Bevan Masters (CPS Warehouse Polo) and Wayne Masters (Performance Masters Polo) could both win PABAR VW Challenge races at Phakisa this Saturday. Picture: Dave Ledbitter.
For regional circuit racing contenders, a highlight of the 2023 season will arrive in the Free State this coming weekend.
The occasion will be the annual Phakisa 200, a 50 lap race for Car Care Clinic 111 and SuperHatch saloon cars as part of the Inland Extreme Festival.
The unique event, that demands crews perform a pit stop and wheel change, normally takes competitors about two hours to complete around the four-kilometre Phakisa circuit.
Winning it comes with huge bragging rights and current champion Adrian Dalton (Xtra Clothing Volkswagen CitiGolf) will be more than determined to repeat last year’s victory.
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Taking him on will be people like Greame Nathan/Wouter Roos (Car Care Clinic Volkswagen Golf GTI), Phillip Meyer (Pple Porsche 924), Lenard Archer (ACD Welkom BMW 328i), Louis Scholtz (Car Care Clinic Volkswagen Golf GTI), Johan van der Vyver (Deflaw Subaru Impreza WRX STI), Wayne Lebotschy (Shield Volkswagen Golf GTI), Melanie Spurr/Elna Croeser (Car Care Clinic Volkswagen Polo), Roland Hopkins (Volkswagen Polo) and Francis Aldrich (Opel Corsa).
The Phakisa 200 contenders will tackle an eight-lap sprint race earlier in the day.
Taking on two eight-lap races will be the PABAR Volkswagen Challenge brigade, led by drivers like Rory Atkinson (BHIT), Wayne Masters (Performance Masters), Luigi Ferro (Eco Solar), Mike Barbaglia (PABAR), Bevin Masters (CPS Warehouse), Nicole Lombard (PSA), Stuart Mack (Nathan’s Motorsport) and Elna Croeser (ATE Brakes).
With 32 cars on the grid, the BMW M Performance will boast the largest entry, with competitors at the front end to include Leon Loubser (Bid Wheels 335i), Andreas Meier (#trainedamateurs 318 STC), William Einkamerer (BTAS 335i), Bob Neill (Delmon Mining M3), Renier Smith (M3 Turbo), Salvi Gualtieri (Savspeed 328i), Lyle Ramsay (325i Turbo) and Renier Smith (M3 Turbo).
Mackie Adlem (Adlem Auto Jaguar XK8) will top the Mobil 1 V8 Supercar entries, challenged by Julien Familiaris (Lube-Net Chevrolet Corvette), Warren Lombard (Pepboys Ford Falcon), Thomas Reib (Mobil 1 Chevrolet Lumina), and Franco di Matteo (Deltec Batteries Jaguar XK8).
The Lotus Challenge should see Thomas Falkiner (Adaptive Resources Taylon) at the front, facing off against Mackie Adlem (Adlem Auto Birkin), Rudi Barnard (Barneys Birkin) and David Coetzee (ELKSA Birkin).
The DOE Formula Vee racing should be some of the day’s closest, with front contenders people like Jaco Schriks (DOE Rhema), Peter Hills (Mangaza Rhema), Theo Vermaak (DOE Forza), Jaco Smit (GZ Audit Rhema), Ernie Vermaak (DOE Vision), Roy Douglas (Vision) and Brandon Hills (Mangaza Rhema).
Defending champion Graeme van Breda (Stefanutti Stocks) will be the victory favourite in the SunBet Kawasaki ZX10 Masters Cup races, chased by Jayson Lamb (Tyremart), Henk Kruger (Genises), Hein McMahon (K9 Law), Appanna Ganapathy (Art Tchnologies), Teddy Brooke (Brooke Refrigeration) and Rob Cragg (Matrix).
The Phakisa gates will be open from 7am, with racing to commence at 8:20am. Food and drink will be on sale or you may take your own, and spectators can visit the pits on foot at any time. To find out more, call the Phakisa office on (057) 391 8000.
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