28.06.2004 The Fiat Palio Racing Team, in only their first year of racing a trio of special editions, scored their first class victory in the South African Production Car Championship at Zwartkops at the weekend
The Palio Racing Team scored their
first victory in the SA Production Car Championship in Round 5 of the Vodacom
Power Tour at Zwartkops Raceway outside Pretoria at the weekend.
The three special series Fiat Palios are in their first year of national
competition in Class C of the SA Production Car championship. "From complete
novices to the front of the class is a great success for the Palio Racing Team,"
said Michael Burkhart, general manager for marketing at Fiat Auto SA.
"The commitment of the team over the last four rounds has paid off. Their strong
progress and development has put the Fiat Palio special series cars right at the
front of the class."
Concerted development in the power department has yielded much needed horsepower
for the team. "The Palio Racing Team car shaved three seconds off their lap
times in the first four rounds of the championship. The cars are now right on
the pace, a just reward for the teams efforts," said Burkhart.
The Fiat Palio Special Series cars were handling very well on the tight
Zwartkops track where Theunis Eloff has had much experience in the Fiat Palio,
winning the regional Super Hatch championship there last year.
"We are confident that the Fiat Palios are now competitive. We have enough power
and handling on the tight circuits and there is more power still to be found,"
said Burkhart. "The incredible teamwork displayed by the team is the most
important factor to their continued success."
Mike O'Sullivan brought the Gala Bluetooth Fiat Palio home in second place in
the first heat beating the VW CitiGolf of Carlos Nobre. Theunis Eloff notched up
sixth place for the second Fiat Palio.
In Heat Two, O'Sullivan lead from flag to flag, scoring the Fiat Palio's first
national race victory in this country. Eloff improved his position to fifth,
being named the CAR Magazine Rookie of the Day in the process.
The Palio Racing Team moves to Round 6 of the Vodacom Power Tour at AA Kyalami
on 31 July.
Heat 1 Results: Pos No. Name Laps Total Tm Diff Best Tm In Lap: 1 70 VW Golf C.
Nobre 12 15:57.413 01:19.147 9, 2 107 Fiat M. O'Sullivan 12 15:58.092 0.679
01:19.239 9, 3 51 Toyota D. Compton 12 15:58.728 1.315 01:19.159 9, 4 79 VW Golf
R. Beninca 12 16:00.610 3.197 01:19.032 5, 5 71 VW Golf D. Murphy 12 16:04.306
6.893 01:19.131 12
Heat 2 Results: Pos No. Name Laps Total Tm Diff Best Tm In Lap: 1 107 Fiat M.
O'Sullivan 12 15:57.1 01:19.1 7, 2 79 VW Golf R. Beninca 12 15:57.7 0.599
01:18.8 7, 3 70 VW Golf C. Nobre 12 15:58.3 1.117 01:18.9 4, 4 51 Toyota D.
Compton 12 16:04.1 6.92 01:19.4 4, 5 111 Fiat T. Eloff 12 16:06.1 8.937 01:19.6
7
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