LW Mag LW Magazine
The 26th November was a day in history and Zwartkops Raceway played host to the Wesbank Super Series finals and thereafter the SupaDrift Series finals. Both events were heralded as finals and if you missed it, you missed out!
The SupaDrift Series, although taking place directly after the WSS; did not disappoint. Drivers were given the chance to practice for two hours before having to qualify in the Top 16 so that they had opportunity one more time to impress judges and fans alike.
The SupaDrift Series 08 final event of the year was a spectacle of skilled drifting and impressive tarmac sliding especially in the tandem battles; drivers had to make adjustments rather quickly as the track and drift layout provided by the judges was a difficult one. Drifters were not running with the rest of the days antics in a clockwise direction around the Big Z but in an anti-clockwise direction having to confer a super fast initiation and entry (at around 130-140km/h) and then some tight cornering…every driver was put to the test!
When it came to the battles and the Supa 16 knockouts; the fun had certainly just begun! Adam Schefer in his 200xs ALB Nissan impressed against newcomer and rookie Paolo Gouevia, in his box BMW, who certainly did well under the circumstances of being thrown into the deep end on his 1st SupaDrift event and a fast one at it!
Dean Williams impressed in his Drift Performance Parts Nissan R33 Skyline as he bumped high qualifying Dorne Brits off of the ladder. Riaan Stokes, driving a Turbo Toys Nissan 200SX made short wind of Pieter Smit in his Nissan 200SX (sponsored by AutoCollision, and Volt Energy Drink).
Other battles won were by Mikey Skelton in his Speed and Sound, Achilles Tyres, Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet Lumina; he came up against business partner and team mate Jim McFarlane in his Ed Hardy Energy Drink, Achilles Tyres 350Z Nissan. After spin outs from both parties, an OMT (One More Time) was declared by the judges and a give away to Skelton in the run off saw McFarlane out of SD08. Jason Webb, adorned in his new sponsors colours, that being Monster Energy Drink, outwitted seasoned veteran Rudi van Der Berg in his Falken Tyres, Gizo Corp RX7 Rotary. Michael Radloff, in his 200SX SupaQuik F1-X speedster did away with Mathys Naude in his dolphin Blue Boy Drifter dolphin shaped BMW. David Nell, driving for Ed Hardy energy Drink, and Pico Performance made a quick meal of Morne Venter in his box shaped BMW, driving all the way up from Durban for the feast. Wade van Zummerun, in his Rockstar Energy Drink, Black Insurance R34 Nissan, who also was championship points leader at this stage, went up against TV presenter, Mzansi Rides AutoStyle Motorsport, driver Vic Pardal…Van Zummerun going through to the final eight.
These races looked promising and looked like they were going to be competitive. Battle lines were drawn before the rampage began. Van Zummerun did away with Skelton in the first battle as did Radloff when he came up against Stokes. Schefer impressed knocking out Webb and Nell blistered the tarmac when he cancelled Williams off of the ladder.
This brought up the final four which seemed to be a parity of driver skill and talent. Van Zummerun beat Radloff and went onto the final in true championship fashion whilst Nell and Schefer banged it out to determine who the better driver would be on the night. The Nell-Schefer saga could not be settled in one round and had to go to an OMT before Schefer won and booked his spot in the final.
The final would be an event in itself and after the practice van Zummerun seemed to narrowly gain advantage and beat Schefer after an OMT. Van Zummerun, a worthy champion of the SD08 event and also taking home the spoils of an eventful inaugural SupaDrift Series. Shout outs go to David Nell, who came second in the Championship and Jason Webb, who took the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award and 3rd place overall.
Thanks again to F1-X Exhausts, Achilles Tyres, Turn1 Wheels, Speed and Sound and Tyre Traders for their support and generous sponsorship of the event and Series in 2011.
The SupaDrift promoters, XS Promotions, with its various partners: Speed and Sound performance magazine, Achilles Tyres and Turn 1 Wheels and production and broadcast sponsor F1-X performance exhausts, thank the fans, drivers and Motorsports South Africa (MSA) alike for 2011. The SupaDrift Series looks forward to a bigger better 2012 season which is set to travel to four national centres and the tarmac abuse kicks off in February.
