▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Tour ing ▁Car ▁Championship . ▁After ▁finishing ▁third ▁in ▁class ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁domin ate ▁the ▁championship ▁winning ▁the ▁title ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁he ▁drove ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Tour ing ▁Car ▁Championship , ▁finishing ▁t enth ▁on ▁points ▁in ▁a ▁Pet ron as ▁Op el ▁V ect ra . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁finish ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁full ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁championship . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁through ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁rac ed ▁in ▁the ▁Wes B ank ▁V 8 ▁Series , ▁driving ▁an ▁Op el ▁A stra . ▁He ▁never ▁rac ed ▁a ▁full ▁season , ▁but ▁won ▁several ▁selected ▁races ▁that ▁he ▁drove ▁in . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁he ▁got ▁his ▁big ▁break ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Tour ing ▁Car ▁Championship ▁driving ▁a ▁works ▁Pro ton ▁Imp ian ▁for ▁Pet ron as ▁S ynt ium ▁Pro ton , ▁alongside ▁team mate ▁F ari q e ▁H air uman . ▁He ▁im pressed ▁many ▁people ▁with ▁his ▁driving ▁and ▁pace ▁that ▁season , ▁but ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁under - fund ed ▁and ▁the ▁car ▁was ▁well ▁off ▁the ▁pace ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁works ▁teams . ▁He ▁placed ▁four teenth ▁on ▁points ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁Pro ton ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁championship ▁and ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁South ▁Africa .