Summarize

Brilliant racing expected from top SA racing young guns

Jurie Swart will lead a continued Cape Town Compcare Volkswagen Polo Cup championship charge to the series’ midwinter mid-season fourth round at the Red Star Raceway near Delmas in Mpumalanga on Saturday 2 July. Swart and his compatriots’ job may however not be all that simple on the tight, 13-corner Mpumalanga circuit.

“We have traditionally seen upcountry drivers dominating Polo Cup in its over quarter century of racing so far,” Head of Volkswagen Motorsport, Mike Rowe points out. “This year we have however seen a definite shift in power and we have only one Highveld driver in the Compcare Polo Cup top six as we approach the championship midpoint. “Red Star however promises to shake that all up – it’s a home track to most of the Gauteng grid, so we expect to see some more great interprovincial Polo Cup action in Delmas.”

Swart is one of four Cape drivers in the 2022 Compcare Polo Cup champions top six, having won three of the seven races so far aboard his Bullion IT Racing Polo Cup. He heads to Red Star fresh off his second overall win in three rounds so far this season. Fellow Capetonian Charl Visser’s Universal Motorsport Polo Cup sits second in the championship chase ahead of Gqeberha-based Clinton Bezuidenhout’s Stu Davidson & Sons Polo and another Cape lad, Tate Bishop’s Angri Polo. 

Universal Racing youngster Dawie van der Merwe is the leading Gauteng driver ahead of yet another Cape man, turbo Polo Cup rookie Giordano Lupini’s second Bullion IT car. Swart, Visser, Bezuidenhout and Bishop have all won races so far this year, as has veteran former champion Lee Thompson, who made a triumphant Polo Cup return for Universal Racing in Aldo Scribante’s second heat last time out. 

Any of the above have the capacity to win at Red Star, but remember that the Gauteng-based drivers know the demanding circuit well, so don’t be surprised if there’s a shake-up in Delmas.

Among those more than capable of surprising this weekend, Squadra Corse’s Nathi Msimanga starred at Red Star in the reverse direction last year and VDN’s Dean Venter popped up in the Superpole qualifying top six last time out. Local Universal rookies Jagger Robertson and Ethan Coetzee both know Red Star very well and never ignore hot rod lass Lonika Maartens’ Laca Engineering Polo and multiple oval champion Jason Loosemore’s Security Fencing car.  

Others to keep an eye on include another quick racing lady, Karah Hill’s Kalex car, rapid Gqeberha Compcare Polo Cup newcomer Bryn High’s second Stu Davidson car, second Squadra Corse youngster Xolela Njumbuxa, Universal racer Mo Karodia and Polo Cup veteran Shivvy Bissoon.

The Compcare Polo Cup races as part of a full Extreme Festival raceday at Red Star, which is just off exit 485 heading east out of Gauteng on the N12 freeway. What better a way to spend a fine Highveld’s midwinter Saturday?


Volkswagen thanks its partners CompCare Medical Scheme, Dunlop, Sonax, Motul and VW Genuine Parts.   

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Volkswagen Motorsport

What:National Extreme Festival 2022 Round 4 Preview
Where:Red Star Raceway, Delmas
When:Saturday 2 July 2022
Community:South Africa National

For further information please contact michael.rowe@vwsa.co.za

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