BPCC: Killarney sets the scene for final round of the series

Audi South Africa Press Release

The last Killarney round of the Super Series on Saturday set the scene for a serious battle for the championship at Zwartkops in November. The defending champion, Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme), put his Audi S4 quattro at the top of the overall results – by finishing both races on the podium.

In race one, Stephen claimed second place and in the feature race took the chequered flag for a valuable collection of points that keeps the championship fight alive right up to the last event.

“Johan Fourie still got a few points on me today,” says Stephen. “Beating him in race two keeps the championship fight going and anything can happen even at this point in the season.”

Gennaro Bonafede (A32 – Audi Sasolracing) finished fourth overall for the day, finishing a fairly consistent day of results with only the fifth place finish in race two – where he battled with pace – spoiling his show of consistency.

“I battled to find gears during practise and the team changed the clutch today,” says Bonafede. “The slower gear changes have cost us a lot of time and I just don't know what our pace problem was in race two.”

For Bonafede's teammate, Hennie Groenewald (A8 – Audi Sasolracing) both the qualifying session and race one went well, with Groenewald second for both. In race two Groenewald battled with pace which left him running at the back of the order and pushing his overall finishing position down to fifth place for the day.

At the bottom of the overall log was Simon Moss (A38 – Engen Xtreme). Despite this result, Moss had one of the best racing weekends in the series.

“In race two I started pole and was doing well until Michael caught me,” says Moss. That left me with two BMW's to defend against to try and hold my position. I finished fourth but I'm happy with that, it was a good race and also a good result for the team.”

The Audi S4 quattro racers head to the final round of the season at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, 1 November, where all eyes will be on the title fight to see who claims the 2014 crown.

Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za
 

BPCC: Hennie Groenewald takes podium for Audi Sasolracing at Killarney

Audi Sasolracing Press Release

The penultimate round of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship promised much for the Audi Sasolracing team after qualifying saw the white, yellow and blue racers the fastest of the Audis on circuit.  Hennie Groenewald claimed a strong second place finish in race one but mechanical problems blighted the team’s weekend, leaving Gennaro Bonafede 4th overall and Hennie in 5th.

Practice and Qualifying:

The team spent Friday’s free practice sessions optimizing the cars’ set-up for the blustery conditions.  At the end of the day, both Gennaro and Hennie were happy with their race car’s handling.

Saturday’s overcast and windy conditions saw Hennie set the second fastest time with Gennaro slotting into 4th place.  Gennaro suffered a faulty clutch which made gear-shifting tricky and cost him a couple of tenths of a second.

The reverse championship starting order for race two gave Hennie a 2nd place and Gennaro another 4th grid slot.

Race 1:

In the drag off the line into turn one, Hennie clashed with Michael Stephen while defending his line but already his gearbox became scratchy shifting between 3rd and 4th gears. 

The incident with Hennie and Michael allowed Gennaro to take the outside line but as Hennie recovered, he inadvertently squeezed Gennaro onto the grass, dropping him back to 4th place.  With the machinery in class A so evenly matched, Hennie reeled off the laps to take 2nd place with Gennaro in 4th spot.

A post-race review of the incident between Hennie and Stephen, saw officials reverse their finishing order, leaving Hennie on the bottom step of the podium.

Race 2:

The Audi Sasolracing team changed Hennie’s gearbox between races and he lined up with an unknown quantity in his right hand.

Immediately, the gearbox in the #8 Audi was reluctant to change smoothly from 3rd to 4th and with five such changes per lap, Hennie dropped 0.5 seconds on each gearshift, dropping rapidly down the order.

Gennaro made a decent start but found a lack of pace to compete.  With Hennie missing gears, Gennaro was caught out as he swooped up to his team-mate and the two Sasol cars touched momentarily on the straight.

Gennaro and Hennie ended 5th and 6th respectively and were classified 4th and 5th respectively after a race day that promised so much.

