Extreme racing festival travels to the Free State

The series, the country’s largest of its kind, will bring 18 sprint-, and one endurance race to Phakisa, with a wide and varied programme planned.

Topping the day’s National challenge events will be two races for G & H Transport Extreme Supercars.

The most prominent pre-event favourite must be Charl Arangies in his Motul Dodge Viper V10.

Challenging him with their strongest suit the venue’s tight and tricky infield corners will be Deon du Plessis (BPT KTM X-Bow), Christo Lotter (Exceed

Porsche 996 Cup), Greg Parton (Drizit KTM X-Bow), Oliver Dalais (Marlboto Crane Porsche 996), Jonathan du Toit (TAR Ferrari 430) and Anton Cronje (Subaru WRX STi).

Further back in the field, tough dices should be conducted between people like Gianni Giannoccarro (G & H Transport BMW CSL), Andre van der Merwe (Porsche RSR), Mark du Toit (TAR Audi S4) and Paul Hill (Kalex BMW 335i).

The Red Square Kawasaki ZX10 Masters Cup event will see more than 25 riders lining up.

The man to beat will be reigning champion Stewart MacLeod (Red Star ZX10R), challenged by people like Graeme van Breda (VBM ZX10R), Gavin Lightfoot (Elf Oils ZX10R), Kyle Robinson (Tech Group ZX10R), Tony Klem (Frontier Diamonds ZX10R) and Raymond Keel (BTS Electrical ZX10R).
Greg Wilson (Reflex Solutions Rhema) will start favourite in the Hankook Formula Vee category.

He will need to beat off the likes of Jaco Schriks (Office Direct Rhema), Peter Hills (Renexon Rhema), Gert van den Berg (Nantes Motors Rhema), Henk Swanepoel (Renexcon Rhema) and Alan Holm (Laserprint Rhema).

Waldie Meintjies (Performance Masters VW Polo) and James Hurley ((Starter Pack Polo) should be the quickest chargers in the Comsol VW Challenge races.

Taking them on will be people like Darren Nathan (Sextrader.co.za Polo), Gerhard Henning (Goldwagen Roodepoort Polo) Lyle Ramsay (VW Polo), Iain Stevenson (Comsol VW Polo), Jannie van Rooyen (Goldwagen Polo), Etienne Prinsloo (Sasfin Polo), Rory Atkinson (Comsol Haupt Polo) and Vaughn Edeling (FSR Polo).

A massive 32-car field should tackle the Speed and Sound 111/Goldwagen Northern Bolt & Tool SuperHatch 200km race.

The race proved extremely popular with both contestants and spectators last year.

All of the cars will refuel, with some of the crews electing to have two drivers in the race.

One such, the TAR Honda Civic of Ishmael Baloyi and Jonathan du Toit, could well win.

So could Mark Ellis (Porsche 924), Andre’ Calitz (AC Honed Golf GTI), Vaughn Obhidal (On the Track Porsche 944), Joel Silva (G & H Transport BMW E36), Hilton van Nieuwenhuizen (ASAP Peugeot 207) and Morne Human (Action Ford Fiesta ST).

Ryan Ottens (Northside BMW HP4) should be the man to beat in the Thunderbike races, with his closest contenders Darien Kayser (DNA Kawasaki ZX6), Jesse Boshoff (Triumph Daytona), Richard Carmody (Kawasaki ZX10R), Greg Gildenhuys (BMW HP4) and Teddy Brooke (Kawasaki ZX10R).

Mary Allen Carmody Triumph 675), Ewald Vorster (BTS Tag Axles Honda Fireblade), Andre van Staden (Kawasaki ZX10R)and Deon Smith (Meclec BMW) should be the front-runners in the Brunch run events.

Gates open at 7am, with racing to start at 9.30am.

Admission is free.