A recap of the 2023 Killarney Extreme Festival

The annual Killarney Extreme Festival offers an opportunity to gawk and wonder at the marvel at some of the fastest race cars.

Image: 99 Octane.

The Killarney Race Track in the Western Cape hosted the annual Killarney Extreme Festival on March 18 – and what an event it was!

Here are some highlights of the day:

The sound of high-strung supercars stampeding around Killarney was one of the most notable experiences the morning session had to offer. V10 powered Audi R8s with eye-catching exterior designs to Scribante’s military green 720kW Porsche 997 that went on to dominate its segment ultimately securing a podium finish.

The CompCare Polo Cup championship returned to Killarney with some of its teams debuting green-horned drivers. The start of the first race was characterised by the unanimous assault on the accelerator pedal. With the majority of the herd barreling towards the first turn, Team Red’s Tyler Robinson struggled to spur her car off the line. Eventually, the four-wheeler was brought back to life, and Robinson managed to rejoin the race. The 14-year-old driver made her debut at the Killarney Extreme Festival and despite a less-than-desirable start, managed to overtake another racer.

During one of the Global Touring Car races, Josh le Roux’s Audi S3 went off track on the second lap.
The Sunbet ZX-10 Masters Cup races were tightened by the pressure applied by Capetonians Trevor Westman and David Endicott.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Cup returned for its second incarnation consisting of a medley of seasoned racers and eager newcomers. Bolstering the fleet, which consisted solely of GR Yaris models in last’s year’s championship sees the addition of homologated GR 86s. The races were led by journalist Mark Jones with drivers such as Sa’aad Variawa, Kara Hill and Nikki Vostanis showcasing their skill behind the wheel.