Officially, the event's premier race will be a 45-minute Tourist Trophy event for Pre-1968 Le Mans Sports Cars. Pictute: Paul Blackburn.
As has become custom, the annual Passion for Speed at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria will kick off this year’s South African circuit racing activities on the weekend of 28 and 29 January.
Unlike last year, the 2022 event will accommodate spectators, with tickets already for sale online. Fan access will be limited to 2 000 people on a first come, first served basis via www.zwartkops.co.za/tickets/passion-for-speed-2022/.
There will be many reasons to attend the race meeting. For one, the weekend will celebrate the 21st year of Legend racing at Zwartkops.
The category for Pre-1966 saloon cars has provided highlights of local historic racing over the last two decades.
Next weekend’s events should be no exception, with Ford Galaxies, a NASCAR Chevrolet Chevelle, Ford Mustangs, a Chevrolet Nova, a Ford Fairlane, a Mercury Comet, Chevrolet Camaros, a Ford Thunderbolt, Alfa Romeo Giulias, Lotus Cortinas and Volvo 122S taking to the tarmac.
Drivers will include maestro Sarel van der Merwe, Ben Morgenrood, Hennie Groenewald, Jeffrey Kruger, Colin Ellison, Jonathan du Toit, Josh Broome, Mark du Toit, Carel Pienaar, Marc Miller, Francesco Lombardi and Roger Houston.
Officially, the event’s highlight will be the traditional 45-minute Tourist Trophy race for Pre-1968 Le Mans Sports & GT cars, backed by events for Pre-1974 International Sports Prototype and Trans Am cars.
Some of the cars will be driven by visiting overseas drivers, whose own race vehicles have sadly been trapped in the Rotterdam harbour by Covid-19 regulations.
Other historic categories will include HRSA and Midvaal Pre-1980 Saloons, Charlies SuperSpar Historic Pursuit, Marlboro Pre1966 Little Giant Production Cars and Historic Single Seaters.
More contemporary categories will cater for Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, McLarens and BMW, G&H Transport Extreme Supercars, Mobil 1 V8 Supercars, plus BMW Car Club and Lotus Challenge races.
The weekend will also offer a Greats of the Past Invitational road car race, plus a Formula 1 and other exotic race vehicle demonstrations.
As has always been the case, spectators will be invited to visit the pits at any time during the two days, with strict Covid regulations to be observed.
The two Zwartkops Mini Moke trains will run between the circuit’s pit gate and the various spectator areas throughout the weekend. Food and drink will be on sale or you can take your own.
Access to Zwartkops will cost R200 per adult and R120 per student, with kids under the age of 12 going in for free.
Apart from the online offerings, tickets will be on sale at the Zwartkops gates, with tickets purchased on the Friday also valid for the Saturday.
For further information contact info@zwartkops.co.za or call the circuit at 012 384 2299.
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