Summarize

South Africa’s oldest motor race blasts off at the racetrack that represents the heart of the local sport, when the Border 100 races at the iconic East London Grand Prix Circuit Saturday 14 December. 

The Border 100 goes back to 1933 when it raced on a unique 25km track and it soon drew international entries before it grew into the South African Grand Prix. But while the SA GP moved up to Kyalami, the 100 has long remained at the contemporary circuit.

Roll on to 2019 and the Border 100 will once again close off the SA circuit racing season in a 180km 46-laps race to keep it close to its traditional 1 hour 30 minutes, while there’s also the 26-lap Border 100 Endurance Race for motorcycles, over and above sprint races for Modified and Historic Saloons and Motorcycles. 

The race has drawn a quality entry among the 170-odd competitors signed up for the weekend and while Durban Porsche GT3 teammates Andrew Culbert and Sun Moodley will be out to repeat their 2018 100 1-2, they have a few pretty quick cars to deal with. Not least of those is Trevor Frost in his Ligier JS49 and a fleet of other Porsche GT3s for Mo Mia, Graham and Tanya du Toit and Neerajh.

There’s also a strong junior sports car entry including local stalwarts Michael and Gary Marais (Harper) and Bruce Butler (Nardini) and a literal swarm of Lotus, Birkin and Caterham Sevens for SA Endurance regulars Hennie Trollip and Klippies Krige, local lass Charne Marais, Carl Boshoff, Phil Clarke, Mark Futcher, Adrian Moore, Jozi visitor John Oliver and Durban duo Rob Mordaunt and Allan Spies, while Sean Hurly will be out in his Lotus CSR and Randburg duo Ron and Harmse’s Sports 2000.

Saloon cars abound in the Border 100 with everything from a BMW contingent including Marais Ellis and Rynard Potgieter, Rajendren Naidoo and local lass Melindre Marais, PE Opel men Mark Schulp (Commodore) and Ian Thomson (Rekord), Reg Sutton (Ford Focus ST) and Byron Oliver (Mini Cooper S). A strong Historic saloon entry includes Ford Escorts for Anton Havenga, Manfred Schroder and Mike Gaines Ford, Andrew Karshagen (Capri) and Kyle Rose (Anglia), while Alfa men Paul Manegold and John Bronner, Garreth Ferreira Renault, Christopher Radloff and Colin Ellison (Toyota), Gary Schultz and Johan van der Westhuizen (Renault) add variety.  

 

The Border 100 Motorcycle race will see Kawasaki four Pierre le Roux, Lodewyk Hattingh and Travis Naude and Bradley Rehse battling it out with Yamaha men Nathan Ashingston, Bradley Rehse, Chris Webster and Michael Smal, KTM-mounted PE brothers Jordan and Connor Breakspear and Martin Minnie (Honda). The bike race requires riders to stop, dismount and run around their pit before racing on, or swap riders… 

East London’s fastest men will fight it out in the Modified all-comer’s races as Martin van Zummeren makes an appearance with his Nissan GTR, Bevan Schwarz will be out in his Corvette and Johan van der Westhuizen has entered Camaro. They must deal with a gang of Porsches from Durban including GT3s from Durban for Sun and Mayson Moodley, Andrew Culbert, Graham du Toit Porsche, Mo Mia and Neerajh Ghazi and Jeff Guscott from PE in a Porsche 928.

 

There’s good variety in the Modified field too with Lotus 7 pair Carl Boshoff and Rob Mordaunt and Bruce Butler’s Nardini the open top attraction, while Bevan Choudree and Julian Herman will race a pair of VW Polos, Reg Sutton’s Ford Focus ST, Jo’burg visitor Byron Oliver (Mini Cooper S). Ian Thomson brings his Opel Rekord from Jeffries Bay Clyde Flanagan will race and Opel Kadett, Selwyn Blom in his Ford Capri and Gary Schultz in a Nissan.

 

BMW’s are popular with entries for the quick Shaun Gradwel, Christopher Farley, Melindre Marais, Cameron Hall from King Williams Town, Maidstone racer Rajendren Naidoo and PE's EP Modified champion Marais Ellis and there’s a literal fleet of Volkswagen Golfs for local ladies Ashton Nell and Charne Marais, Brady Choudree, Brent Strydom, Shaun Beetge, Allan Hurn, Sharniel Holmes, Keagan Ross-Rhind, Maheshan Moodley, Dave Burton from Scottburgh and Queenstown racer Sean Heideman.

Most of the Border 100 sports car entries have also entered in the two Open Top sprint races, while the Border Historics have attracted a stellar entry list including Ford Capri Perean V8s for Derek Boy, Danian Staffen, Darron and Alec Gudmanz and Chris Blom Ford taking on Mike Forsyth in a Backdraft Cobra. Also expect Selwyn Blom’s Mazda RX2. Mark Schulpfort Opel Commodore, Toyota duo Christopher Radloff and Don Collins and Matthew Gudmanz’s Datsun SSS to feature this weekend.

Those Peranas are by no means the only Historic Fords racing — there are also Escort Mk1s for Wayne Botha, Chris Landman, Kyle Hart, Mike Gaines and Manfred Schroder and Mark Twos for Gary Schultz, Quentin Lessing, Anton Havenga, Carl and Shane Fantham, Andrew Karshagen’s Capri, Graham Lessing’s Cortina and Kyle Ross in his Anglia. More classic variety comes in the form of PE visitor Johan Barnard (Opel Kadet), Alfa men John Bronner and Paul Manegold, Graeme Musto (Mini) and Garreth Ferreira’s Renault R8.  

   

On two wheels, the supporting Supersport and Unlimited race will be a Kawasaki versus Yamaha affair with Kawa men Pierre le Roux, Lodewyk Hattingh and Travis Naude taking on the Yamahas of Bradley Rehse, Chris Webster and Nathan Ashingston. Club bike action will see Kawasaki trio Graigen Nel, Oliver McKay and Lodewyk Hattingh taking on Gerrie Havenga (Suzuki), John Quinn (Ducati), Martin Minnie (Honda), KTM brothers Jordan and Breakspear from Port Elizabeth and Yamaha men Steven Bowie and Michael Smal.

   

The East London Grand Prix Circuit is situated at the end of Potters Pass off the R72 Settlers Way. Locals can purchase early bird tickets from the BMSC Office, at several outlets in the city or at the gate on raceday. Contact 043 736 4024, office@bmsc.co.za or visit bmsc.co.za for more.