PoloDriver

The Engen Volkswagen Cup exploded back onto South African racetracks at the weekend, with 26 Polo Vivos taking to the tarmac of Kyalami for the first round of the one-make national circuit racing championship. The two races were packed with action, and from the off, Jeffrey Kruger stormed ahead to show that he is hungry to achieve success this year. Kruger claimed pole position from a top qualifier draw, and led to the finish. Kosie Weyers fought off Dewald Brummer and Bryan Morgan for second. A burst water pipe sidelined Morgan, and then an incident between Ryan Rhode and Gerhard Henning called out the safety car and the red flag.

Mark Silverwood lead from pole position in race two, fighting off Brummer. The pair crossed the start/finish line neck and neck at the end of the first lap, with Brummer taking the lead. Weyers then put a relentless challenge on Brummer, eventually emerging victorious, claiming his first victory at Kyalami. The Masters category for drivers over 25 saw Eddie Rodrigues take a top 10 finish in the second race, with Juan Gerber and Jesse Adams chasing him for the category spoils. Round two of the 2013 Engen Volkswagen Cup takes place at Killarney in Cape Town on 16 March.

The 2013 Engen Volkswagen Cup series is similar to the other racing Volkswagen Polo Cup single-series championships run in China, Europe and India. Just as in those official Volkswagen series, the South African one-make format highlights new driving talent. In the Engen series, as many as 35 drivers regularly race in technically identical, 2.0-litre 234bhp Volkswagen Polo Vivo racing cars. For 2013, the Engen Volkswagen Cup cars are powered by the new Engen Primax fuel.

RACE RESULTS

Race 1
1 Jeffrey Kruger (7: IndyOil)
2 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)
3 Dewald Brummer (22: UMP/Horne/MAD Racing)

Race 2
1 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)
2 Dewald Brummer (22: UMP/Horne/MAD Racing)
2 Mark Silverwood (32: OKI Printing Solutions/Q8 Oils)

Overall standings
1 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)
2 Dewald Brummer (22: UMP/Horne/MAD Racing)
3 Mark Silverwood (32: OKI Printing Solutions/Q8 Oils)

Masters
1 Eddie Rodrigues (M7: SEW Eurodrive)
2 Juan Gerber (M8: Carfind.co.za)
3 Jesse Adams (M3: VW Motorsport/Star Motoring)