From the pit wall:

Vic Maharaj, Team Manager: “It is a disappointing end to the weekend.  Both cars were quick and we were the fastest Audis out there.  The gearbox and clutch issues need to be dealt with.  A day like this motivates the team and makes us more determined to turn things around for Zwartkops”.

Gennaro Bonafede #32: “I made a decent start and was up into 2nd place after Hennie and Michael Stephen indulged in some argy-bargy.  Hennie squeezed me on the exit of turn 1 and I dropped back to 4th in an otherwise straightforward race.

In race two, I had no pace in the car and dropped to the back.  With Hennie missing gears, I quickly caught him but his sudden lack of drive caught me out and we tangled as I tried to pass him.  It was a disappointing weekend that promised to deliver so much”.

Hennie Groenewald #8: “The car felt good after practice and I felt I had a chance to fight for a win.  I had an altercation with Michael in the run to turn 1 but held my second place.  I was able to catch Johan (Fourie) around 0.1 second per lap but ran out of laps.

In race two with the new gearbox, I knew I was in trouble immediately.  I was losing half a second per gearshift and I was swamped by the field.  I had a race winning car today and it’s disappointing not to be able to capitalize on it”.

The final round of the championship sees the Audi Sasolracing team return to their most successful track, Zwartkops in Pretoria, on 1st November.

Photo credit: David Ledbitter

BPCC: Engen Xtreme racers off to do battle in the Cape

Engen Motorsport Press Release

Killarney calls the Engen Xtreme Team to Cape Town for the penultimate round of the 2014 Bridgestone Production Car Championship. This is the second time that the Super Series will appear in the Western Cape, but this event is sure to be a nail-biting affair.

The gap between the top two in Class A of this series is just nine points – and Engen Xtreme's Michael Stephen (A1) is confident on his chances at this event. Stephen currently holds second place but is pushing hard to reclaim his position at the top of the standings.

“Killarney is a circuit where both the Engen Xtreme Audi S4 quattros and our opposition in the BMW camp have advantages and disadvantages in equal measure,” says multiple champion, Stephen. “This is going to be a challenging race meeting, we are in good form and have prepared well but at this point in the season our opposition is showing good pace so it is still going to be tough.”

Stephen is determined to cut deep into Johan Fourie's lead at the Cape Town event, forcing a duel between the two at the finale, with the best racer on the day claiming the 2014 crown.

For Simon Moss (A38) the return to Killarney is another chance to show his pace in the Cape. Moss competed there during round two of the Super Series in March this year. It was his second outing in the Bridgestone Production Car Championship – and his second race meeting in the Audi S4 quattro.

Since that event he has grown both as a racer and in experience in this fast-paced series which should make his second appearance far more competitive.

“Going back to circuits that I've raced earlier this year is great,” says Moss. “Instead of learning the track and how the Engen Xtreme Audi S4 quattro handles at each of these circuits, I can concentrate on pace and competition. I'm looking forward to racing at Killarney again; I think it is going to be a very exciting round of the championship.”

With a first place finish overall at the Zwartkops round last month, Stephen is in a strong position for this penultimate event that will play an important role in deciding the championship title this season. For his teammate the Killarney event is going to be an opportunity to aim for a stronger finishing position than round two and to add to his skills as a Bridgestone Production Car Championship competitor.

Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za

BPCC: Audi Sasolracing looking for late-season wins at Killarney

Audi Sasolracing Press release

After claiming a superbly-timed victory at the Sasol Race Day at Zwartkops Raceway last month, the Audi Sasolracing team heads to Killarney for the penultimate round of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship with renewed confidence for a solid set of results, and a surprise victory could be on the cards.

A feature of the Sasol Race Day was the closest qualifying times yet seen in the modern incarnation of the series where the top five cars were covered by just 0.154 seconds, a sure-fire recipe for ultra close racing to thrill the enthusiastic Western Cape fans.

