PoloDriver

The fifth round of the 2015 Engen Volkswagen Cup in South Africa was dominated by Sheldon van der Linde, as the 16 year-old took a brace of wins at the Zwartkops Raceway on 8 August. The championship leader won the first race ahead of Tasmin Pepper and was in front of Mathew Hodges when the second drew to a close.

3.329-second advantage
Van der Linde had a 3.329-second advantage over Pepper by the end of the first race’s eight laps. Daniel Rowe rounded out the podium, 4.549 seconds behind Van der Linde. Pepper started on pole, but Van der Linde didn’t hang around and soon went into the lead. Pepper hung on, though, as was rewarded with second place.

In race two, Hodges was 7.955 seconds behind the race leader having started in pole position, with Rowe taking the third step on the winners’ rostrum yet again, 9,460 seconds adrift of the uncatchable Van der Linde. Pepper finished second to last when she failed to finish due to a gearbox problem.

Van der Linde was also fastest in qualifying with Christopher Shorter and Trevor Bland rounding out the top three. Amazingly, the fastest 12 competitors crossed the start/finish line in their Polo Vivo GTs with just a second separating them.

Avoiding action
Shaun La Reservée meanwhile started both races, but was unable to complete a single lap in either. Pushed off in the first corner of the first lap in race one and then eliminated from race two in the second-last corner while taking avoiding action in an incident involving other competitors, it just wasn’t La Reserveé ’s day.

The incident in the first race saw it red-flagged after lap one and then restarted, while in the second race the competitors ran under the Safety Car while the track was cleared of debris. Newcomer Justin Oates was awarded the ‘Driver of the Day’ award and finished 16th and 12th to claim 12th overall for the day in his Engen Volkswagen Cup debut.

The sixth round of the 2015 Engen Volkswagen Cup will be hosted at Dezzi’s Raceway in Port Shepstone on Saturday, 29 August – and the field will tackle a race track that has never seen Engen Volkswagen Cup competition before.

RACE RESULTS

Race 1

1 Sheldon van der Linde (1: Champion)
2 Tasmin Pepper (31: PG Glass / Plastomark)
3 Daniel Rowe (2: Ferodo)

Race 2
1 Sheldon van der Linde (1: Champion)
2 Mathew Hodges (M1: Makopano / Phoenix Signs / 959 Panelbeaters)
3 Daniel Rowe (2: Ferodo)

OVERALL
1 Sheldon van der Linde (1: Champion)
2 Daniel Rowe (2: Ferodo)
3 Mathew Hodges (M1: Makopano / Phoenix Signs / 959 Panelbeaters)

MASTERS

Overall

1 Mathew Hodges (M1: Makopano / Phoenix Signs / 959 Panelbeaters
2 Juan Gerber (M8: Haupt Racing)
3 Trevor Bland (M2: PG Glass / Alpine Motors)

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1 Sheldon van der Linde: 252
2 Mathew Hodges: 235
3 Daniel Rowe: 212
4 Trevor Bland: 197
5 Matt Shorter: 184