Local motorsport off with a bang at Zwartkops Passion for Speed

An unprecedented number of entries, a brilliant on-track spectacle, and a huge crowd. Those are things for which last Saturday’s 23^rd Passion for Speed extravaganza at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria will be remembered.

The event, which traditionally opens every year’s South African circuit racing season, boasted a record number of 322 entries, spread over 13 disciplines.

Gauteng’s enthusiasts responded by turning up in huge numbers, filling every nook and cranny around the 2,1 kilometre track.

Saloon cars

The main crowd drawcard were two races for Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1970 Legend Production Cars. The opening race went to visiting  Italian racer Nicky Pasterelli, behind the wheel of the Pablo Clark Ford Galaxie.

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He led home Ben Morgenrood (Ford Mustang), Seef Fourie (Mercury Cougar), Mark du Toit (Ford Fairlane), Lee Thompson (Ford Galaxie) and Jonathan de Toit (Chevrolet Nova).

The Pasterelli Ford slowed and stopped in the second race after rejoining following a coming together with the Morgenrood Mustang at the first corner, resulting in the deployment of the safety car that saw plenty of action in a number of disciplines throughout the day.

This left Mark du Toit to win ahead of Thompson, Jonathan du Toit, visiting Dutch racer driver Michiel Champagne (Ford Galaxie) and Fourie.

Carel Pienaar (Ford Escort) won the first race for Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1968 Little Giants, followed by Alan Poulter (Volvo 122 S), Marc Miller (Alfa Romeo Giulia), Deon Schwabsky (Ford Escort) and Djurk Venter (Ford Escort).

James Temple won race two after a storming drive ahead of Poulter, Pienaar, Francesco Lombardi (Alfa Romeo Giulia) and Jonathan Needham (Ford Cortina).

Prototypes and GTs

Officially, the day’s main event was the 45-minute Tourist Trophy event for Pre-1998 Le Mans Sports and GT cars.

It was won by the du Toit brothers, Jonathan and Mark, in their GT40, leading home Peter Bailey (Ford GT40), Josh and Jake Dovey (Ginetta G4R), Johan de Bruyn (Porsche 911 RSR), Dino Scribante (Chevron B8) and Thomas Falkiner (Ford Mustang).

The first race for Pre-90 International Prototypes was taken by Larry Wilford (Lola T70), chased by Hennie Groenewald (Chevrolet Camaro), Johnathan du Toit (Chevron B8), Mark du Toit (Lola T70) and visiting Swede, Kenneth Persson (Ford Mustang).

Wilford won race two as well, again followed by Groenewald, Jonathan du Toit and Mark du Toit, plus Rui Campos (Porsche 911 RSR).

Single-seaters

The visiting British drivers in their Pre-1995 Historic Grand Prix Association single-seaters put up a nostalgic display, won by Charlie Martin (Cooper T53).

He led home Rudi Friedrichts (Cooper T53), Mark Shaw (Lotus 21), Michael Gans (Cooper T79) and Phillip Buhofer (Lotus 44).

Martin won heat two as well, followed by Shaw, Gans, Richard Smeeton (Wainer) and Buhofer.

The first South African Historic Single Seater race went to Ian Schofield (March 77B), ahead of Josh Dovey (Chevron B20), Dean Venter (Titan Mk 4) and Andrew Horne (Royale RP31).

Andre Bezuidenhout (Lola T460) came back after a penalty affected race one as a result of a jump start to win race two followed by Schofield, Venter and Dovey.

Supercars

Jonathan du Toit (Lamborghini Huracan) won the first Dunlop Extreme Supercar race ahead of Silvio Scribante (Lamborghini Huracan), Aldo Scribante (Lamborghini Huracan) and Gianni Giannoccaro (Nissan GT-R).

Franco Scribante, who retired after less than three corners in the first race due to mechanical troubles, started last in race two and blitzed through the field to win in his Porsche 911 RSR, setting the day’s best official lap time of 59.607 seconds.

He was followed over the line by Jonathan du Toit, Silvio Scribante, Giannoccaro and Aldo Scribante.

BMW M Performance series

Nian du Toit (328i) won the first BMW M Performance race from Leon Loubser (M3), Fabio Fedetto (335i) and Anthony Pretorius (Bucketlist BMW).

The race was, however, marred by a serious accident that resulted in prolonged delay in order for the barriers to be repaired.

Du Toit and Loubser took the first two places again the next time around, with Pretorius finishing ahead of Fedetto.

Historics

The opening race for Race Supply Roofsure MHCC cars went to Rudolf de Vos (Chevrolet Firenza CanAm), closely followed by Mike McLoughlin (Backdraft Roadster), Dawie Olivier (BMW 325i) and Mario Rossi (Alfa Romeo GTV6).

De Vos made it a double in race two, pursued by Olivier, Rossi and Paulo Lopez (Fiat 131 Abarth).

Competing Evapco HRSA series as well, de Vos took a CanAm to clean sweep of victories, making it four-out-four for the weekend.

In the first outing, he led home Andre van der Merwe (Porsche 911 RSR), Jannie van Rooyen (Volkswagen Scirocco) and George Avvakoumides (Porsche 911).

Taking second, third and fourth places in race two Avvakoumides, van Rooyen and Andre Ten Napel (Volkswagen Scirocco).

Finally, the overall Evapco HRSA Pursuit challenge victory went to Gary Stacey (Ford Sierra XR8) beating John Gouws (Volkswagen Scirocco), Jandre Bezuidenhout (Porsche 944), Paul Manegold (Alfa Rome Giulia) and Derick Smalberger (Ford Escort) to the flag.

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