Gennaro Bonafede and Hennie Groenewald are hoping the team’s focus on suspension and braking development to maximize the quattro S4’s handling on the fast 3.3km Cape Town circuit will pay dividends on race day. 

If the racing is clean and incident free – a rarity in Production Car racing – the result will come down to who has done the best job of ensuring everything is millimeter perfect and which car and driver combination looks after its tyres the best.  Unless it rains…

Gennaro, currently third in the championship, has his eye on the runner-up spot while Hennie is hoping to make the top three by season’s end. With 70 points from the final two events looking for a home, both Sasolracing driver’s goals are well within reach.

From the pitwall:

Vic Maharaj, Team Manager: “We have fielded very good cars in the last two races so I am quietly confident of a good weekend.  I expect the grid will be very close again and that this time we are on the right side of the 10th of a second that kept us away from pole position last month.

A good qualifying position for the first race is very important and hopefully it will be a clean weekend, free of incidents and accidents”.

Gennaro Bonafede #32: “Killarney is a tough circuit to pass on even though there are plenty of opportunities.   I’ve had good race pace and been consistent; we’re getting closer and closer.  Now I need to win.  It will come.  I need a good qualifying position for the first race and will start the second race from 4th as a result of the championship-order grid reversal”.

Hennie Groenewald #8: “The racing is split by nothing. I have a car that can win races so there is no reason not to be confident.  I had a decent outing at Killarney in March and we’ve done substantial development since then.  Our competitor’s performance is unpredictable as we saw at Zwartkops so anything can happen, which makes the series so exciting for the drivers and fans alike”.

Race fans are invited to the Audi Sasolracing pits to view the race cars, meet the drivers and collect a souvenir poster.

Photo credit: David Ledbitter

BPCC: Podium results for Audi S4 quattros at Phakisa

Audi South Africa Press Release

The Audi S4 quattros appeared on the podium in the Free State in each of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship events – and on the overall podium at the end of the race day on Saturday. The Phakisa event, round five of the Super Series, posed a challenge for the competitors as they fought for track position.

“Qualifying in third was good,” says Gennaro Bonafede (A32 – Audi Sasolracing). “In race one I tried everything to get past Gavin Cronje (BMW), finishing in third place. In race two, Gavin got things rather sideways and I went on to his left – if you're on the outside in turn two here at Phakisa, you're hung out to dry for a long time before you can get back on to the racing line. I had to go left, but I knew at that point my race was over, I wasn't going to get past and had to settle for finishing fourth.”

The qualifying session saw the four Audi S4 quattro racers in consecutive order, taking up third to sixth fastest, with Bonafede the fastest of the four.

Bonafede carried that qualifying time over to the first race, with his third in qualifying translated into a third place finish in race one, ahead of his teammate Hennie Groenewald (A8 – Audi Sasolracing), defending champion Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme) and Simon Moss (A38 – Engen Xtreme) who claimed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

“Race two, finishing third here was pretty much the best we could aim for,” says Stephen. “With the pace our rivals are showing at the moment, we need to work on stopping them and we'll definitely fight right to the end of the championship – since I've started the feature race on the back row of the grid at just about every round this year, as the championship frontrunner, it is making things a bit tougher.”

In race two, with Stephen bringing his Audi S4 quattro home in third place, it was left to Bonafede to follow him home for fourth, ahead of Moss and Groenewald. For Stephen third place in the second race proved a valuable points haul as it was the feature race, with double-points on offer.

“Qualifying wasn't too bad,” says Moss. “Posting times close to Michael on my first time racing at Phakisa is pretty good. A decent finish in race one and two is a good result here, I'm happy with what I achieved racing the Audi S4 quattro at this circuit for the first time. From this point on, I've competed at all of the circuits so I'm confident for the rest of the season.”

Groenewald contested the Phakisa event in a new car after his East London mishap, having to use the event as an opportunity to get settled in the new car while in competition conditions.

