The MJR Audi R8 of Luca Engstler, Andrew Rackstraw and Kwanda Mokoena that won the Killarney 9-Hour. Picture: Dave Ledbitter.
The 2022 South African Endurance Series ended on a high note at the Western Cape Killarney circuit on Saturday, when the Cape 9 Hour race yielded dramatic racing and made history.
The race was won by the MJR Audi R8 of Luca Engstler, Andrew Rackstraw and Kwanda Mokoena.
In the process, 18-year old Mokoena became South Africa’s first black endurance sports car racing champion.
Second, three laps behind, were Xolile Letlaka/Tschops Sipuka and Shaun White in their Into Africa Lamborghini Huracan.
ALSO READ: GT National Series aiming to end season on a high at Killarney
They were followed by Hein Lategan, Henk Lategan and Verissimo Tavares (BBR Porsche 911 GT3 Cup), a further four laps adrift.
Mo Mia and Lee Thompson bought their Toys R Us Porsche 911 GT3 home in fourth place, followed by the Bucket List BMW M340i of Heinz Bose, Anthony Pretorius and Christopher Pretorius.
David Franco/Roberto Franco, Danie van Niekerk (Graphix Supply Volkswagen SupaPolo) and Daniel Rowe/Keegan Masters (Volkswagen Motorsport SupaPolo), rounded out the top seven.
After a brilliant and consistent run, the Gazoo Racing Toyota GR Yaris of journalists Ashley Oldfield, The Citizen‘s Mark Jones, Thomas Falkiner and Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger finished eighth, followed by the Backdraft of Mark Owens/Trevor Graham/Richard van Heerden and the Qhubani Backdraft of Fikile Holomisa/Baphumze Rubuluza/Xolela Njumbanxa.
The second Gazoo Racing Toyota GR Yaris of Toyota South Africa’s Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing Leon Theron, racing driver Anand Pather, former Toyota Group N driver Mario da Sousa and journalist Sean Nurse finished 11th.
There was jubilation in the Toyota pits, with the two little cars taking the first and second places in the Index of Performance category.
There can be little doubt that Toyota, who regarded the 9-Hour entry as an experiment, will have a permanent presence in the South African Endurance Series from next year.
Amidst the happiness was heartbreak. The Kalex Volkswagen SupaPolo of Karah Hill, Michael Stephen and Jurie Swart was lying in fifth place two laps from the end when a wheel bearing broke.
The lady racer coaxed it around the track, but it eventually ground to a halt about 500 metres from the finish. And, it was from there that she watched the race finish, with their heroic fifth place disappearing.
Endurance racing rules dictate that you have to cross the finish line past the chequered flag on the final lap, otherwise you are a non-finisher.
The feel-good story of the weekend was that of Mobi 1 V8 Supercar drivers Franco di Matteo, Warren Lombard and Julien Familiaris.
Their Ford Mustang blew its engine on Friday night and they packed up, staying to watch Saturday’s race.
About 30 minutes before the start, Di Matteo got itchy, hired a Backdraft, put a number on it and the team finished 16th.
Michael Stephen (Ultimate Outlaws Audi R8) won Friday evening’s opening 60-minute South African Endurance race from Jordan Pepper/Aldo Scribante (Scribante Lamborghini Huracan), Silvio Scribante (Scribante Lamborghini Huracan), Shaun White (Into Africa Aston Martin Vantage), Andrew Culbert (Bigfoot Express Mercedes-AMG GT3) and Sun Moodley (Bigfoot Express Mercedes-AMG GT3).
Pepper joined Silvio Scribante in race two on Saturday morning and they took his Lamborghini to victory, leading home a hard-charging Stephen, White, Aldo Scribante and Moodley.
For information on the GT National Series and the results can be viewed here.
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