South African Formula One Championship build interest by padding the field with Formula 2 and Formula 5000 cars, but viewership was in a steady decline - not helped by a somewhat Byzantine points system. 1976 would see the start of the domination of South Africa's National Championship by Ian Scheckter. Indeed, had it not been for youthful exuberance Scheckter would have won the 1975 title. He won more races than Charlton, but Charlton was more consistent. Scheckter won the first four championship in a row for Lexington Racing before United Tobacco Company withdrew their teams (Lexington, Gunston and Texan). With Gunston returning in 1983, Scheckter
Eppie Wietzes success in the F5000 class and won the 1981 Trans-Am Series. In 1993, he was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. He was the driver of the first safety car in Formula One, in the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix, taking a Porsche 914 course car on to the track after a collision involving François Cevert and Jody Scheckter. Eppie Wietzes Egbert "Eppie" Wietzes (born 28 May 1938 in Assen, Netherlands) is a former racing driver from Canada. Wietzes emigrated with his family to Canada when he was 12 years old. He participated in two Formula One World Championship