Race extravaganza at Kyalami

The weekend’s first race meeting to be held at the rebuilt and refurbished new Kyalami circuit will see many records established.

The motorsport extravaganza will cater for more than 400 competitors in 11 separate racing categories, tackling a total of 27 races between Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon.

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• Top billing on the weekend will belong to the Sasol Global Touring Car Championship brigade, with the man to beat being title leader Michael Stephen in his Engen Xtreme Audi A3.
  His closest challengers should be Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW GTC), Simon Moss (Engen Xtreme Audi A3), Johan Fourie (EPS Couriers BMW GTC), Hennie Groenewald (Sasol BMW GTC), Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW GTC), plus works Volkswagen Jetta GTC drivers Mathew Hodges and Graeme Nathan.

Heading up the Production Car class will be Daniel Rowe (Schaeffier VW Golf Gti), Charl Smalberger (Nathan’s VW Golf Gti), Shaun Duminy (SMD Ford Focus ST), and Mandla Mdakane (VW Golf Gti).

Class X drivers will include George Smalberger Shield VW Golf Gti), Mark du Toit (TAR BMW Z4) and Ryan Quan-Chai (Leesons BMW Z4).

• Adding huge excitement to the proceedings will be races for G&H Transport Extreme Supercars, with no fewer than 44 exotic vehicles taking to the tarmac.

Fighting for overall victories will be people like Charl Arangies (Pirelli Lamborghini Galardo), Toby Venter (Porsche 911 GTR), Craig Jarvis (Panacea Ferrari 430), Jonathan du Toit (TAR Ferrari 430), Sav Gualteri (BMW F30), Johan Engelbrecht (Jogajoga Porsche GT2) and Anton Cronje (AF Hydraulics Subaru WRX).

Also competing for trophies will be Deon du Plessis (BPT KTM X-Bow), Franco di Matteo (Varta Batteries Alfa GT), Sam Hammond (RDG Lamborghini Galardo), Gianni Giannoccaro (G&H Transport BMW), Jonathan Shenkman (Stradale Lamborghine Galardo), Adrian Dalton (X-Tra Shoes BMW), Willem van der Westhuizen (Beyerskloof Ferrari 430) and Dawie Olivier G&H Transport BMW).

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• Returning to Kyalami in style, and capable of holding the venue’s overall lap record by the end of the weekend, will be the SAMCAR V8 Supercar category.

Frontrunners should include Franco di Matteo (Varta Batteries Jaguar), Mackie Adlem (Mapogo Jaguar), Ben Morgenrood (Ford Mustang), Amos Cockerham (Jaguar), Larry Wilford (Chev Lumina), Terry Wilford (Ford Falcon), Darren Gudmanz (Ford Mustang) and Seef Fourie (Holden).

Backing the Supercars will be races for V8 Masters cars, with top drivers to include Craig Jarvis (Panacea APV), Richard Schreuder (Novel Ford APV), Marcel Angel (Autohaus APV), Fabio Tafani (APV), Paolo Cavalieri (Pablo Clark APV) and Brian Evans (APV).

• The Engen Volkswagen Cup category will field 20 cars, with the title chase balanced on a knife-edge.

Bradley Liebenberg (Ferodo Polo), Keagan Masters (Champion Polo), Chris Shorter (Payen Polo), Shaun La Reservee (Alpine Motors Polo), Trevor Bland (Universal Health Polo), Mathew Shorter (Champion Polo) and Jurie Swart (Ferodo Polo) should fight for victories.

• Dewald Brummer (MAD Mygale), Julien van der Watt (Race Driver SA Mygale), Alex Gillespie (ERP Trucking Mygale), Andrew Horne (Xena Chemicals Mygale), Nicolas van Weely (Magnificent Paints Mygale) and Dean Venter (Fuchs Oils Mygale) should be the frontrunners in the Investchen Formula 1600 races.

• The Dunlop Thunderbike events could well produce the weekend’s quickest lap time, with some former champions returning to the fray.

Making guest appearances will be Sheridan Morias (Emtek Yahama), Nicolas Grobler (Golden Mile Yamaha), Alan Jon Venter (Hygenica Yamaha), Lance Isaacs (BMW), Graeme van Breda (IVID Kawasaki) and David McFadden (BMW). They should mix it with regular front-runners like Dean Vos (Kawasaki), Greg Gildenhuys (Kawasaki), Jaco Gous (Kawasaki), Brandon Goode (Yamaha), Gareth Davidson (Linex Yamaha), Daryn Upton (Turn-Skill Yamaha) and Darien Kayser (Suzuki).

• Graeme van Breda (IVID ZX10R) should be the man to beat in the Red Square Kawasaki Masters races, with his most likely challengers people like Kyle Robinson (Kawasaki ZX10R), Hannes de Vos (Kawasaki ZX10R), Johan le Roux (Kawasaki ZX10R), Appanna Ganapathy (Kawasaki ZX10R) and Sven Grune (Kawasaki ZX10R).

• Victory favourites in the Comsol VW Challenge races must include Waldie Meintjies (Lee Thompson Polo), James Hurley (Starter Pack Polo), Rory Atkinson (Comsol Polo), Wayne Masters (VW Polo) and Devon Piazza-Musso (VW Polo). The category will boast 44 entries.

• The SKF Legends of the 9-Hour races will bring nostalgia to the party, with 53 cars on the entry list.

Topping the entry will be people like Mark du Toit (Lola T70 Spyder), Roman de Beer (Genie Lola T70), Franco Scribante (Chevron), Ben Morgenrood (Ford Mustang), Dino Scribante (Porsche 911 RSR), Willie Hepburn (Ford Capri), Jonathan du Toit (Daytona Coupe), Paolo Cavalieri (Ford Galaxie), Alan Poulter (Volvo 122) and Hennie Groenewald (Mercury Comet).

Supporting the Legends will be the Little Giants class, with people like Chad ten Doeschate (TAR GSM Dart), Frank Copping (Renault R8), Ishmael Baloyi (TAR GSM Dart), Stephen Brits (MGB), Keith van Heerden (Jaguar D-Type) and Vic Campher (Campher Volvo P1800) in the front ranks.

• The autObarn Northern Bolt & Tool Superhatch races will be combined with 111 Sport & Saloon classes D /E, and should see people like Chris Davison (Opel SuperBoss), Jonathan du Toit (TAR Honda Civic), Brett Garland (Honda Civic), Brett Langston (VW Polo), Craig Botha (VW Golf), Mel Spurr (Turn 1 Opel Corsa), Gerhard Henning (VW Golf) and Jono Konig (Northern Bolt & Tool Peugeot 206) fighting at the front end.
• With 52 cars on the list, the races for 111 Sport and Saloon Classes A/B/C, will boast one of the meeting’s largest entries. Top contenders should include George Bezuidenhout (Accolade Nissan Primera), Louis Robertse (VW Golf), Rory Atkinson (Comsol VW Polo), Dirk Lawrence (Honda Ballade), Ryan Quan-Chai (BMW Z4), Colin Ellison (ATE Brake Alfa Romeo GTA) and Harry Arangies (Stradale Porsche 944).

• Johan Nortje (Fourways Flyer Kawasaki), Hendrik Erasmus (Suzuki), Riaan Fourie (Fourways Flyers Kawasaki), Hugo Bradfield (Kawasaki), Vincent Green (Suzuki) and Joe Herbig (MV Agusta) should be frontrunners in the races for Silverton Nut & Bolt/SUB 10 Superbikes motorcycles.