Summarize

Robert Wolk may well have already clinched the South African Touring Cars championship, but there is still much to look forward to the Zwartkops Raceway Extreme Festival finale on Saturday 19 October. There’s still the runner-up slot to be taken care of, with three men in contention for that, while the 2024 SATC SupaCup title is also very much up for grabs.

Wolk and his Chemical Logistics WCT BMW 128ti TC were untroubled as he romped to double victory to wrap his third SA National Touring Car title up in the Cape last time out. But the fight for second looks set to go all the way down to the final chequer, with three drivers still in the hunt. Gazoo Toyota Corolla SATC veteran, Rustenburg Rocket Michael van Rooyen sits second en route to his home finale. 

He however has Cape Town lad Julian van der Watt storming up in his mirrors, making up for lost ground following a weekend to forget a couple of rounds back in his Investchem WCT Volkswagen Golf GTI TC. And never discount Pretoria rookie Anthony Pretorius, who is also well within striking distance of that second position in his privateer LTR Toyota Corolla. 

Van Rooyen and van der Watt both have a significant level of backstop behind them at Zwartkops. Julian and his WCT teammates, champion Wolk and Andy Schofield in the team’s second Fly Safair Chemical Logistics WCT BMW 128ti TC. And van Rooyen his Gazoo Corolla teammates, Saood Variawa and Nathi Msimanga. Too many cooks to spoil the broth? Perhaps, which may bode very well for young Pretorius, all on his lonesome.

There’s another interesting tussle for fifth in the championship between two men who missed races through the year. Variawa skipped the last meeting after suffering concussion in a rally raid shunt. And Schofield, who had to attend to family affairs abroad earlier in the season. They sit six points apart, with Msimanga also ready to jump them both, a further seven points adrift. And then there’s the Manufacturer’s championship, with just nine points between leaders Toyota and BMW…

The greatest excitement will however likely go down behind the South African Touring Cars on Saturday, where Jonathan Mogotsi and Keegan Campos are fighting for the SATC SupaCup title. Jonathan won both races at the previous Killarney meeting aboard his Genuine Parts Volkswagen Motorsport SupaCup, on a day where Campos crashed his Campos Transport version, to see Jonathan bring a thirteen point advantage to Zwartkops, with a plausible 43 points on the table.

Mogotsi’s rookie Astron Energy Volkswagen Motorsport Polo SupaCup wingman Charl Visser also has an outside mathematical chance of pipping Campos to the post, but most of the rest will not care a hoot about who is in what fight for which championship.  The likes of outgoing champion Brad Liebenberg and his Sparco Toyota SupaStarlet and Cape youngster Tate Bishop in his Angri SupaPolo will for instance want to end their seasons with race wins.

Jason Campos may well be more concerned about helping brother Keegan to the title in the Turn 1 Insurance SupaPolo, while David Franco will be keen to end his impressive season in style in his Graphix Supply World SupaPolo. He won’t be alone. Others looking for a happy ending include the ever-improving Nick Vostanis, Kalex lass Karah Hill, Platinum Wheels Masters driver Jean Pierre van der Walt, VDN Auto man Dean Venter, Sa’aad Variawa’s Gazoo Toyota SupaStarlet, and Masters driver Robbie Franco’s second Graphix Supply World SupaPolo.

Also expect a degree of interference from wildcard Chemi brothers Dominic and Calvin Dias’ SuperPolos. Remember, Dominic only raced once this season, and won. Last but not least, it should be a baptism of fire for karter Dylan Pragji, who steps up to a Bucketlist SupaPolo after cutting his main circuit teeth in the GR86 Cup this season.

Zwartkops has the tendency to dish up the most thrilling South African Touring Cars action, especially over the years where the Pretoria racetrack has traditionally hosted these Extreme Festival Finals. And Saturday will be no different. Be there!