ats news nov dec 2015_final

8/18/2019 ATS News Nov Dec 2015_final

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

30 Schoongezicht Rd, Bergbron, Johannesburg • Tel: 011 670 8400 • e-mail: [email protected] • www.ats-motorsport.co.za

IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER hotly-contestedyear of South African motorsport, withmany of the championships going downto the wire!

While the National Rally Championshipwas a nail-biting affair, it ultimatelyended rather tamely, with MarkCronje/Gerhard Snyman winning theevent overall and finishing well ahead ofarch-rivals Leeroy Poulter/Elvene Coetzeefor Cronje to win his third drivers’championship. With Cronje changing

navigators three-quarters through theseason, Coetzee still ended as thechampion co-driver and became themost successful female navigator inSouth African rallying.

It was more clear-cut in the CrossCountry champs, with Leeroy wrappingthat up with a round to spare, thistime with Rob Howie alongside.

In Volkswagen Cup it went all theway, and matters were only decided atthe season finale at Zwartkops on

November 7. Sheldon van der Linderetained his 2014 crown and in theswansong for Production Cars it wasHennie Groenewald who wrote hisname next to that one.

But whatever you raced, navigated,rode on or in, we hope you had a good2015, and we’ve got some ideas to helpyou hit the ground running come2016...

Robin Houghton

DRIVER’S SEAT


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www.ats-motorsport.co.za

We’ve got some ideas to make them merrier, and we’ve broken it into handy price categories:under R250, under R1 000 and money no object!

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE MERRY...

WELL ALMOST

R155ATS mechanics’ glove. Keep your hands ingood shape by protecting them when

they’re at work with these locally-mademechanics’ gloves. They’re so affordable,you can keep a pair in the spare-wheel

well for that day you get a puncture –then you’ll love yourself for your ownforesight!

R225ATS karting gloves. Why spend a fortuneon gloves for fast-growing young hands?Go with our affordable house brand and

replace them annually without breaking asweat. Fire retardant…not fireproof andintended for karting only! Available in 12

sizes (including adults), and threecolours…

R455Your helmet should be your most prized

possession and you should aim to keepit that way. Cover it up when not in use

with the OMP helmet bag… at this

price there’s really no excuse.

R740No one makes ‘handskoene’ like the

Italians and the Sparco KG-3 kart gloves

will provide exceptional comfort and

protection – but at a surprisingly keenprice. It combines a polymide outer with

a soft cotton liner, and an

ergonomically shaped suede palm

inserts. Four colours, and also certain

kids’ sizes. Once again, please note:

karting gloves are not fireproof.

R2 050keep your kit perfectly organised with the

Sparco Universe bag. With numerouscompartments (including one for yourheadgear) you’ll have all the requisite

items in the right place, and there’s nobetter feeling than being thoroughlyorganised. It translates into more time and

energy to focus on the important things,and focus is what is required to win.

R7 205Shoe! What a pair! This is what yourplates of meat have been crying out for

your entire competition career and it istime to treat your feet! The OMP Evo-Rboots are made to order and that’s means

you can use them to make a strong visualstatement regarding your fashion savvy.And they are very good to drive in – just

ask Mark Cronje, and a chap by thesurname of Ogier.

UNDER R250 UNDER R1 000 NO OBJECT

http://www.ats-motorsport.co.za/http://www.ats-motorsport.co.za/


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BREMBO’S ON A GO-SLOWJUST SO THAT YOU KNOW: ATS remains the sole local source for Brembo performanceproducts, which includes the sought-after GT and GT-R braking systems – for drivers

who demand the utmost from their cars, and can include composite discs andaluminium calipers in four, six or eight piston configurations with matching highperformance pads and metal-braided hoses. Since joining forces with Brembo in 2011we’ve been committed to meeting the needs of motorsport competitors, the track day

community, and drivers of premium performance vehicles who are looking for instant,predictable and fade-free behaviour from their brakes in high-stress environments.

WE’RE GOING GLOBALWE’RE EXCITED TO CONFIRM that we’ll be the official tyre supplier to GlobalTouring Cars for the next three years, starting with the 2016 championship which

gets underway on March 16. The rear-drive, 300 kW 2.0-litre turbo cars will allrun on 18-inch Dunlop slicks control tyre.“We’re delighted to have been awarded the Global Touring Car (GTC) contract,

and competitors in the series will benefit tremendously from Dunlop’s extensiveexpertise with slick tyres, as well as our ability to supply race-proven productsand services to South African motorsport competitors,” said Kobus Roos, SalesDirector of ATS. “The British Touring Car Championship and Australian V8

Supercars already use Dunlop slicks as a control tyre and in fact the tyresearmarked for GTC are similar to those used in the

highly-competitive Australian series.”Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, the local subsidiary of

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which owns Dunlop, has playedan important role in ensuring the price competitiveness of thetyres and will ensure a steady supply of the slicks directly

from Japan throughout the season.

