NO WEIGHT LOSS

EAST LONDON : Despite a weight penalty of 25 
kilograms the Rothmans Audis dominated qualifying at East London's 
Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Circuit for rounds 11 and 12 of the AA 
Fleetcare Super Touring Championship on Saturday - but, only Terry 
Moss managed a race win with Shaun van der Linde putting BMW back on 
the podium in the other.

Qualifying saw Moss on pole from New Zealander Craig Baird (BMW 
Envirocar 318i) for the first race, the two Audis of Moss and Chris 
Aberdein fastest for the second race and the top 11 qualifiers in both 
all within a second of the quickest time.

Craig Baird had his best race since moving to South Africa this year, 
blasting away from the line to lead the opening encounter for four 
laps before having to give way to Moss' Audi, the Kiwi then 
successfully having to hold off a strong challenge in the closing laps 
from the Aberdein Audi A4 that had come from seventh on the grid to 
third - the Audi having suffered diff problems in the qualifying 
practice session.

Demoted from third in the opening laps, Michael Briggs (Opel Vectra) 
had to settle for fourth ahead of team mate Grant McCleery. The early 
challenge for a place in the points from Julian Bailey in the Minolta 
Toyota Camry ended on lap four when he ran into the back of Hennie 
Groenewald in the Scania Audi 80.

The two Rothmans Audis led away from the line in the second race, both 
Moss and Aberdein then having separate off track excursions early in 
the lap, allowing Shaun van der Linde's BMW 318i through to the front 
where he stayed to the flag. Baird made a good start to be third on 
the opening lap but retired with damaged suspension after clipping a 
curb, leaving Briggs and McCleery in the Opels to fill second and 
third positions ahead of Bailey. 

Wheel bearing problems then forced Briggs out on lap eight by which 
time Aberdein had muscled his way back through to the field to third 
behind Van der Linde and McCleery. A lap later Aberdein locked up 
under braking and took himself and McCleery off, putting Hennie 
Groenewald's Audi 80 through to second ahead of Bailey with Deon 
Joubert (Motorplan BMW 318i) in fifth place. 

SOUTH AFRICAN SUPER TOURING CHAMPIONSHIPS, ROUNDS 11 & 12, EAST LONDON 
GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT, 2 X 12 LAPS, 94,11 km, JUNE 15

Race 1: 1. Terry Moss (Audi A4), 17m16,16s, best lap 1m25,17s, average 
speed 102,18 mph; 2. Craig Baird (BMW 318i), 17m19,30s; 3. Chris 
Aberdein (Audi A4), 17m19,35s; 4. Mike Briggs (Opel Vectra), 
17m23,71s; 5. Grant McCleery (Opel Vectra), 17m24,11s; 6. Deon Joubert 
(BMW 318i), 17m27,43s; 7. Hennie Groenewald (Audi 80), 17m35,87s; 8. 
Sarel van der Merwe (BMW 318i), 18m07,46s; 9. Hein Lategan (Class B 
BMW 318i), -1 lap; 10. George Bezuidenhout (Class B Nissan Sentra 
200STi).

Race 2: 1. Shaun van der Linde (BMW 318i), 17m19,49s, best lap 
1m25,32s, average speed 101,87 mph; 2. Hennie Groenewald (Audi 80), 
17m21,70s; 3. Julian Bailey (Toyota Camry), 17m23,60s; 4. Deon Joubert 
(BMW 318i), 17m23,92s; 5. Chris Aberdein (Audi A4), 17m26,31s; 6. 
Grant McCleery (Opel Vectra), 17m35,33s; 7. Sarel van der Merwe (BMW 
318i), 18m08,18s; 8. Hein Lategan (Class B BMW 318i), -1 lap; 9. 
George Bezuidenhout (Class B Nissan Sentra 200STi); 10. Dawie Joubert 
(Class B BMW 318i).

Fastest lap: Chris Aberdein (Audi A4), 1m25,118s.

Championship Positions: 1. Moss 63 points; 2. Aberdein 62; 3. 
Briggs/McCleery 33; 5. Van der Linde 31; 6. Bailey 19; 7. Joubert 17; 
8. Baird 16; 9. Groenewald 13; 10. Vos 10.

Manufacturers Points: 1. BMW 144; 2. Audi 114; 3. Toyota 93; 4. Opel 
88; 5. Nissan 66; 6. Volkswagen 23.