A young man who hails from a family of stock car racing enthusiasts, is hoping to be ranked first in the country by September.
Manfred Oehl (24), walked away as the season’s winner, after being crowned the champion at the Mega Oval Club’s end of season event which took place at Eikestad Saal in Rawsonville on Saturday.
His affinity to the sport stems from his younger years as he always accompanied his father and grandfather to races.
“I remember the day I drove my first race so vividly, it was the day before my birthday on 25 February, I was 12 years old,” says Oehl.
For the past 10 years, the avid stock car racer has dedicated his weekends to the sport.
Oehl, follows in the footsteps of his grandfather Francois du Toit, who has won many SA titles in his career.
His car, a Chevy LS2, is a locally made car by a fellow driver, Pierre Kotze
According to Oehl, sheer talent and skill is what wins him races.
“There are very few opportunities for one to practice because we race on a dirt oval track and it is not always available. So race day, is practice day.”
Speaking on the dangers of the sport he says: “I have been hurt mountain biking more than I have racing. But it also depends on how you race.”
What does race day comprise of? “Race day usually starts between 16:00 and 17:00, depending on what the weather was like the previous night. The oval track cannot be too dry or wet and then the amount of laps depends on the amount of cars there are.”
Oehl adds that the race usually ends in the early hours of the morning and there are usually 10 races in a season which starts in September and ends in July.
Asked how being a champion feels he says: “I actually have not thought of it that way. For me, the most important thing is to have fun and winning the season is a bonus.”
Quizzed on what he is looking forward to for the upcoming season he says: “I am looking forward to the SA championships which will be held in Bloemfontein in September.
“It is the first time I am actually hoping to get a first place.”
The win would rank him first in the country and Oehl is excited to head to the tournament.
