Get Speed Week entry in now
F YOU want to set land-speed records in the desert, tomorrow’s your last chance to book a place at Kalahari Speed Week.
A usually sleepy corner of the Northern Cape will become a hive of high-paced activity from September 22-30 when Kalahari Speed Week descends on a dried up lake called Hakskeenpan for a celebration of motorised velocity, with no traffic cops to harass you.
In the spirit of the Bonneville event held annually in the USA, the nine-day fest is the first of its kind in Africa.
Petrolheads from all over the country will be converging on the
Iremote clay pan to test the top speed of their vehicles on the 7km arrow-straight course, which has been treated to reduce dust with a special chemical that binds the soil. Anything with wheels and a motor is eligible to compete, and some exotic machinery is lined up. Organisers say entrants include everything from 1920 hotrods and ratrods, vintage cars, to superbikes and exotics like Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porches, and even a couple of freight trucks.
Our Star Motoring team will also be there with a Porsche Panamera Turbo S, aiming to break the 300km/h barrier.
A festival-like atmosphere will reign, with participants and spectators accommodated in a tent city erected on the pan with meals served from a giant marquee. Organisers are erecting base stations for cellular coverage.
The fee to participate, whether as a competitor or spectator, is R500 which includes an exclusive Speedweek shirt and cap, and welcome snacks on your day of arrival. Competitors will get an metal badge engraved with their fastest recorded speed, and a certificate for each run with a photo of your vehicle crossing the timing line.
But hurry, as bookings close tomorrow. For more information visit www.speedweeksa.com