Summarize

The Border Motorsport Club kicked off a busy 2020 Race season at the East London Grand Prix Circuit with the first round of the region's motorsport championships on leap year Saturday as a wonderful variety of Border Modified, Sports & GT cars, East London Historic Saloon racers and Clubmans Motorcycles thrilled a happy local crowd at the idyllic home of South African motorsport.

Port Elizabeth's Chassen Bright got the first shift in Bradley van Zummeren’s splendid new Class A+ McLaren and raced off to the Modified race 1 win ahead of Class B runners Brent Strydom (Golf 7R), Chris Farley (BMW M3) and Dean Ball's Caterham, while Julian Herman (Polo turbo) took Class C from Richard Clarke (Honda Civic). Gary Schultz took Class D from BMW lads Mornay Swanepoel and Cameron Hall and Cherne Marais (Caterham), while Shaun Beetge took the Brat Pack Class E win from Sharniel Holmes and Allen Hurn’s Golfs.

Van Zummeren drew the short straw — his McLaren stopped while he was leading heat 2 to allow Dean Ball through to take the win from Chris Farley and Class C winner Julian Herman with Class B runners Gary Marais and Brent Strydom next up from Class C winners Bevan Chourdee (Polo turbo) and Richard Clarke. Cherne Marais took class D from Cameron Hall, RJ Green (BMW) and Wickus Basson, while Allen Hurn beat Derick van der Westhuizen Golf and Shaun Beetge to Class E. 

Bright was back aboard the McLaren and took the final heat from Ball, who took overall honours for the day with Brent Strydom third from Chris Farley and Gary Marais, while Richard Clarke took the Class C final to steal the class win from the day. Mornay Swanepoel won the final Class D race to take overall class honours from Cherne Marais and Shawn Vallance, while Hurn again beat van der Westhuizen and Melindre Marais to take the day in Class E.

Three splendid Border Historic Saloon Car races saw Danian Staffen power his Ford Capri Perana to overall honours from Matthew Gudmanz’ similar car and Mike Forsyth’s Backdraft Cobra, while Chris Landman took Class B in his Ford Escort from Alex Gudmanz’ Capri and Wayne Botha in another Escort. Graham Lessing took Class D in his Ford Cortina from Gary Schultz’ Escort, while Shane and Charl Fantham sandwiched Brendan Smith’s Mazda Capella in Class D and Kyle Rose drove his Ford Anglia to win Class E.

There was some proper two wheel action too as Jason Lamb (Kawasaki) rode to Clubmans Motorcycle victory over Yamaha men Chris Webster, Bradley Rhese and Wade Wright, while Gerrie Havenga ended up fourth for the day from Martin Minnie, Ruan Janse van Rensburg, Gragien Nel and John Quinn. Wanda Whamanzana, Travis Warne and Camerone Sweetman endured more difficult days at the races. 

The next round of the Border regional race championship goes down at the East London Grand Prix Circuit Saturday 4 April.