“Sorting out the handling of the new car was important,” says Groenewald. “The balance of this new Audi S4 quattro is a bit different to the previous car and there hasn't been much time to get it all settled. There was a bit of an issue with handling in race two, but overall it was a good weekend with valuable work done on getting the car sorted. We'll bring the challenge in the next round.”

The Audi S4 quattro competitors will head to Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, 30 August, for round six of the Super Series.

Photo credit: motorpress.co.za

BPCC: Audi Sasolracing bounces back at Phakisa‏

Audi Sasolracing Press Release

Audi Sasolracing’s Gennaro Bonafede and Hennie Groenewald bounced back into contention at the Free State’s Phakisa circuit, scene of round five of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship.

Gennaro cemented his third place in the title chase with another third place on the day, while Hennie had a fantastic feature race, his most competitive outing since the season opener at Zwartkops, until sidelined by new car gremlins.

The Sasolracing team achieved its objective of being the fastest Audi team in the series.

Practice and Qualifying:

Hennie had a brand new Audi S4 quattro for Phakisa following his East London accident last month and set about sorting the handling to his liking. Gennaro was happy with his car, setting the timesheets alight and ending the session as the fastest Audi driver on the grid.

Race 1:

The two Sasolracing Audis slotted into third and fourth, Gennaro giving his all to get past Gavin Cronje’s BMW on the tighter infield section of the track. Hennie ran his teammate close, having a look inside the #32 Audi on a few occasions. Ultimately, the pair finished 3rd and 4th after a typically fierce race.

Race 2:

Hennie started from pole position which is situated on the dirty side of the track at Phakisa. Armed with a brand new set of Bridgestone rubber, he was mindful of the need to keep Simon Moss (Audi) from having a run up the inside into the first corner.

In a perfectly timed movement, Hennie led the field into the first corner and steadily built up a 4.8 second lead by lap nine of the 12 lap race. Moss kept the BMWs behind him which helped Hennie in his quest. Just as Johan Fourie (BMW) got past Moss, who spun, Hennie started to suffer an intermittent fuel feed problem which allowed both Fourie and Cronje (BMW) as well as Michael Stephen (Audi) to sweep past.

Hennie circulated to the finish in 6th place, having earlier set the fastest lap which earns a bonus point.

Gennaro had an exciting race! A good start saw him launch an attack on Cronje (BMW) who got sideways on cold tyres into the first turn. Gennaro had to take avoiding action and found himself on the dusty outside line of the circuit. Trying to squeeze back into the pack, he ran three abreast in Turn 3 and was effectively pushed off the track. He caught Michael Stephen quite easily but couldn’t get past as the laps counted down, finishing an eventual 4th.

From the cockpit:

Vic Maharaj, Team Manager: “It’s clear to see that our pace is there. Our aim was to be the fastest Audi team and we achieved that. We didn’t have time to test beforehand so we came here blind. Our strategy was to give Hennie new tyres for the feature race so he could go out and do two or three qualifying laps and build a lead which worked well. The fuel feed problem can be caused by a number of issues which we will identify back at the workshop.

Gennaro drove well all weekend. We have a very good base to work from going into the Sasol Race Day at the end of the month”.

#32 Gennaro Bonafede: “My car has been fantastic all weekend. I pushed Gavin hard in race one but lacked the last tenth of a second to make a move stick. Race two was hairy running through turns two and three, three abreast. I was squeezed off the road and although I made my way back up the field, I couldn’t get past Michael”

#8 Hennie Groenewald: “I spent all the practice sessions sorting out my new car. In qualifying I still had a handling issue which carried through into the first race. We made a few changes for race two. My plan to keep Simon behind me worked well and I pulled out a good lead. On lap 9 I had an intermittent misfire which I thought was electrical. It was great to race at the front again”.


Team Principal Carel Pienaar: “There is one constant in life. Luck changes”.

