Extreme series gets under way

Global Touring Cars feature number of new car-driver combinations.

TOP TEAM. Heading up the weekend’s Global Touring Car contingent at the Dezzi Raceway will be the works Volkswagen Jettas of Daniel Rowe and Keegan Masters. Picture: RacePics

The 2019 Extreme Festival circuit racing series will get under way at the Dezzi Raceway on the KZN South Coast this weekend.

Five national championship categories on both four and two wheels are set to tackle the tight and twisty venue, that will represent unchartered territory to most competitors.

Heading up the programme will be two races for Global Touring Cars, with a number of new car and driver combinations promising much excitement.

Topping the entry list will undoubtably be the Volkswagen team’s Daniel Rowe and Keegan Masters, in their factory entered VW Jetta GTC models.

Their closest adversaries should be the Terry Moss team’s Audi A3 entries, driven by Simon Moss and veteran Tschops Sipuka, who is coming out of retirement to race the equipe’s second car.

Capetonian ace Johan Fourie (EPS Courier BMW) will be in line to challenge the front runners, as should Robert Wolk in his Chemical Logistics/WCT Engineering BMW.

Rounding out the class will be the GA300 Toyota Corolla of Michael van Rooyen, with the new car’s progress watched with great interest.

The men to beat in the GTC2 class should be Adrian Wood (Kyocera Golf GTI) and Bradley Liebenberg (VW Motorsport Golf GTI), with their closest challengers Charl Smalberger (Universal Health Golf GTI) and Bob Neill (Delmon Mining Ford Focus ST).

Reigning champion Jeffrey Kruger (Universal Health Polo) will defend his Falken Polo Cup title, with 19 contenders taking to the Dezzi tarmac.

Chasing Kruger should be top drivers like Keegan Campos (Campos Transport Polo), Jonathan Mogotsi (VW Motorsport Polo), Clinton Bezuidenhout (Glyco Engines Polo), Delon Thompson (Universal Health Polo), Jason Campos (Campos Transport Polo), Altan Bouw (Champion Polo), Jano van der Westhuizen (Universal Health Polo) and Chris Shorter (AE Polo).

Two newcomers whose progress will be followed closely must be tin top veteran Stiaan Kriel (MotorMart Polo) and Cameron O’Çonnor, who came from single-seater racing to drive his Repro Supplies Polo.

Defending champion Stuart White (Fantastic Mygale) should be the man to beat in the Investchem Formula 1 600 category, chased by people like Nicholas van Weely (Magnificent Paints Van Diemen), Scott Temple (Road to Race Mygale), Alex Gillespie (ERP Trucking Mygale), Andrew Schofield (Investchem Mygale), Andrew Rackstraw (Investchem Mygale), last year’s Most Improved Driver Tiago Rebelo (TRMS Mygale) and 2018 Rookie of the Year, Siyabonga Mankonkwana (Investchem Brian Kruger Mygale).

Returning to the car racing arena after four years as a standalone series will be the Superbike contingent. Topping the 1 000cc contingent will be Clint Seller (King Price Yamaha R1) David McFadden (RPM Centre Yamaha R1), Lance Isaacs (LIR Supabets BMW S1000RR), Dylan Barnard (Deon Barnard Yamaha R1), Garrick Vlok (Yamaha R1), Morne Geldenhuis (Race Craft Yamaha R1), Byron Bester (Hi-Tech Yamaha R1), Andre Calvert (Leslie’s Gifts Ducati Panagali) and Jade Gutzeit (Honda Wing Umhlanga CBR1000RR).

Current 600cc champion Blaze Baker riding a JBR Yamaha R6 will face off against riders like Jared Schultz (ASAP Yamaha R6), Ricardo Otto (Otto Yamaha R6), Aiden Liebenberg (Fercor Construction Yamaha R6), Dian Nelson (TRD Motorcycles Yamaha R6) Luca Balona (Armadillo Construction Kawasaki ZX6R) and Brandon Staffen (AJH Cooling Kawasaki ZX6R).

Moving up to the class from the Super300cc category will be Kewyn Snyman (Hillbilly Yamaha), Dino Iozzo (King Price Yamaha R6) and Taric van der Merwe (Hi-Tech Yamaha R6).

Info

The Dezzi gates will be open from 7am with racing to commence at 10.30am