Home hero Brett Swanepoel stormed to overall victory at a tough Dalton, KZN second round aboard his OR2 Husqvarna on Saturday as he took charge of the Trademore Group South African Cross Country Motorcycle Championship chase. OR2 rival Scott Heygate gave his title prospects a shot in the arm in second aboard his OR2 KTM, while Mike Pentecost’s Kawasaki took the OR1 win in third overall, ahead of class rivals Hayden Louw’s Yamaha, Travis Teasedale’s GasGas and William Slater on a KTM.
Davin Cocker bounced back to take the OR3 win on his factory Husqvarna in seventh ahead of OR2 men, Kerim Fitz-Gerald’s KTM and Dylan Cox on his Yamaha, Matthew Wilson’s OR3 KTM and Gareth Cole’s OR1 Honda. Kawasaki men, Kenny Gilbert took Seniors and Mielies Le Roux Masters honours. In the school kid classes, Luke Walker took High School 125cc on a KTM, while Husqvarna lads Brandon Clarke took the 85cc and GJ Coetzee the 65cc Junior wins.
Swanepoel was in imperious form as he sped to the overall win by almost eight minutes over Heygate and Fitz-Gerald’s Brother Leader tread KTMs, and Dylan Cox and Tristan Tamsen’s Yamahas in 350cc OR3. There were just two minutes between the Open Class OR1 top four, Mike Pentecost’s Franchise Co. CIT Kawasaki Hayden Louw’s Yamaha and Travis Teasdale, who pipped Will Slater’s KTM by all of a tenth of a second after three and a half hours racing. Championship leader arriving in Dalton, Bradley Cox’s OR1 KTM retired.
Davin Cocker however made up for his disappointment last time out, as he rode to a comfortable 250cc OR3 win over KTM trio, Brother Leader Tread rider Matthew Wilson, Dylan Jones and Ryan Pelser. Pepson Plastics Motul Kawasaki man Taki Bogiages was fifth from Cayden Purchase on another KTM. Kenny Gilbert’s Pepson Kawasaki took Seniors from Wade Blaauw’s Honda and Wyatt Avis’ Kawasaki. And Mielies Le Roux’s Franchise Co. Kawasaki took Masters with ease from Greg Nairn’s Husqvarna and Spencer Michael on a KTM.
Luke Walker led a KTM high school 1-2-3-4 by just under a minute from Ross Ramseyer, Miles Wolhuter and Thomas Scales, with Wian Wentzel and Joss Alexander’s Husqvarnas next home. Brandon Clarke took an easy 85cc win on his Husqvarna ahead of KTM lads Murray Smith and Bruno Niebuhr. GJ Coetzee was two minutes clear of motocrosser Jake Pretorius and Werner Kleinhans on another Husqvarna in the 65s.
The Trademore Group South African Cross Country Championship now take a break until round 3 at Ganyesa 70 kilometres north-west of Vryburg, in the North West Province, Saturday 21 May. Will that favour the upcountry riders? Time will tell!
