Summarize

The Western Cape Burly Pro GTi Challenge will come to a spectacular conclusion amid the uncertainty and intrigue of an epic one-hour endurance set to add more drama to an already fraught showdown at Killarney’s season-ending Power Series meeting on 30 November. Three drivers — Class A and B champions Nian du Toit and Eden Thompson and Class C leader Giordano Lupini are all in with a shot at the overall title, but with Saturday’s hour long enduro in the mix, anything can happen.

Saturdays first sprint race will be a regular, fraught 8-lapper, but the second heat will be a one-hour race that not only requires each GTi racer to share their car with a driver who has not raced in the GTi Challenge this season, but it also pays double points and a fat bonus to each finisher. Best of all however, the endurance race has drawn a star field of wildcard co-drivers to make it even more of an attraction...

Overall championship contenders, reigning champion and Class B man Thompson (Somerset Refrigeration MADJetta 2), Class A leader Nian du Toit (Allied Fibreglass Jetta 3) and Class C lad Lupini (CIR Construction/ La Vie de Luc/ Accelerate Gasoline Golf 1 GTi) remain the centre of attention and while du Toit is yet to confirm his endurance race plans, Thompson and Lupini have both signed top co-drivers for that crucial one-hour. 

Former Class B champion Shane du Toit will share with Thompson and Lupini has enlisted the services of the super-quick Ebrahim Levy, both of whom will no doubt have an affect on the ultimate 2019 Burly Pro GTi Challenge outcome.

Young Lupini and Levy will face a literal Race of Champions in the baby class — Jarred Simpson who remains in contention for that competitive Class C title, has brought former double-Class C champion Paul Simon in to co-drive his Greenz Plumbing/Cape Refractory/CD Motorsport Golf 1 GTi, while Alfie van Zyl, who is also within striking distance of Simpson in that Class C chase, also has a double champion co-driver at his side, with Bryan Morgan taking the wheel.

Jason Coetzee sits fourth in the all-Golf 1 GTi Class C chase and he will share his CK Coachworks GTi with karter Andrew Thomas, while fellow rookies Kyle Wiltshire will drive alongside Polo Cup racer and multiple Class C winner Dario Busi; Chase Herholdt has enlisted the services of another former Class C star in Ernest Page and Ian Kapp has called on former Polo Cup champion Kosie Wyers to co-drive his Hydracor GTi.  

Three more GTi veterans, Craig du Toit returns to drive the ISE Group GTi with Daniel Munna, Greg Edwards will share with Paul Winter and Herman Lazarus joins Gert du Plessis in the cheapercars.co.za GTi. Other interesting Class C combinations include Carel and Stephanie van Der Merwe, Alton Steyn and Marius van Dyk and wildcard GTi officials Mitch Pasqualli and Byron Wanza, while GTi Challenge newcomer Leigh-Ann Smith makes her Challenge debut alongside dad Colin.

Nian du Toit may have wrapped up that Class A title, but a swarm of Polo Cup 6Rs is chasing second in the top class GTi Challenge chase. Jurie Swart Jr. has hired the services of the capable Zack Groenewald as wingman in his Alpine Autohaus/ RDK Plant GAP machine , another GTi Legend Andrew Goslett teams up with Colin Meder Jr. in the International Tube Technology Polo and the ever exciting Jacques Geldenhuys slots in alongside Chris Roberts in the BMT Offshore Polo. Jano van der Westhuizen (Wingfield/ Universal Health), Marco Busi (Automan/Liquid Blue GAP) and Dillon Joubert (Powder Coating World/Euro Blitz) are still to confirm their co-drivers. 

With Eden Thompson having long wrapped up the Class B title and a bucketload of points on the table, second in the middle class is also up for grabs. Mario Roux will have Eugene Kruger sharing his Automar Jetta, Brandon Moore joins Wayne Field in the Coetzee’s Coachworks Jetta and yet another multiple GTi champion and chairman Peet van der Walt is Marc Thompson’s co-driver in the MAD Performance/Somerset Refrigeration Polo Classic while Grant Cloete will share with Clubmans star Danie van Niekerk.

So, the spectacular Burly Pro GTi Challenge gang has a superb sting in the tail at Killarney on 30 November, where it races alongside a full program of Wingfield Motors Power Series regional classes to deliver another great day's entertainment. So why not pack the cooler bag, brolly and braai and head out to Killarney for a thrilling day at the races?