Runaway Train

Reporter: Marc van Niekerk
The boys were damn lucky to be able to race at Road Atlanta. The track was reopened just days before the race after a chemical spill caused the tarmac to break up and killing all the trees for 10 square miles. Even the pit buildings and stands had to be bulldozed before the officials could declare the track safe. Apparently it was due to a Green Peace experiment gone wrong.

A small number of racers turned up for the event after Sir Richard finally pulled the plug on the sponsorship deal, but the boys were happy to see old timer Chris Browne back in the paddock and also welcomed Pieter Geldenhuys to the brotherhood on loan from LFS. read more...

Another familiar face was Frau Grossenbaum who made the trip to the States courtesy of a stack of complementary Virgin Atlantic First Class tickets she found in a dustbin near her house. Although the boys politely declined to sample any more of her home cooking, she had a rip roaring business going selling to the crowd.

The low rumble of Panoz engines firing up turned everybody's attention to the racing. During qualifying Chris showed he was hungry for some racing and took 3rd spot behind Marc Wright.

The race got away on time and pole sitter Marc van Niekerk kept his advantage off the line with Chris slipping by Wright into 2nd. The race up front was as hot as the summer sun with the top 3 covered by less than a second lap after lap after lap. Further back Dean Rautenbach, Ken Hunter and Louan du Toit were swapping places regularly.

Wright managed to slip past Browne in a daring move on lap 10 with both drivers still stuck right behind van Niekerk. The telling blow came at half distance when both Wright and Browne dived into the pits for fresh rubber and gas leaving van Niekerk on a non stopper to face the baking sun alone. Lawrence McKelvin and Craig Hume - both also non stopping - were having a good battle of their own and used the opportunity offered to move into 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Dewald Batt had a good scrap going with Rick Buttle further down the field In the end van Niekerk won comfortably with driver of the day Hume finishing 3rd, sandwiched between McKelvin and a late charging Wright. Hume showed he had the grit to both challenge hard and defending from 2 great competitors.

The lack of facilities made for a somewhat subdued after party, but the boys were happy to learn that Frau 'noem my sommer Hilda' Grossenbaum had just signed a 5 year contract to supply Virgin Atlantic of all their first class meals.