Historic Cars back at Zwartkops
South African historic car racing will return to its original home this Saturday, when the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria will host round six of this year's Midas Historic Tour.
The event will cater for eight separate car competition disciplines, with a total of 16 races on the programme. The main crowd drawcard should be a pair of races for SKF Pre-1966 Legend Production Cars.
Victory favourites should include Hennie Groenewald (Mercury Comet), Thomas Falkiner (Ford Mustang), Mark du Toit (Chev Camaro), Jonathan du Toit (Chev Nova), Michiel Campagne (Ford Galaxie) and Dawie Olivier (Studebaker Golden Hawke).
The two-litre class should produce furious dicing between racers such as Clive Densham (Alfa Romeo Giulia), Stuart Greig (Mini Cooper S), Trevor Tuck (Pharmashop Lotus Cortina), Roy Prando (Alfa GT Sprint), Patrick Gearing (Alfa Giulia) and Ben van der Westhuizen (Lotus Cortina).
The races for Pre-1984 Sports and GT Cars will reflect incredible international sports car racing between 1966 and 1984. Top contenders will include Colin Clay (Genie Lola T70), Jonathan du Toit (Chevron B8), Colin Frost (Porsche 917), Rui Campos (Ford GT40), Colin Ellison (Chevron B19), Peter Bailey (Porsche 917), Peter Jenkins (Chevron B19), Mark du Toit (Lola T70 Spyder), Oliver Dalais (Ford GT40) and Lee Scribante (Porsche 911 RSR).
Chad ten Doeschate (GSM Dart) and Shane Baartman (Alfa Romeo GT) could head up the SKF Pre-1968 Little Giants field, with close contenders including racers such as Josh Dovey (Austin Healey Sprite), Ishmael Baloyi (GSM Dart), Andrew Wilson (TVR Vixen), Terence Botes (Austin Mini Cooper), Les McLeod (MGB) and Ken Hall (Renault Gordini).
The Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1979 Saloon Car races should boast the day’s largest entries, with more than 30 cars taking to the tarmac. Others to watch are drivers such as Pieter Booysen (Mercedes 280E), Paige Lindenberg (Ford Escort), Peter Ross (Alfa GTV), Johan Prins (Datsun 160U), Djurk Venter (Ford Capri), Mike O’Sullivan (BMW 2002), Gene Malan (Renault R10), Daniel Lotter (Escort Zakspeed), Jan Jacobs (Alfa Romeo Junior), Dave Leyshon (VW Scirocco) and Willem Vorster (Ford Escort).
Graham Hepburn (Suburban Body Ray), Matthys Strydom (Sage Talon), Rex Tweedie (Ecurie Zoo Swift), Jeff Gable (Taylon Van Diemen) and Andrew Home (Xena Royale) should fight for podiums in the day’s two Investchem Formula Ford Kent races.
The Sabat Lotus Challenge will see more than 25 cars on the grid, and frontrunners should include Jeff Gable (GAP Birkin), John Glover (Salt Pepper Birkin), Ettiene Strydom (Axishouse Birkin), Connor Jones (SV Tech Birkin) and Neil de Later (Tornado Lotus).
The Marque Cars will open proceedings on Saturday, with drivers such as Machiel Oberholzer (Mercedes-Benz 190E), Stuart Grant (Mercedes 280), Bert van Aarle (Ford Capri) and Hubi von Moltke (Mercedes 280E) at the front end.
The programme will include special tributes to Peter de Klerk, Clive Rice, Reverend Neil Oosthuizen and Howard Robinson, who all died recently.
