Chase Haskins brought his rookie Investchem MSA4 Championship campaign to a rewarding conclusion at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, 17 October, claiming a podium finish in the final race of the season and securing third overall at the final round of the National Extreme Festival. In doing so, he became the youngest podium finisher since MSA4 began.
Returning to the Pretoria circuit for the championship finale, Haskins was determined to end his maiden season of single-seater racing on a positive note following a campaign that had delivered both encouraging performances and its fair share of challenges.
The young Kokoro Racing driver made an impressive start to Saturday's proceedings, qualifying fourth in a competitive 14-car MSA4 field. With very little separating the leading contenders, Haskins secured a second-row starting position, placing himself firmly in contention for a strong result.
Starting the opening 10-lap race from fourth, Haskins remained among the leading group throughout the contest. Although he surrendered one position, he crossed the finish line fifth, securing another valuable finish against some of the championship's more experienced competitors.
The afternoon's second race would provide the highlight of his weekend.
Determined to finish his rookie campaign on a high, Haskins produced a strong performance to claim third place behind race winner Aqil Alibhai and runner-up Guido Bidoli. The result earned him a place on the podium in the final race of the 2026 championship.
His fifth-place finish in Race 1, combined with third in Race 2, was sufficient to secure third overall for the weekend, behind Alibhai and Bidoli for a podium clean-sweep for Kokoro Racing.
It was a fitting conclusion to a season that had tested Haskins in several ways. The transition to circuit racing and competition in South Africa's premier single-seater championship proved a steep learning curve, with the rookie adapting to close competition while building racecraft and confidence.
Despite several difficult weekends, including incidents and mechanical setbacks that challenged both driver and team, Haskins continued to gain valuable experience throughout the campaign.
His Zwartkops performance demonstrated the progress made during his first season, with competitive qualifying pace, two completed races and a podium finish providing a positive foundation for the future.
The result also rewarded the efforts of the Kokoro Racing team, whose support throughout the season played an important role in Haskins' development.
With his maiden Investchem MSA4 season now complete, Haskins can reflect on a year of valuable lessons, growing experience and encouraging performances, culminating in a well-deserved podium finish at Zwartkops Raceway.