The next outing for the Audi Sasolracing Team is the Sasol Raceday at Zwartkops raceway outside Pretoria on 30 August.

BPCC: East London calls Audi S4 quattro racers to action

Audi South Africa Press Release

THE Audi S4 quattro racers return to national competition in East London on Saturday, 5 July. This is round four of the 2014 Bridgestone Production Car Championship and it holds the promise of being action-packed from start to finish.

With three rounds done for the season, the Audi S4 quattro racers have made their mark already and are in a dominant position in the championship. Leading the pack is the defending champion in the series, Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme).

Stephen's lead sees him with a 14 point advantage going into the East London round, working toward his fourth consecutive title in this series.

Gennaro Bonafede (32 – Audi Sasolracing) holds third place in the championship with the East London event potentially crucial to his championship ambitions this season. Bonafede is just five points shy of second place at this point and a good result at this round of the Super Series will put him in a strong position as the field moves into the second half of the season.

For Hennie Groenewald (A8 – Audi Sasolracing) and Simon Moss (A38 – Engen Xtreme) the fight on track is going to be for fourth place. Groenewald has the advantage here as he already is in fourth, but is separated from Moss by just five points.

Not scoring any points in the second race at Scribante in Port Elizabeth, round three of the Super Series, sees Groenewald having to race hard to catch up and make up the deficit. The high-speed East London circuit could be just the opportunity he needs to make that happen.

For Moss, his performance seems to be improving with every passing round – his first year in the championship. As Moss becomes better acquainted with the Audi S4 quattro, so his results improve too.

Four talented racers, each behind the wheel of an Audi S4 quattro sets the scene for an action-packed race day in the Bridgestone Production Car Championship at East London on Saturday, 5 July.

Photo credit: motorpress.co.za

BPCC: Audi S4 Quattro Racers Ready to Race in PE

Audi South Africa Press Release 

THE Bridgestone Production Car Championship moves to Port Elizabeth for round three of the Super Series on Saturday, 3 May. The fight for points has built in intensity with the PE event promising to be the most challenging yet.

Four Audi S4 quattro racers will take to the track, two of whom are right at the front of the pack and leading the national championship.

At Killarney, round two of the season, PE's Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme) wrestled the lead away from Gennaro Bonafede (A32 – Audi Sasolracing). Stephen now enters his home event seven points ahead – but knowing he has to start from the back of the grid in race two.

The Bridgestone Production Car rules state that the championship leader must start the feature race from the back, irrespective of their qualifying result. This is going to make Stephen's qualifying for a good race one starting position vital.

Bonafede is determined to put pressure on and improve his chances of either closing the gap on Stephen or to push ahead and regain the championship lead. Using the feature race to his advantage could see either scenario play out – but even these are not guaranteed.

Bonafede's teammate, Hennie Groenewald (A8 – Audi Sasolracing) needs three points to make it into the top three of the championship. This incentive will keep him poised to take advantage of any opportunities – and perhaps create some of his own as he races to the finish line in his first year behind the wheel of an Audi S4 quattro.

For Simon Moss (A38 – Engen Xtreme) the PE round is the chance to race on his home track – where he has done most of his testing and the setup of his Audi S4 quattro. Moss will favour his chances of producing perhaps his best result of the season at this event.

The mix of four Audi S4 quattros fighting for position out on track will provide plenty of racing action for fans at Aldo Scribante Raceway. Two action-packed races and four talented drivers will continue the dominance of the Audi brand in the Bridgestone Production Car series.

Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za

BPCC: Engen Xtreme racers ready for another top-class performance in PE

Engen Motorsport Press Release

Port Elizabeth’s Aldo Scribante Raceway hosts round three of the Super Series – it is also the home of the Engen Xtreme team's Michael Stephen (A1) and Simon Moss (A38) and will see the pair aim to put on a good show for their supporters. 

