This month’s Nitro On Road club race saw 8 entries in the 8^th scale GT class.

With even the late comers arriving later than usual, the race only started 10 ‘o clock.

Fortunately everyone was quite at ease with the late start, because with only one class, all three qualifiers would be finished before lunch time. And we always try to race the 30 minute Final after lunch time.

Gerrie Pieterse, who disappeared from the RC radar for many months, suddenly mad a re –appearance. It was good to see you again, Gerrie. Welcome back!

 

Round 1 - 8^th scale GT:

André Steenekamp, making use of a personal transponder for many years already, accidently left his PT at home and subsequently had to make use of a hired one. He drove his car for more than 5 laps before he became aware that no laps were being picked up by the system. It was only THEN that he realized that he never fitted a club transponder onto his car. Ooops!

In actual fact; just about everyone, apart from Charmaine Wright, was having trouble of some sorts and would probably like to forget about this disastrous first qualifier.

Charmaine took full advantage of the opportunity and because SHE was ready to race, she won it fair and square. Her best lap – 18.27s

Henry Ogden also has encountered limited car trouble and ended 2^nd.

Piet du Toit, who ended 3^rd, had a best lap of 18.08s

Johan (Haine)Korff achieved two excellent laps of less than 19 seconds.

The quickest t lap in this round belongs to André – 17.48s Good job! (Okay, apart from the laps without a transponder)

Round 2   - 8^th scale GT:

This time around both Andre and Johan Korff were racing ready. Both achieved laps of 19 seconds and both completed 20 laps. André’s best lap - an impressive 17.16s and Johan – 17.40s

Piet ended 3^rd again, best lap – 17.87s

Francois Geyser was doing just fine. His best lap – 17.87s

Henry had a very late start, but still put 16 laps behind his name.

 

The rest of the drivers did not start.

Round 3   - 8^th scale GT:

Andre and Johan repeated their performance of earlier, but this time with even faster laps.

Andre – 16.91s and Johan – 17.37s

Charmaine was back in the picture now and ended 3^rd with a fastest lap of 18.03s. Way to go!

 

GT Final race:

Let me start from the bottom:

Gerrie Pieterse did compete, but he also forgot to fit a transponder. Under normal circumstances I would have attended the computer in race control and would have had time to alert him, but on this day I was acting as pit crew for Henry as well as Gerrie, so race control was unattended and the driver without a transponder went unnoticed. Sorry about that, Gerrrie.

Piet quit the race after 19 laps, due to 2 stripped gears on his car. And the man was still in agony after an operation in the week prior to the race. He luckily was assisted by his grandson, Nathan, seen here carrying Grandpa Piet's car.

André, belief it or not, drove for more than 2 minutes without a transponder, again, before realizing his mistake. Converting the 136.13 seconds into laps, it means that André missed about 8 laps.    Eish, not good…

Henry had a flame out that cost him almost 3 minutes down time.

Francois was having a good race. He completed 83 laps. Best lap – 18.31s

Charmaine had a really successful Final race. She boasts 91 beautiful laps! Her quickest lap – 17.93s

Johan Korff was the undeniable champ of this day’s race meeting. He completed 93 laps, of which the quickest one was 17.25s. Good job!!

 

A silly whirl wind came along and destroyed Johan's gazebo just before prize giving...So sorry about that.