimed this title but he also currently leads the 2015 Liqui Moly Legends Masters Championship by a healthy margin as well. With only one event left at the Red Star Raceway in a few week’s time, he is expected to add his second title in a row in this category as well!
Di Matteo’s success would not be possible without his valued sponsors – Varta Johnsons Control, Amtec Lubricants, Derek’s Machining, Tre-D Engineering, GWR Racing and PF Hydraulics. He will certainly be looking to reward them with more great results next season.
Report by Greg Reilly Media requests must please be forwarded to RacePics at media@racepics.co.za
The penultimate round of the 2015 Liqui Moly Legends Championship was held at the rustic Midvaal Raceway on Saturday 14 November. The traditional ball draw for grid positions would keep things interesting as always. Willie Erasmus (Pro) drew pole position ahead of Justin Robertson (Master). Morne Stoltz (Pro) drew third position with Johann van de Venter (Master) starting alongside him. Fred Els (Master) and Anton Repsold (Pro) rounded out the top six.
Round 10 – Midvaal Raceway – 14 November 2015
Race 1
Erasmus grabbed an early lead at the start of the race with Robertson and the rest of the field in tow. Championship contenders Seef Fourie and Devin Robertson were fighting their way through the pack after starting from seventh and twelfth positions respectively.
Robertson Junior was on an absolute charge as always and used the traffic to get past Fourie as well. He led the field across the line by the fourth lap with Fourie following his example by slotting into second place behind him. Erasmus held onto third position with Robertson Senior and Franco Di Matteo (Master) in tow. Fourteen year old Clinton Bezuidenhout (Young Lion) blasted through the field from the back of the grid to grab sixth position ahead of Els and Shaun Nel (Pro) on the same lap.
The battle for the lead was closer than ever with Fourie hassling Robertson through every corner, but it was Robertson who held on to take a narrow Overall and Pro class win ahead of Fourie – with 0.090 of a second separating the pair across the line. Erasmus did well to keep Masters Victor Robertson Senior at bay to claim third position overall. Young Bezuidenhout took the Young Lions category with an impressive sixth position.
Robertson and Fourie were closer than ever in race one
Race 1 Results
Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:16.408
Seef Fourie – Best lap: 1:16.477
Willie Erasmus – Best lap: 1:16.819
Justin Robertson – Best lap: 1:17.034
Franco Di Matteo – Best lap: 1:16.970
Clinton Bezuidenhout – Best lap: 1:17.599
Erasmus and Robertson Senior were in great form
Race 2
An inverted grid for the second race based on the ball draw for race one would certainly shake things up once again. With Robertson in pole position, it seemed that Fourie would have his work cut out for him starting from sixth on the grid. Fourie had other ideas however and was up to second place by the end of the first lap.
Di Matteo slotted into third position with Erasmus and Nel hot on his heels. With the chase at the front of the field settling into an early rhythm, the battle further back was far from over. Robertson Senior, Bezuidenhout, Lonika Maartens (Young Lion) and Els were changing positions on almost every lap making for some spectacular action packed racing.
Robertson made the most of his starting position to go on and claim his second Overall and Pro class victory of the day ahead of Fourie. Di Matteo had to work hard to keep Erasmus at bay to secure the third place and first in the Masters category. Seventh placed Bezuidenhout took his second win of the day in the Young Lions category.
Di Matteo had his hands full with the rest of the chasing pack
Race 2 Results
Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:16.028
Seef Fourie – Best lap: 1:16.163
Franco Di Matteo – Best lap: 1:16.841
Willie Erasmus – Best lap: 1:17.143
Shaun Nel – Best lap: 1:17.403
Justin Robertson – Best lap: 1:17.482
Bezuidenhout used his International experience to good measure
Race 3
The reverse grid for the third race was always going to set the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons. Steve Nel (Master) took the lead ahead of Anton Repsold (Pro) and the rest of the chasing pack. It didn’t take too long for the faster drivers to make their way to the front of the field however.
Devin Robertson was up to sixth position by the end of the first lap, with Fourie hot on his heels. Justin Robertson took the lead on the second lap with Repsold, Robertson Junior and Fred Els in tow. Robertson Junior made short work of taking the lead on the next lap with a determined Fourie moving into second place two laps later. The battle behind the leaders was just as fierce with Robertson Senior fending off attacks from Els, Di Matteo and Erasmus.
Di Matteo got past Els on the fourth lap, bringing Erasmus along with him. Erasmus then passed the experienced veteran with a well-timed move two laps later. Early race leader Nel Senior was unceremoniously punted off the circuit coming onto the main straight and was lucky to avoid hitting the start line post as he battled to regain control of his car to get back onto the circuit.
When the chequered flag came out after ten laps of action packed racing it was Robertson Junior who took his third Overall and Pro class win of the day – claiming the 2015 Liqui Moly Legends Championship in the process as well – his third Overall Championship title in as many years!
Fourie held on for second position with Robertson Senior getting the better of Di Matteo for third place and first in the Masters division – his best result of the season so far. Seventh placed Bezuidenhout made it a clean sweep in the Young Lions class as well.
Robertson celebrating his third championship in a row
Race 3 Results
Devin Robertson – Best lap: 1:16.002
Seef Fourie – Best lap: 1:16.330
Justin Robertson – Best lap: 1:17.311
Franco Di Matteo – Best lap: 1:16.936
Willie Erasmus – Best lap: 1:16.844
Fred Els – Best lap: 1:17.639
The next round will see the series return to Red Star Raceway for the second time this season for round 11 of the championship on the 28th of November 2015.
The tenth round of the 2015 Liqui Moly Legends Championship will see this popular series return to the Midvaal Raceway in Meyerton on Saturday 14 November for the penultimate event of the season. The three young guns that represented South Africa at the Legends Cars Road Course World Finals at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the USA last month will be back in action and will be looking to give the local competitors a run for their money once again.
Defending champion Devin Robertson (Pro) continues to dominate the season and has increased his lead over Seef Fourie (Pro) in the championship yet again. Willie Erasmus (Pro) continues to rack up the points and will no doubt be looking to repeat the feat at Midvaal.
Franco di Matteo (Master) has closed the gap to Erasmus and will be focused on trying to get himself into the top three after the Midvaal event as well. Llewellyn Myburgh (Pro) picked up valuable points in round nine and is now only forty points behind the veteran. After a few troublesome races earlier in the year he will be keen on trying to gain a position or two in the championship.
Shaun Nel (Pro) continues his good form and moves into the top six after the Zwartkops event, a step closer to challenging Myburgh for fifth. Justin Robertson (Master) moves up to seventh place and is within striking distance of Nel as well. Keagan Wessels (Semi-Pro) drops back to eighth position in the championship after losing points in the local series due to his sojourn to America last month.
Lonika Maartens (YL) remains in ninth position, despite losing points due to her trip to America as well. Fred Els (M) has however narrowed the point’s gap between himself and the young starlet and will be looking to move up the leader board as well.
With championship hopes still very much alive the racing is expected to be closer than ever!