When it comes to race pace, Stephen and Moss are not concerned, confident that they can match the pace of their opposition, however, it will not be an easy race day for the pair in the Bridgestone Production Car Championship as championship rules could play a significant role on the day.

Stephen, the defending champion in this series, knows a good qualifying session could work to his favour in the first race – but will have to start from the back of the grid in race two as he is now the championship leader after the second round of the season.

This means that no matter how much pace he shows in qualifying, or how well he does in the first race, he is faced with starting from the back in the second race of the Class A grid in his Engen Xtreme Audi S4 Quattro.

As Scribante is both a short and narrow circuit – and considering the pace of the production car racers – it will be a tough task to make progress through the field. With three championships to his name, Stephen has the experience and knowledge to surprise, racing at his home circuit could simply work that little more to his favour.

For Moss, round three of the Super Series is his first chance to compete in front of his home crowd. This is his first season in the Bridgestone Production Car Championship and he has faced a steep learning curve every step of the way.

Scribante is, however, where he and Stephen have put in all the testing and training sessions and is also where he must rate his chances for a very strong performance. Where each new circuit brings new lessons, for the first time Moss is able to enter the event confident in his track knowledge and how his Engen Xtreme Audi S4 Quattro will perform on track. 

If Moss can capitalise on the knowledge he has of the PE circuit – it could see him produce a qualifying time fast enough to put him at the front of the grid, setting him up for a good haul of points on the day. Being able to produce this performance in front of his home crowd is simply going to be an added bonus for the young racer.

Two Engen Xtreme racers in their Audi S4 Quattro race cars, on their home track and in front of their motorsport-mad home crowd is a recipe for an action-packed race day and fans can look forward to their local boys flying the flag high on the 3rd of May at Aldo Scribante Raceway.

Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za

BPCC: Audi Sasolracing consolidate championship challenge at Cape Town races

Sasolracing Press Release

Gennaro Bonafede and Hennie Groenewald remain well in contention for the 2014 Bridgestone Production Car Championship title after round two at the Killarney race track in Cape Town having claimed the overall 3rd and 4th places respectively after a pair of tough, no-holds-barred races.

The pair of Sasolracing Audi S4 quattros qualified in 3rd and 4th positions on the grid where the top class A contenders were covered by a mere 0.6 second.  Hennie was sent to the back of the class A grid after his engine was found to be over-boosting by 0.1%.

Hennie made a storming start in the first 7 lap race, passing two of his rivals on the opening lap to jump into 4th place from the back of the grid.  He was involved in a huge fight with Gennaro, passing the #32 Sasolracing car on lap 5.  The two Ingolstadt machines held position over the final laps.

Race two saw Hennie start from 4th and Gennaro from the back of the grid (as a result of leading the championship going into the Cape Town races).

A very physical 17 lap race saw the Audi Sasolracing team give as good as they got in the rough and tumble of the class A field. Hennie moved up one place on the first lap, but by his own admission, was scared to pass Simon Moss (Audi) as he is a wildcard rookie in the series.

As Hennie picked his moment, Moss pushed them both off the track onto the grass, allowing both Gennaro and Johan Fourie (BMW) to sweep past.  Hennie ran in 5th place, matching the class-leading lap times but unable to close the gap significantly.

Gennaro was in the thick of the action, running three-abreast on the opening laps before Michal Stephen (Audi) and Fourie muscled their way past the Sasol Audi.

Hennie Groenewald: “In race one, I had a gap to jump Gavin Cronje (BMW) and Simon Moss into 4th place.  Gennaro and I had a great scrap until I found a way past into 3rd place.

In race 2, I was worried about passing Moss on the first lap as he gets a bit crazy.  When I made my move, he had us both off the track and I lost two places.  I concentrated on setting consistently fast times and matched the leaders but I couldn’t close the gap”.

Gennaro Bonafede: “It was a tough weekend with some very hard racing. It’s the nature of the championship that I started at the back of the grid for the double-points feature race which is not ideal.  The racing was frenetic and the result was not ideal but there’s still a long way to go in the championship, where I am ranked second”.

