National Extreme Festival opens 2025 up with a show of note

Brilliant action, close competition and robust on-track action typified the opening round of the 2025 National Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola at the Western Cape Killarney circuit on Saturday.

Touring Cars

Heading up proceedings were two races for the South African Touring Cars.

Anthony Pretorius (BMW 128ti) took the opening race from Michael van Rooyen (SVR Steelworks Toyota Corolla), Jagger Robertson (Investchem Volkswagen Golf GTI) and Mandla Mdakane (Chemical Logistics Toyota Corolla).

Race two started on a robust note when the Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf GTI of Julian van der Watt got punted into a spin in the first corner, leading to his retirement.

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Later in the race, Mdakane went for a gap that did not exist and bumped Robertson off the road at the end of the back straight. Robertson’s car was severely damaged and he went no further.

In the end Pretorius won again, followed by van Rooyen and Mdakane.

Due to various protests however, the results are only provisional.

SupaCup

The first SupaCup race went to Tate Bishop (Angri Volkswagen SupaPolo), followed to by Charl Visser (Charl Engineering Volkswagen SupaPolo), Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Motorsport SupaPolo), Jason Loosemore (Volkswagen Motorsport SupaPolo) and Nicolas Vostanis (Nathan’s Volkswagen SupaPolo).

Bishop won race two as well, followed by Visser, Mogotsi, Dawie van der Merwe (Toyota Gazoo Racing Starlet SupaCup) and Vostanis.

Polo Cup

The Astron Energy Polo Cup brigade tackled three races on the day, making Dunlop tyre preservation vital for success.

The opening race went to Ethan Coetzee (Fast 5), ahead of Mohammed Karodia (Fast 5), Hannes Scheepers (Dainfern Dental), Tyler Robertson (AF Fans) and Shiren Rajpaul (Dubcorp Service).

Rory Atkinson (Industry Petroleum) took race two from Coetzee, Karodia, Scheepers and Kyle Visser (Charl Engineering).

Race three saw Karodia take his first Polo Cup victory, leading home Atkinson, Robertson, Rajpaul and Scheepers.

Supercars

Bradley Liebenberg (TurnMeON Audi R8 LMS) won the first Dunlop Extreme Supercar race from Charl Arangies (Stradale Porsche 911 GT3), Jonathan du Toit (TAR Lamborghini Huracan), Franco Scribante (Porsche 911 GT3 RS) and Kris Budnik (Dodge Viper).

Liebenberg won race two as well, again followed by Arangies, who was lucky to just spin after getting thumped by du Toit’s Lamborghini.

Franco Scribante finished third, ahead of Budnik and du Toit’s damaged Lamborghini.

In both races, Scribante crossed the finish line first, but because his car is not in GT3 vehicle specification, he was given a time penalty.

Liebenberg crowned the day with a third victory, ahead of du Toit in his repaired car, Arangies, Budnik and Paul Hill (Kalex Audi R8 LMS). This time, Scribante’s Porsche retired with mechanical maladies.   

Toyota Gazoo Cup

The first Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup heat saw Jason Coetzee take the GR86 class, while the GR Corolla category went to GR Academy instructor Devon Scott, and the GR Yaris class for members of the media to Nabil Abdool.

Coetzee won race two as well, with Mario da Sousa taking the Corolla category and Abdool making it a double in the GR Yaris class.

Two-wheels

Multiple former Superbike champion Clinton Seller won both the SunBet Kawasaki ZX10 Masters races on his King Price entry from veteran racer Graeme van Breda (Stefanutti Stocks).

Hein McMahon (K9 Law) filled the podium the first time, leading home Jayson Lamb (Tyremart EL) and David Veringa (Vino Logs Kawasaki).

McMahon fell in race two, leaving Lamb in third place, ahead of James Barson (Steel Monkey) and Adriaan van Dalen (VAG Automotive).

Volkswagen Rookie Cup

The Volkswagen Rookie Cup race, campaigned in identical Polo Vivo GTs, went to Mauro da Luz ahead of Giovanni Fiorotto, Luke Hill, Christopher Tait and Uzair Khan.

Kyalami next

The next national Extreme Festival round will be at Kyalami on Saturday, 12 April.

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