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By Andre De Kock

Motorsport Correspondent


Regional Extreme Festival promises red-hot action at Zwartkops

After a three-week break, the series returns to action with action aplenty expected.


A wide variety of four wheel spectacle awaits spectators at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria on Saturday, when the venue will host round four of this year’s Regional Extreme Festival.

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The Winter round of the series will see six separate car disciplines bring more than 160 competitors to the tarmac.

111 Sports/Super Hatch

Heading up proceedings will be two races for Ferro Energia 111 Sport and Saloon Cars.

Expect front runners to include the likes of Dawie Olivier (BMW 325i), Phillip Meyer (Porsche 924), Ischmael Peck (Honda Civic), George Economides (Volkswagen CitiGolf Turbo), Melanie Spurr (Volkswagen Golf GTI), Troy Marais (Toyota 86) and Charl Weyers (Opel Corsa).

Racing behind them will be the SuperHatch category, with podium chasers to include Mike O’Sullivan )(Honda Ballade), Rob Clark (Honda Ballade), Arthur Thorne (Honda Civic), Ishmael Balloyi (Honda Civic) and Jonathan Visser (Volkswagen Jetta).

Polo brigade

Regional Extreme Festival Zwartkops preview
Wayne Masters and Bevin Masters could fight for victories in the PABAR VW Challenge events. Picture: Dave Ledbitter.

The PABAR VW Challenge will bring 26 cars to the occasion, led by drivers like Wayne Masters, Adriaan de Beer, Bevin Masters, Miguel Dias, Dean Ross, Stuart Mack, Francis Aldrich and Shiren Raipaul.

BMW action

Regional Extreme Festival Zwartkops preview
Leon Loubser (330i) should be the M Performance Parts BMW Series pre-event favourite. Picture: Dave Ledbitter.

Leon Loubser (330i) should be the M Performance Parts BMW Series pre-event favourite, challenged by people like Rob Neill (M3 Turbo), Renier Smith (M3), Andreas Meier (318i STC), Lenard Archer (335i), Oz Biagioni (M3) and George Economides (330i).

Supercars

Julian Familiaris (Chevrolet Corvette) should be the man to beat in the Mobil 1 V8 Supercar contingent, chased by drivers like Franco di Matteo (Jaguar XK8), Thomas Reib (Chevrolet Lumina), Warren Lombard (Ford Mustang), Terry Wilford (Ford Mustang), Izak Spies (Chevrolet Lumina) and Steve Herbst (Chevrolet Corvette).

Single-seaters

The day’s closest racing could be produced by the DOE CIM Lubricants Formula Vee category, with Zwartkops’ tight layout lending itself to side by side cornering.

Regional Extreme Festival Zwartkops preview
The day’s closest racing could be produced by the DOE CIM Lubricants Formula Vee category, and drivers chasing podium places should include Lendl Jansen (Rhema). Picture: Dave Ledbitter

Drivers chasing prodium places should include Lendl Jansen (Rhema), Peter Hills (Rhema), Theodore Vermaak (Forza), Marcel Blignaut (Forza), Shaun van der Linde (Forza), Brandon Hills (Rhema), Blane de Meillon (Sting) and Casper de Beer (Sting).

Times and prices

Racing will commence at 09h45, with practice and qualifying earlier. Admission will cost R130 per adult and R90 per student, while kids under the age of 12 will go in for free.

You may visit the pits on foot at any time and the circuit’s Mini Moke trains will run between the pit gate and the spectator areas throughout the day.

Food and drink will be on sale or you may take your own. For more information call the circuit office at 012 384 2299 or visit www.zwartkops.co.za.

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