A full programme of national and regional circuit spectacle awaits visitors at the Zwartkops Raceway this Saturday.
The occasion will be the Sasol Raceday, round nine of this year’s Extreme Festival, with eight competition categories in action.
Heading up the show will be two races for the Sasol Global Touring Car brigade, with top championship contenders Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW) and Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi) set to resume their season- long confrontation. Able to interfere with their duel will be Simon Moss (Engen Xtreme Audi), Robert Wolk (Sasol BMW), Johan Fourie (EPS Couriers BMW), Mathew Hodges (Volkswagen Jetta), Daniel Rowe (Volkswagen Jetta) and Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW).
Keagan Masters (Volkswagen Golf GTI) leads the GTC2 title chase and will be severely challenged by people like Brad Liebenberg (Ferodo MINI JCW), Trevor Bland (TB Racing Golf GTI), Chris Shorter (Champion Mini JCW), Charl Smalberger (iCorp VW Golf GTi) and Mandla Mdakane (Volkswagen Golf GTI). Rounding out the field will be Paul Hill (Kalex Golf GTI) and Iain Stevenson (Comsol VW Golf GTI).
Championship leader Devin Robertson (Payen Polo) should be the man to beat in the Engen Volkswagen Cup. He will face off against drivers like Clinton Bezuidenhout (Glyco Polo), Juan Gerber (Glasfit Polo), Jeffrey Kruger (Universal Health Polo), Shaun La Reservee (Alpine Motors Polo) and Tasmin Pepper (Campos Transport Polo). Able to provide surprises will be people like Jonathan Mogotsi (VW Motorsport Polo), Matt Shorter (Moog Polo), Justin Oates (Ctrack Polo), Kuda Vazhure (VW motorsport Polo), Darren Oates (Simeka Polo) and Benjamin Habig (Nural Engines Polo).
With an unbroken series of victories thus far this year, Julian van der Watt (RDSA Mygale) must be the Investchem Formula 1 600 victory favourite. Hoping to take him on around Zwartkops will be people like Stuart White (Fantastic Ford), Brad Beningfield (General Energy Mygale), Cameron O’Connor (Strata Mygale), Alex Gillespie (ERP Trucking Mygale), Dean Venter (Desco Mygale), Liam Pienaar (Phoenix Jewellers Mygale and Andrew Schofield (Investchem Mygale).
Defending national champion Sven Grune (Kawasaki ZX10) and Graeme van Breda (Ivid ZX10)) should engage in battle at the front end of the The Red Square Kawasaki ZX10 Masters events, chased by people like Gareth Bezuidenhout (Kawasaki ZX10), Johan le Roux (Avidan ZX10), Appanna Ganapathy (ART ZX10), Jaco Gous (Central propshaft ZX10), Sanjiv Singh (Double Apex ZX10) and Wayne Spicer (Wellness Group ZX10).
Topping the regional and club racing offerings will be two races for autObarn SuperHatch cars, with top contenders to include Jonathan Du Toit (TAR Honda Civic), Brett Garland (autObarn Honda Civic), Chris Davidson (Opel Superboss), Karel Stols (Pta Noord Toyota RunX), Melanie Spurr (G&H Transport VW Polo), Ishmael Baloyi (TAR Honda Civic) and Nic Martin (Rex Diff Opel Kadett).
The day’s quickest lap times could well be set by the Bridgestone Thunderbike and Sub10 Superbike competitors. Chasing podium places should be riders like Gavin Upton (Motion Perfection Yamaha R1), Morne Potgieter (Fourways Flyers Kawasaki), Johan Nortje (Fourways Kawasaki), Shaun Vermaak (Fourways Kawasaki), Chris du Plessis (Yamaha R1) and Morne Potgieter (Fourways Flyers Kawasaki).
Rounding out the programme will be races for Bridgestone Challenge motorcycles, with top contenders to include Jarrod Letcher (Suzuki GSXR), Coen Erasmus (E Engineering Suzuki GSXR), Hennie Swanepoel (Fourways Flyers Kawasaki), Joe Herbig (MV Agusta) and Nassief Wadvalla (ZXR Fastbike Kawasaki).
Racing apart, the Sasol Raceday will offer live music, a beer garden, food stalls, a flea market, a kids’ entertainment area, Speed Stars shows on the skidpan and exotic vehicle displays.
Info
The Zwartkops gates will be open from 8am, with racing scheduled to kick off at 10.30am.
All spectators are invited to visit the pits on foot at any time, and the circuit’s two Mini Moke taxi trains will run between the spectator areas and the pit gate all day.
Admission will cost R110 per adult and R90 per student, while children under the age of 12 will gain free entry.