Team Manager, Vic Maharaj: “The weekend wasn’t up to our usual high standards.  Sea level circuits don’t suit us all that well.  Our focus for the year is on the championship and not winning every race.  The Sasol Audis are reliable and we took home the points we could salvage.  Our pace was strong but Hennie’s race was compromised by being knocked off by Moss.

Before the next race, we are sending an engine to the Sasol Fuels Technical Centre to optimize some of the finer details.  That’s a very exciting development for us”.

The next outing for the Audi Sasolracing team is at Aldo Scribante in Port Elizabeth on May 3.

Photo credit: David Ledbitter 

BPCC: Another Strong Showing for Audi S4 Quattro Racers

Audi South Africa Press Release

ROUND two of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship at Killarney proved another intense race meeting for the Audi S4 quattro competitors. Incredibly close racing with no quarter asked nor given was the order of the day.

Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme) opted to play a strategic game of chess in his chase for points, leaving the other racers to court Lady Luck in a game of poker. The result is that Stephen has moved into the lead of the championship before he heads into his home territory.

“In practise I was within the top two in terms of laptimes, fastest in qualifying, won the first race and finished in third in race two – from a fifth place start on the reverse grid,” says defending champion Stephen. “PE should be a strong round, we know the track and the setup, but the second race will see me start sixth on the grid and Scribante is not one of the easiest tracks to overtake on.”

Stephen's last place start in the double-points feature race is part of the championship's rules which sees the leading racer automatically start from the final spot on the grid for the long race.

With Stephen second overall for the day, this has nudged Gennaro Bonafede (A32 – Audi Sasolracing) off of the top spot on the podium – but not by much as he claimed third overall at this second round of the season. This was thanks to a consistent pair of twin fourth-place finishes.

“We weren't the fastest this weekend, we had good pace, but not race-winning pace,” says Bonafede. “Starting race two in last place played into the hands of the championship rules which are specifically created to avoid any one racer easily running off with the lead. It isn't always going to be easy days and lots of victories, the championship is a very long thing and this is some of the hardest racing I've had in my life. Hopefully the work we do before the next round will pay off.”

Bonafede is optimistic about round three and that the team will have the pace for the second coastal round of the season to be in the fight for the podium. For Hennie Groenewald (A8 – Audi Sasolracing) the event in the Cape was a bit of a mixed bag.

“The grid was very close overall,” says Groenewald. “The racing was close and very interesting, even if we were that 0.2 of a second down by comparison. Starting sixth in race one and finishing third was good. I got a good start in race two but a number of factors worked against me and then I simply couldn't close the gap. I was quick enough to maintain pace with the field, but simply couldn't close on the lead cars.”

Groenewald's confidence in the Audi S4 quattro continues to grow. As a newcomer to the brand this season, he has just completed his second event for 2014 and expects his results to improve with every passing round.

“It was a difficult weekend,” says Moss. “I take a lot of good from this though, I was a lot quicker at this event that at the previous round. In the first race I touched Johan Fourie and that affected my wheel alignment and scrubbed half the rubber off the tyre on the fender. In the second race my rear suspension snapped, I think from an incident earlier in the race.”

Moss finished the day in sixth place overall, but his confidence is high as he continues to grow in his new formula – and heads to his home track for the third round of the season.

The Audi S4 quattro competitors head to Aldo Scribante Raceway in Port Elizabeth for round three of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship on Saturday, 3 May. This event is the second of three consecutive coastal rounds in the series, with East London following in July.

Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za

BPCC: Audi Racers Have Eye on Another Dominant Display

Audi South Africa Press Release

THE Audi S4 quattro entries were a force to be reckoned with the opening round of the Bridgestone Production Car season. At Zwartkops Raceway in early March the four racers proved untouchable.