SPECIAL OFFER

MAKE YOUR FIESTA…

SLOWER…DRIVE A FIESTA ST, considered bymany to be the best hot hatchlingaround? We agree and if you exploitits performance – and use it for theodd track day – we recommend anupgrade to Ferodo’s DS2500high-performance brake pads whichare designed with heavy-dutyroad/moderate track use in mind.And while you’re at it, replace thestock brake fluid with one ofFerodo’s race fluids. We stock both.

A QUARTER-TURN…THAT’S ALL IT TAKESTHE YEAR IS DRAWING to a close

and maybe that racer of yours isstarting to look a little tatty? Bodypanels have been on and offcountless times but maybe all itneeds are new fasteners.

Help is at hand: the guys whobrought you the acclaimedAerocatch have added aquarter-turn fastener – the Aeroloc– to their range, and we have themin stock. Dimensionally identical tothe ubiquitous Dzus, the Aerolocrepresents an improved design,with features like a Phillips screwhead and the option of recessed of

flush-fit types. The Aeroloc comesin 4 styles and represents excellentvalue at about R150 for thefastener and R50 for the receptacleinclusive of VAT. They’re a greatway to refresh your racer relativelyinexpensively and make sure allpanels fit properly for maximumaerodynamic efficiency.

See them work here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc9CEJfz_Ig#t=20



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I'm Johannesburg born and bredand was educated at KES and Wits.Grew up immersed in the “goldenage” of SA single seater racing andsurrounded by characters likeCharlton, Scheckter, Tilanus andDuxbury. Spent my formative yearsin circuit racing until forming WCTEngineering in 2007, in partnershipwith Achim Bergmann, with JustinAllen joining us in 2010. MarkCronje introduced us to rallyingthat year and we enjoyed awonderful season running Markand Chris Birkin in an A7 ToyotaRun-X under the watchful eye of

the incomparable Wammy Haddad.The business has been involved in rallying since then and for the last 5 years we haverun the Cronje/Houghton Fiesta with success. Our core business is the design (byAchim) and build of Cross Country cars, with the local BMW X3s, Nissan Navaras,Dakar Renault Dusters and VW Amarok all emerging from our Kyalami workshop.For recreation I race old Formula Fords very badly.

Star sign: Aquarius (I think)

Marital status/partner’s name: Married to Nadine for nearly 16 years. We havethree children: Georgina (10), Dale (8) and Samantha (6).

Date of birth: 30 January 1974.

Strengths as a competitor: Attention to detail, belief in our drivers, and the willto be competitive.

Biggest disappointment: Losing Sasol sponsorship at the end of ourchampionship-winning 2012 rally campaign was a huge blow.

Claim to fame: Can weld aluminium quite well.

Favourite food: Nothing beats a braai!

Favourite drink: Windhoek Lager is a staple.

Favourite music: I enjoy most music – no rap or Celine Dion please!

Favourite motorsport event and why: The Dakar is monumental. Spa is also amagical place. The Sasol Rally is a truly international-level local event – it’s hard tobeat the sound of a S2000 car in the forests!

Favourite competition machine and why: Our Msport S2000 Fiestas are fantastic.The F3000 Reynard I ran in Europe was a serious piece of kit. I am very proud of our

current Amarok and Duster as well.Motorsport role models: I guess I inherited my interest and passion for motorsportfrom my Dad, Andrew. Glyn Hall has also shown what is possible within the SAmotorsport environment.

Goals for 2016: We dream of a top 10 finish in the Dakar with Emi Spataro in ourDuster. We would really love to continue with the Fiesta in rallying as well!

NEWS

K&N UPDATETHE FAST FORDS ARE COMING…with the RS and Mustang in thepipeline, and the ST Focus and Fiestawell-established, we’re taking theopportunity to remind owners thatwe do or will offer K&N filtrationand/or cold air intake systems for allthese vehicles, in many casesproviding significant performancegains along with better filtration.

And don’t forget that we stocka K&N filter for Ranger – the sameitem fitting both the 2.2 and3.2-litre turbodiesels. Best of all, it’llbe the only and last filter you’llneed to buy and you can service it

as frequently as you need to.

ARE YOU FOR REAL?FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT…that’s not a philosophy you want toapply in motorsport, and faking itcan cost you your life. Knock-offs ofquality brands like Sparco,Aerocatch and Simpson continue tobe the bane of our life, and thesethieves of intellectual property andbrand reputation sometimes do aconvincing job – at a glance.

Counterfeit goods can look likethe real deal, but one of the bestways to protect yourself (literallyand figuratively when talkingmotorsport equipment) is to buyfrom a reputable dealer...

Q&A WITH STUART THOMPSON

Will the real Stig please stand up…

Thompson (second from left) crunches some numbers while the rest of the Ford Performance crew look pensive

ats news nov dec 2015_final

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