It’s a cars and bikes racing extravaganza
WITH the cars in the first Killarney round of the national Extreme Festival and the South African championship DEOD Super GP motorcycles on the same programme for the first time in a couple of years, the Cape circuit is preparing for a thrilling double whammy on Saturday.
Heading the Festival list is the return of the turbocharged Sasol Global Touring Cars (GTC). And with a large field that is said to be a lot faster than they were during their debut meeting in the western Cape last year, some exciting racing can be expected.
Partisan Kaapenaars will favour multiple former South African saloon car titleholder Johan Fourie in his EPS Courier Services BMW, as he challenges reigning GTC champion, the Eastern Cape’s Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi A3).
Of course, they could both be upset by the likes of Gennaro Bonafede, who was runner-up in the 2016 title chase in his Sasol BMW and Production kingpin Daniel Rowe, who is moving up to the senior class in a VW Jetta.
The GTCs are also going to be relaunching the second tier Production Class as GTC-2 for the 2017 season, to move the category in line with international standards.
Here the battle will probably be between Killarney’s own Dayne Angel in a lone Honda Civic, against a selection of Volkswagen GTIs and powerful 2-litre Mini Coopers.
The one-make Engen Volkswagen Cup sees the return of a few well-known names such as former Volkswagen Cup star Tasmin Pepper, as well as the addition of young and raw talent, and the 2017 season has all the makings to be an epic one.
In two-wheeled action, the first round of the 2017 DEOD SuperGP Champions Trophy gets underway with Clint Seller (MiWay Yamaha Racing R1) looking to get back to championship winning ways. The four-time South African champion had a disappointing 2016 season by his normal high standards, ending the season third. Michael White (Consortium Shipping Yamaha R1) was runner up in 2016 and the pair are likely to be at the head of the 2017 SuperGP title race considering that reigning champion Mathew Scholtz is plying his trade in the AMA Superstock 1000 Series in the USA this year.
Formula 1600 single seaters, Sports & GT Cars, and the regional Mike Hopkins Superbikes will also be on Saturday’s race programme.
Admission is R100 for adults and R40 for scholars under 16. There is no charge for kiddies under 12.