As a result, the Audi S4 quattro competitors head into the second round of the Super Series holding the top four positions in Class A and Audi leading the Manufacturers' Championship as well.

There are two cars in each of the Audi S4 quattro-powered teams. The current championship leader is Gennaro Bonafede (A32 – Audi Sasolracing) who put in an excellent performance to claim a slim lead in the first round of the season.

Defending champion Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme) is just two points behind Bonafede and will be looking to Killarney to close that gap and dial up the pressure on his rival in the Sasol camp. Stephen's measured approach to racing has seen him claim three titles in this series already so a wild dash in order to claim the lead is unlikely.

Behind Stephen is Hennie Groenewald (A8 – Audi Sasolracing), Bonafede's teammate in the series. Groenewald is a seasoned racer in the Bridgestone Production Car Championship, but this is his first season behind the wheel of the Audi S4 quattro. He showed good pace at the first round but still has a bit of work to do to become accustomed to the Audi S4 quattro.

Rounding out the Audi S4 quattro entries is the newest member to the Bridgestone Production Car series, Simon Moss (A38 – Engen Xtreme). Moss has multiple champion Stephen as his team leader and mentor – and this showed in his first race meeting. Instead of pushing hard for the podium, risking disaster in the process, Moss opted to maximise seat time and claimed fourth spot in the championship in the process.

Race fans can expect another strong performance at the Audi S4 quattro racers tackle the opposition at Killarney – and fight for their own personal best results in the process.

Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za

BPCC: Audi Sasolracing aiming for top results at Killarney Racetrack‏

Sasolracing Press Release

AUDI SASOLRACING AIMS TO EXTEND PRODUCTION CAR CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AT KILLARNEY RACES

Gennaro Bonafede and Hennie Groenewald head into the second round of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship at Killarney in Cape Town in first and third places respectively in the early season championship standings, fully intending to give Audi Sasolracing another set of results to further entrench their title aspirations.

The Killarney Racetrack features completely different characteristics to Zwartkops Raceway, host of the first round that saw Hennie and Gennaro dominate practice and the first race; two very long straights with fast, flowing corners are the order of the day, features that Team Manager Vic Maharaj believes will suit the blue, yellow and white Sasolracing Audi S4 quattros.

Whatever the outcome of qualifying and race 1 at the 3.3km long circuit, Gennaro Bonafede will start from the back of the Class A grid; new rules for 2014, designed to spice up the show, dictate that the championship leader starts from the back of the class for the longer, double points scoring feature race.

Gennaro Bonafede: “The five very long corners will definitely favour the Audi racers but I am concerned about tyre wear in the longer, second race.  It doesn’t help me starting from the back of the grid but I expect the race fans will enjoy the battle as I try every trick in the book to get to the front.

I’m in a much better place than I was last season.  It’s great to be part of such a vibrant team supported by Sasol.  They are fully involved in our campaign and leverage their sponsorship in a dynamic way”.

Hennie Groenewald: “Killarney has always been one of my favourite tracks.  Its design lends itself to close racing and the fans pack the stands.  Looking at our performance, I think it is realistic to target race wins.  The track is less familiar to us as we don’t do any testing at the circuit, but that is the same for everyone.

The car feels great and I’m looking forward to a great day’s racing”.

Vic Maharaj: “Historically, Killarney has been kind to Audi so we are optimistic.  The engine breathes better at the coast and I expect a strong weekend from the team.  The brakes come under huge pressure because of the braking zones at the end of the two long straights.  It is critical to have stability in the corners, a consistent brake pedal and good traction out of the corners.  Tyre wear is not an issue, although Gennaro has expressed some reservation as the race length is split over two races, and not three as was the case last year.

We need eight consistent points-scoring race weekends for our championship and to put on a good show for the spectators while achieving our goal”.

Race fans are invited to the pits area to meet the team and chat to the drivers between the races.

Photo credit: David Ledbitter