The Citizen out to make amends as GR Cup returns to Killarney

Not spending any time behind the wheel of their Toyota GR Corollas over the past eight weeks caused not only major withdrawal symptoms among the six scribes racing in the GR Cup, but gave us valuable time to reflect on the season.

While it feels like the season only started yesterday, the harsh reality is that there are just two rounds remaining in the National Extreme Festival.

This weekend it’s off the Killarney with the year drawing to a close a month later at Zwartkops Raceway. After the fifth round in East London in July, there were plenty of wounds that needed some healing, Some physical and some between the ears.

Toyota GR Cup not won yet

What was supposed to be a crowning moment for runaway leader Sean Nurse (AutoTrader) in the second GR Cup race in East London, ended in major disappointment. The experienced racer lost power on the formation lap, forcing him to retire after boasting a perfect record in the first nine races of this year.

Alex Shahini (Carmag) cashed in to win the race and receive the coveted yellow Dunlop cap as best driver of the day.

The Biltong Italian, 44, is the only one who can still catch Nurse, 63, … in mathematical terms anyway.

TV man Hannes Visser (L’at Wiel) is in third place on 30 points, followed by The Citizen Motoring on 26.
Hot on our heels is the ever-improving Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars) on 24 with Bernie Hellberg (Driven) on 15.

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Target on Nurse’s back

Hellberg failed to score any points in East London after suffering a horror crash in his Toyota GR Corolla during qualifying. Fortunately he walked away with only a sprained wrist, but his car was a write-off. With a brand new car waiting for him, the magazine man will be keen to get on the horse again for the second event at Killarney.

A win in the first GR Cup race will do the job for Nurse, but Shahini and Visser on his track will try and make life as difficult for the front runner.

For us there are two things on the to-do list at Killarney. One, to stay ahead of Mtshakazi and two, improve on the season opener at the same 3.26km layout. During my racing debut in March, a visit to the mielie fields during a huge tussle with Shanini for third place led to a flat tyre and no ABS brakes in the second race.