Racer cop is a role model
Captain Thabo Sibuyi is making an example of one of his warrant officers to encourage others to pursue positive hobbies outside of work.
SAPS Captain Thabo Sibuyi is encouraging his officers to pursue positive hobbies outside of work.
He recently put forward warrant officer Marthinus Potgieter as a role model.
Potgieter purchased a Yamaha R1 motorcycle in July and started practising for club racing.
During his first race in September, Potgieter won a trophy for finishing in third place in the B class race held at the Red Star Raceway near Delmas.
Read:Â Graeme races to the finish
Last Saturday he was second in his class but due to a brake failure he finished the race in fifth position.
“I want everyone to learn from him and do something fun and rewarding in their spare time,” Sibuyi says.
Potgieter explains that racers drive eight laps around the track per heat, going as fast as 240km per hour on certain stretches.
The 2.4km track is similar to the Kyalami Racing Circuit and consists of 13 turns. Potgieter says he can complete the turns in two minutes and 10 seconds, although he says that the top guys do it in under two minutes.
Read:Â Graeme races to the finish
“It is natural to see how far you can push yourself,” Potgieter says.
He says that it is an incredibly expensive sport and that it is impossible to maintain without sponsors as racers need to shell out R3 000 on new tyres after only four practice rounds.
Later this year he will participate as part of a team in a competition race lasting 24 hours.
