Extreme Festival to feature national, regional championship events

The Aldo Scribante circuit near Port Elizabeth will host the Extreme Festival on Saturday, featuring national and regional championship events.

The flagship events are two races for Sasol Global Touring cars, with 17 entries to face the starter. Current championship leader Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW) will face formidable opposition from hometown heroes Michael Stephen and Simon Moss in their Engen Audi A3 entries.

Others fighting for podium places should include Johan Fourie (EPS Couriers BMW), Mathew Hodges (Volkswagen Jetta), Robert Wolk (Sasol BMW), Daniel Rowe (Volkswagen Jetta) and Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW). Keagan Masters (VW Motorsport Golf GTI) is GTC2 category leader with his closest adversaries Bradley Liebenberg (Ferodo Mini JCW), Trevor Bland (TB Racing VW Golf GTI), Charl Smalberger (iCorp Golf GTI) and Christopher Shorter (Champion Mini JCW).

Other front runners should include Mandla Mdakane (VW Motorsport Golf GTI), Iain Stevenson (Comsol VW Golf), and Dayne Angel (Honda Civic).

The Engen Volkswagen Cup races provide ultra-close competition between drivers like Devon Robertson (Payen Polo), Shaun La Réservée (Alpine Motors Polo), Jeffrey Kruger (Universal Health Polo), Matt Shorter (MOOG Polo), Juan Gerber (Glasfit Polo), and Tasmin Pepper (Campos Polo).

In the midfield, youngsters like Justin Oates (Glasfit Polo), Benjamin Habig (Glyco Polo), Clinton Bezuidenhout (Glyco Polo), Daniel Duminy (VW Polo) and Darren Oates (Glasfit Polo) should join the heated battle.

Julian van der Watt (RDSA Mygale) will be the clear Formula 1 600 victory favourite, chased by people like Stuart White (Fantastic Mygale), Alex Gillespie (Mygale), Brad Beningfield (General Energy Mygale), Cameron O’Connor (Mygale) and Liam Pienaar (Phoenix Jewellers Mygale).

Heading the Red Square Kawasaki Masters Cup entry will be Sven Grune (Kawasaki ZX10R), chased by the likes of Graeme van Breda (IVID ZX10R), Greg Bezuidenhout (J&Y ZX10R), Wayne Spicer (Wellness Group ZX10R), Stuart Russell (Kawasaki Zx10R), Gareth Bezuidenhout (Kawasaki ZX10R), Jaco Gous (Kawasaki ZX10R and Johan le Roux (Avidan ZX10R). The day’s largest entry of 33 cars will belong to the Regional Modified Saloon Car events.

Top contenders should include Bevan Schwartz (Chev Corvette), Brent Watts (Nissan Skyline R33), Celso Scribante (Audi S4), Tanya Watts (Subaru Sti), Ian Riddle (BMW E46) an Nick Davidson (Audi S4). Veteran Superbike hero Arushen Moodley will ride a Kawasaki ZX10R in the AMSC races.

He will face off against people like Paul Roelofse (Triumph 675R), Dominic Doyle (Triumph 675R), Karl Schultz (Kawasaki ZX6R), Dreyer Barnard (Honda 600) and Ivor Vermaak (Kawasaki ZX6).

The Aldo Scribante gates will be open from 6am, with practice sessions in the morning.

Racing will start at 10 am. Admission will cost R80 per adult, with children under the age of 12 years to go in for free.

There will also be a Kiddies Zone and food stalls, and spectators may visit the pits on foot.