Motoring

National Endurance series returns to action at Red Star Raceway

South African Endurance Series Red Star preview

Sports car racing will return to the Red Star Raceway near Delmas this Saturday, with the venue to host round one of the South African Endurance Series.

The event will include two 60 minute GT races and the four hour main race, that will see 25 cars taking to the tarmac.

Endurance series

Heading up the main race will be Stuart White and Xolile Letlaka in their Lamborghini Huracan.

They will face off against Paul Hill/Brad Liebenberg (Audi R8), Mike Mclouglin/Steve Clark (Backdraft Roadster), Heinrich Lategan/Verissimo Taveres/Henk Lategan (Porsche 911 GT3), Damien Hammond/Farhaan Basha (Lamborghini Huracan) and Sam Hamlin/Wayne Richard Roach (Lamborghini Huracan).

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The Backdraft category, now a fully fledged South African championship, has attracted 10 entries, led by last year’s national Index of Performance winners, CJ Blackman/Jean Paul Briner/Anthony Hoare.

Some of their top opposition should come from Gavin Rooke/Richard van Heerde, Phillip Meyer/Dean Wolson/Mark Harvey, Harm/Barend Pretorius, Kishoor/Mikaeel Pitamber, Trevor Graham/Dan Hirsh, Fikile Holomisa/Baphumze Rubuluza, Mark Owens/Mashego Setshabe and Fabienne Lanz/Lonika Martins.

*_{Fighting for saloon car and Index of Performance victories will be Karah Hill/ Jurie Swart in their Volkswagen Polo. Picture: Dave Ledbitter.}*

The four entered saloon cars will all tackle the four hour race, with consistency counting much towards the Index of Performance podium.

They are Nathan Hammond/Dawie van der Merwe (Volkswagen Polo), David Franco/Roberto Franco (Volkswagen Polo), Karah Hill/Jurie Swart (Volkswagen Polo), plus Mozambiquan visitors Bruno Campos, Marcos Rodriguez and Joao Martins in their Volkswagen Polo.

GT battle

The GT class will tackle a 30 minute race from 10h00, and then take on the first 60 minutes of the endurance four-hour.

*_{Heinrich Lategan, Verissimo Taveres and Henk Lategan will share a Porsche 911 GT3. Picture: Dave Ledbitter.}*

Topping the class will be Xolille Letlaka (Aston Martin Vantage), Andrew Horne (Ligier), Franco Di Matteo (Ford Mustang) and Roelf du Plessis (Chevrolet Lumina).

Dunlop is now the exclusive tyre supplier for the series with ATS Motorsport Supplies handling the tyre service side.

*_{The Backdraft squad will enjoy fully fledged South African championship status this year. Picture: Dave Ledbitter.}*

The support racing for the South African Endurance Series will be provided by a varied field of Silvercup 2.0 cars that produce hugely entertaining action with a full mix of Nissan, Audi Renault, Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota and Honda nameplates on the Red Star short circuit.

Times

Final practice and Qualifying at Red Star Raceway start from 07h30 on Saturday, with the first GT race scheduled for 10h00 and the formation lap for the 4-hour race at noon.

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