The Volkswagen Rookie Cup continued to thrill race fans as first season star Christopher Tait and Josh Moore once again split the wins in one of the most competitive outings of the season at Zwartkops Racetrack on Saturday.
Racing began with fierce determination when previous round winners, VW Challenge Brat Pack Class C champion Tait put his Sportex-backed Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT onto pole position to line up alongside Moore’s BPW version on the front row of the grid. Rookie Mauro Da Luz’s Retail Vivo shared row 2 with second year Cup racer Uzair Khan‘s TSS version, Steelform driver Luke Hill and oval track racer Giovanni Fiorotto. Karting lass Berlin Robinson’s AF Fans entry lined up sixth from Century Racing lad Luke Corbett.
Christopher Tait and Josh Moore then fought out an often door-to-door battle through the first heat, but Moore was ahead when it mattered most as he took the race from pole lad Tait. Mauro Da Luz fought Uzair Khan off for third ahead of Luke Hill, Giovanni Fiorotto, Berlin Robinson and Luke Corbet. Tait was having none of that however, as he fought back to win heat 2 by enough of a margin to also take the day overall from Moore, Da Luz Khan, Fiorotto and Hill, who also ended up in that order overall. Corbett beat Robinson to sixth in the race, but Berlin beat Luke overall.
“The 2025 Volkswagen Cup Rookies today once again showed that they have most wise racing heads on their young bodies,” said Mike Rowe, Head of Motorsport, Volkswagen. “It also seems that Chris and Josh have now established themselves as favourites for the Rookie Cup winner’s Astron Energy Polo Cup seat, so the rest have some work to do. We cannot wait to see how all this now pans out!”
“The Volkswagen Rookie Cup is a Volkswagen Motorsport initiative for young racing drivers between 14 and 16 years of age, who hold a valid MSA licence,” Rowe explained. “It’s designed to deliver a seamless transition up to main circuit motor racing, the Rookie Cup works as an academy of motor racing covering everything from best racing lines, brake markers and racecraft, to every other aspect of racing with an eye to a career on track”.
Young drivers interested in joining the Volkswagen Rookie Cup can email driving@vwsa.co.za. Volkswagen’s dedicated Rookie Cup team will be in touch with details on what’s required to join.
Popeye Wipeout
Japan was the first Asian nation to reach the knockout stages of the Rugby World Cup – In 2019, Japan hosted the Rugby World Cup. Not only were they the first Asian nation to host they Rugby World Cup, they also shocked the world by beating Scotland to reach the knockout stages for the first time in history. Though they were eventually stopped by South Africa in the quarter-finals, they stole our hearts with the way they played. They also showed that taking rugby to new nations is the way forward to grow the game’s popularity.
Helmet Destroyer
Sachin Tendulkar was the first cricketer to be dismissed by third umpire using television.