Engine music at Zwartkops

The penultimate round of this year’s Inland Championship series will be hosted by the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria on Saturday, with nine separate racing categories on the programme.

• Topping the proceedings will be two races for Bridgestone BMW Club contenders, which has attracted more than 20 entries. Judging by recent results, the man to beat at the front end should be Lorenzo Gualtieri, in his mean, black SavSpeed BMW E36 328i Turbo. His closest rivals should include Julian Familearis (Tower Crane BMW 328i Turbo), Dino Fameliaris (Afri Valve BMW E36 M3), Willie Erasmus (Big Boss Auto BMW E36 M3), JB Breedt (ELB Construction BMW E36 328i Turbo), Craig Ball (Rock Solid BMW E36 328i Turbo) and Len-Henry Gobey (Lesavert BMW E36 M3).
• The Bardahl Midvaal Historic Car races should produce close action from a varied 30-car grid. Front runners should include Eugene Gouws (Master Mowers Chev Can-Am), Seef Fourie (Datsun 160Y), Andries Draper (Auto Classic Ford Escort), Brendon Parker (Blitz Spares Datsun GX Coupe), Rene van Rensburg (SV Tech Ford Escort), André de Lange (N4 Auto VW Jetta), Jannie van Rooyen (VW Scirocco), Frank Davis (Optimal Air Ford escort) and Shawn Smidt (G&E Panelbeaters Datsun).
• The Yokohama Modified Production Car races should see front-end dices between the likes of George Economides (Martini Golf Turbo), Jeff Langeveld (Prostaff Hoda CRV), Dirk Lawrence (Vaal Timbers Honda Ballade), Paul van Niekerk (EV Dynamics Golf Mk 1), Ebrahim Peck (Geardown VW Polo), Stewart McLarty (Telscrew Opel Tigra), JP Nortje (N4 Auto Tigra), Ismael Peck (VW Jumbo) and Evert Seyffert (Cable Solutions BMW 325).
• Devin Robertson (Liqui Moly Chev Corvette) must be the favourite to win the Big Boss Auto Super Saloon Car races, chased by people like Richard Cooley (FSF Engineering Mazda RX8), Riaan Draper (Auto Classic Peugeot 206), Marius Jackson (Mega Fibre Audi TT), JB Breedt (Triplicon Nissan 300 ZX), Karel Stols (Rotrix Mazda RX7) and Marius Jacobs (AAA Recovery Tigra).
• The Inex Legend races should see a tussle between the four drivers still in line for this year’s overall title. They are Richard Upton, Anro Stadler, Willie Erasmus and Altan Bouw. Able to mess with the leaders’ aspirations should be Richard van Heerde, Jordan Larsson, brothers Shaun and Shjael Nel, Johann van der Venter, Ian Upton, and SteveNel.
• Amazingly talended youngster Charles Williamson (N4 Auto Formula M) could again take his 600cc car to victory in the Formula Monoposto races, beating many much larger-engined vehicles. Trying to avoid that will be racers like John Maurein (Exotic India GTI Ray), Carel van Heerden (McCarthy Witbank GTI Swift), Louis van der Merwe (VW Witbank Swift), Blane de Meillon (Fire Break S&J Mk8), Paul Mannegold (Formula Ford) and Sean Harrington (Harger GTI Ray).
• Chris Clarke (AVO Titan Mk 4) will head up the Historic Single Seater category, challenged by Richard Baker (Titan Mk 5), Paul Richardson (Buddpower Alexis), Ron Liddiart (Lotus 51A), Shaun Hillary (Spagetti TV Alexis) and Des Hillary (Infinitude Dulon).
• The combined races for Bridgestone Challenge, Sub 10 and Thunderbike categories should see a full grid, led by riders like Kyle Tavares (Johan Nortje (Fourways Flyers Kawasaki ZX10), Conrad Clark (iDube Kawasaki ZX10), Byron Rothquel (Mag Magic BMW S1000RR), Naasief Wadvalla (Fastbike Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX10), Gareth Jackson (Morphine Kawasaki ZX10) and Hendrik Erasmus (E Engineering BMW S1000RR). v Rounding out the proceeding will be two races for Classic Superbikes, with contenders including Mike Alborough (GAN Suzuki GSXR), Iain Pinkerton (IVID Suzuki GSX) and Peter Herbert (Honda Rickman).

Where and when:

• The Zwartkops gates will be open from 7am, with qualifying sessions in the morning.
• Racing proper will commence at 9:30am.
• Admission will cost R90 per adult and R70 per student, with kids under the age of 12 going in for free.
• Food and drink will be on sale or you can take your own, everybody is invited to visit the pits on foot and the Zwartkops office has more information at 012 384 2299 or 082 390 6016.