Spectacular end to the year

330 COMPETITORS TOOK TO THE NEW KYALAMI CIRCUIT FOR FIRST TIME

This year’s official South African circuit racing season came to an end on Saturday, when historic race cars took to the new Kyalami circuit for the first time.

The occasion was the venue’s Historic National Festival, with more than 330 competitors taking to the tarmac.

Both races for Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1980 Saloon Cars produced easy victories for veteran Willie Hepburn in his mighty Sabat Opel Rekord V8, ahead of Phillip Pantazis (Datsun 240Z) and Johan Smith (Rotrix Mazda Capella).

André de Lange (N4 Autocraft VW Jetta) and Colin Ellison (Alfa Romeo Junior) took the respective fourth places.

Racing on invitation, the modern-day Pirelli Sports and GT contingent saw serious excitement and, to a large extent, hijacked the meeting in terms of sheer spectacle. Charl Arangies (Stradale Aston Martin Vantage) and Simon Murray (Ginetta V8) diced mightily for victory, during the course of which Murray set a new overall Kyalami lap record of 1 minute, 43.212 seconds.

They were followed over the line by Jaki Scheckter (Drizit Lamborghini Huracan) and Charl Joubert (Lotus Exige Honda).

Arangies and Murray finished in the same order the next time, this time chased to the flag by Scheckter and Jason Campos (Shelby V8). Old-timer Rick Morris (Investchem Van Diemen) won the first Investchem Formula Ford heat ahead of Duncan Vos (WCT Van Diemen) and Alex Gillespie (ERP Trucking Swift).

Morris suffered technical problems the next time out, leaving Graham Hepburn (Suburban Body Van Diemen) to win from David Jermy (Lime Chilli Van Diemen) and Vos.

The first race for Pre-1990 Sports and GT cars went to Phillip Pantazis (Datsun 240Z IMSA), followed by Keagan Pottas (Honda CRX) and Rui Campos (Porsche 911).

Peter Jenkins (Nucleus Supply Chevron B19) won the next race ahead of Pottas and Wynand van der Merwe (Porsche 911).

Neil de Later (Mercury Birkin Nissan) took the Sabat Lotus Challenge race from Jeffrey Kruger (Universal Health Birkin Toyota) and Rob Gearing (Birkin Toyota).

The first Charlies SuperSpar handicap race was won by Ken Price (Datsun GX Coupe), chased by Travis Jensen (Datsun) and Wynand du Plessis (Porsche 944).

Clive Winterstein (Casheri Porsche 365) won race two from Rod Green (Piri Piri MGB) and Ken Price (SV Tech Datsun GX).

Alex Gillespie led the One-Hour Historic Endurance race from start to finish in his Chevron B19, leading home Wynand van der Merwe (Porsche 911) and Fritz Kleynhans (Porsche 911).

The day’s activities were rounded out with a 60-minute Endurance race, the final round of this year’s Mopar Endurance series.

Simon Murray finished a lap ahead of Michael Jansen (Formula Renault FR) and Scheckter in the Lamborghini Huracan.

The next historic car race meeting will be on January 29 and 30 at Zwartkops next year.

Pictures: Dave Ledbitter VETERAN. Old-timer Willie Hepburn and his trusty old Opel Rekord V8 ruled the roost in Saturday’s Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1980 Saloon Car races.

RECORD HOLDER. Stealing the show at Kyalami on Saturday was the new Ginetta V8 of Simon Murray, who used the car to set a new overall Kyalami lap record.