Brackenhurst racer back on the track

Your dreams can and will come true, no matter your age. These are the words of Bruce van Niekerk, a driver of an Omega Formula Vee racing car who is competing in the Gauteng Formula Libre category.

Despite seemingly impossible, Bruce’s dream of sitting behind the wheel and competing in racing has finally come to pass.

Thanks to support received from loved ones, he is now a proud owner of a race car [Omega], which has seen him gain admiration for his recent exceptional races after a break of more than three decades.

Younger days

In the 1980s, Bruce competed in kart racing and also helped an old family friend, Pete Morrison, prepare his race cars.

“Pete competed in various circuit racing categories throughout his career. Working with him in preparing his cars was an amazing experience and a great opportunity to learn about how to work on cars, sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork. Pete passed away when I was in my early 20s,” he explained.

He then lost interest in motorsport until 10 years ago when Jackie Morrison [Pete’s son] decided to build and race a replica of a modified Ford Escort that Pete had raced in the late 1980s.

“I helped Jackie and his brother Jody where I could. I wanted to compete myself, but with work and family commitments this was not possible. It was great to be back at the racetrack and be involved with motorsport again though. In 2019, Jackie gave me a call to let me know that there was a Formula Vee for sale and asked if I would be interested,” Bruce said.

It took him all of three seconds to confirm that he would be interested and about a day of negotiations with his wife Andrea before the transaction was finalised.

“When I went to go and collect the Omega, I could see straight away that she had been neglected. But the potential to return her to her former glory and get her back on track was definitely there. We began the restoration project when time and budget allowed, and by 2020, the Omega was ready to go, but then the pandemic struck, so she was again parked in a garage,” he said.

After the pandemic had passed, he still had the desire to race, but not the means, and he had to put the Omega up for sale.

Turn of events

He said the Omega was then parked in his garage back in the Free State.

“The distance involved in collecting the car put off most prospective buyers except one, who I told that I was no longer interested in selling the car. We got chatting and Andre asked me what I planned to do with the car, and I told him that I planned to race eventually,” Bruce explained.

Andre pointed out that it would be a bit difficult to prepare and race the car if she [Omega] was parked in the Free State and Bruce was working in Gauteng.

“Andre had a truck going down to Mossel Bay and kindly offered to collect my car in Hobhouse and bring it up to Alberton. I took him up on his offer and now had my car close enough to me to prepare, but no budget to go racing. This is where my cousin, best friend and business partner Donna stepped in.”

Without his knowledge, Donna started a GoFundMe campaign among their friends and family who all knew how much he loves motorsport and just how much he would like to compete again.

“With all of the support from my friends and family, ‘my tribe’, I was able to enter the last race of the season at Red Star in November last year. It was an amazing experience to be back on the track again and quite a sight as my friends know that orange is my favourite colour and to have a whole section of the grandstand filled with people in orange t-shirts was quite a sight,” said Bruce.

They managed third place in Class E for the day, which to Bruce was an amazing return to racing.
He said this would not have been possible without the support of his friends and family who supported and helped him realise his dream.

Bright future ahead

Team Omega ’91 is competing in the Gauteng Formula Libre series this year, and Bruce is ready for an amazing experience.

“The love and support of my friends and family in following my dream are amazing. My fellow competitors have already started commenting on Bruce’s Orange Army and the amazing spirit and never quit attitude of our team,” he said.

They have completed the first two rounds of the 2023 season, and his faith in Omega’s potential has been proved correct.

“We came third at the first round at Zwartkops raceway in February, and second in the second round at Red Star in March. Our next race is this coming weekend at Zwartkops, and Omega, her supporters and I are looking forward to an exciting day’s racing,” Bruce said.