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Superstars in the making
Post-race Press
Release - 12/13 December 2009
Kyalami
Report by Greg Reilly
Pictures by Tony
Alves - (www.tracksidepics.co.za)
The weekend of the 12th and 13th
of December saw the Forza Racing Team
feature as an official support category to
the Italian V8 Superstars Series Race held
at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in
Midrand.
Qualifying
Nic Chapman (Chapman Motorsport Ferrari
F430) qualified on pole position in his
first time out in the “Black Beauty” that
his father has piloted for most of the
season. Sharl Parsad (Nile Dutch /
Celebrity Me / velocitył/ Parsad Holdings
Ferrari F430) qualified in second
position to line up alongside him on the
front row.
Christo Lindeque
(Zambesi Auto / Branson Direct Ferrari F430)
qualified third fastest with Andrew Miller
(Imperial / DK Woodcraft Ferrari 360
Challenge) alongside him on the second
row.
Jonathan Shenkman (OCC
Ferrari 360 Challenge) qualified in an
impressive fifth position with newcomer Ross
Butt (velocitył Ferrari 360 Challenge)
qualifying an excellent sixth.
Even more impressive was the debut of Forza
Racing’s General Manager Cindy Evans–Finney,
as she became the first ever female driver
to race one of the teams Ferrari’s. The
“Rose amongst the Thorns” qualified in
seventh position in her first time out in
the car! Gerald Chapman (Chapman
Motorsport Ferrari 360 Challenge) would
line up alongside her on the fourth row.
The fifth row was an all family affair
with the father and son pairing of Bob and
Shaun Neill (CK Aerial Surveys /
Hausberger & Associates Ferrari 360
Challenge). Shaun was marginally
quicker and claimed ninth position ahead of
Bob.
Another newcomer, in the form of
Howard Blake (Forza Racing Ferrari 360
Challenge) qualified in a respectable
eleventh position with Loris Chiappa
(Morris / Crane Aid / Efficient Engineering
Ferrari F430 Scuderia) using his own
road going vehicle to qualify in twelfth
position.
Race 1
The rolling start for the first race saw a
reverse grid take place just to make things
more interesting. Chiappa led the race in
his road going car ahead of newcomer Blake
as the rest of the field battled for
position.
Evans–Finney took the lead
on the first lap after starting from sixth
position, and in doing so became the first
woman to lead a Ferrari / GT race in South
Africa! The experienced Lindeque was
scything his way through the field and
claimed first position from Evans-Finney on
the third lap. Butt slotted into an
impressive second position on the same lap.
Evans-Finney dropped back to last position
on the fifth lap after a spin through turn
two put paid to a potential fifth place
finish.
Chapman Junior was driving like a man
possessed and slotted into third position on
the fourth lap after starting at the back of
the reversed grid. He took the lead two laps
later with Parsad slicing his way through
the field to slot into second position.
Miller was also having a good race and was
up to fifth place by the seventh lap.
Chapman Junior convincingly went on to
take his first ever victory with Parsad
having to settle for second position.
Lindeque held on to claim third position
ahead of Butt. Miller finished in fifth
position ahead of a hard charging Shaun
Neill.
Shenkman took a respectable
seventh position ahead of Chiappa with
Evans-Finney recovering to take a hard
fought ninth position. Bob Neill finished in
tenth position with Blake crossing the line
in eleventh spot. Gerald Chapman was only
able to complete six laps as mechanical
gremlins put paid to his chances.
Race 2
The second race got off to a frantic start
as another reverse grid saw the Ferrari
pilots jockeying for position. It was
Evans-Finney who led the race after the
first lap with Butt and Miller hot on her
heels.
Lindeque was up to fourth
position with the flying Nic Chapman already
up to fifth after starting at the back of
the grid once again. Chiappa was holding
onto sixth position ahead of Blake. Parsad
was bogged down in the traffic at the start
and found himself in eighth position ahead
of Shaun Neill. Shenkman and Bob Neill were
the last of the running cars to cross the
line.
Butt took the lead on the third
lap with Evans-Finney sticking to his rear
bumper. Miller demoted her to third position
a lap later. Chapman Junior was driving with
skill beyond his years and took the lead on
the fifth lap. The battle for second was
hotting up with Butt and the more
experienced Parsad playing “cat and mouse”
for the remaining podium positions.
Nic Chapman romped home to another
convincing victory. Parsad got the better of
Butt in the closing stages of the race to
secure second position. Some last lap
heroics from Lindeque saw him cruelly snatch
third position away from Butt in the final
moments of the race.
Miller took
another respectable fifth position ahead of
an impressive Shenkman. Evans-Finney was
slowed by electrical gremlins which reared
their head on the third lap, but still held
on to take seventh position ahead of Shaun
Neill. Chiappa was impressive in his road
going car and claimed ninth position ahead
of Bob Neill. Blake was hot on their heels
and took eleventh position.
For more photos, please visit our
Photo Gallery
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