Popular six-hour car race back

At least 10 sports cars should fight for the event’s overall victory. Topping the list will be a Le Mans specification Pilbeam MP100 of Jaki Scheckter, Graham Vos and Greg Mills, making its local debut in the race.

Last year’s race-winning Pilbeam MP98 in the hands of Eddie Keizan and Gunter Drotschie should be a favourite. A host of Shelby CanAm cars will also be in the hunt for overall honours.

Multiple CanAm champion Rui Campos will be partnered by sons Jason and Keegan in their Liqui Moly Hollard entry. Keeping them honest should be the Glass MiCan car of Craig and Chris Shorter, plus former Shelby CanAm champ Neil Lobb.

Veterans Alan Eve and Ben Morgenrood shouldn’t be ignored either but the combination of Andrew Strike, Des and Jade Gutzeit in the Strike 1 entry could provide the surprise of the day.

A works Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car will be driven by Toby Venter and Peter Wharton-Hood.

They should be competitive, as should the Backdraft Cobra of Tony Martin and Franco Scribante and the 8,4-litre V10 Dodge Viper of Harry Arrangies and Craig Jarvis.

Other podium aspirants should include the Eni Chevron B19 of Colin Ellison, Pierre De Waal and Greg Thornton.

Birkin 7 entries should fight for top ten places, led by the Axis House example of Clive Wilmot, Rob Gearing and Ettiene Strydom.

Other rapid Lotus 7 projectiles will be the Mixtec version of Willy Lochman and Jonathan Clamp, plus the Tornado Marketing entry of Neil de Later, Lauren and Anton Muller.

Top saloon cars include the Frankies Toyota Corolla of Mike Schmidt and Bruce Avern-Taplin, the VW Golf of Louis Robbertse, Andy Gossman and Greg Gossman, the VW Scirocco of Jannie van Rooyen, Gerhard Henning and Adriaan Dalton, and the Super Saloon spec Tata driven by Fred Kruger, Jody Viana and Deno Myburg.

Qualifying for the African 6-hour will begin at midday on Saturday. The race proper will get underway at 2pm and finish at 8pm. Spectator admission will be free.

– Own Correspondent