Summarize

While the lads have enjoyed a little respite from their hectic schedule, Dunlop Racing is raring to go following a lull in the South African circuit racing season. With only one regional race at Zwartkops to keep them busy since the Cape Town National early in March, the team is looking forward to a consistent few months of flat out action, starting close to home at Zwartkops second round National Extreme Festival on 23 April.

Expect to see the Dunlop van in pride of place in the centre of the Zwartkops paddock that first open weekend in a couple of years since lockdown restrictions came into force. The lads will be as busy, and as colourful as little bees as they shoe most of the national paddock with their Dunlop Direzza slick and semi-slick racing tyres. The team fits, balances and prepares literally thousands of tyres through the weekend.

The real action starts Friday afternoon, when Compcare Polo Cup goes out to qualify, with the quickest of them winning the R2,500 Dunlop Pole Position Award. Same goes for the Global Touring Car and GTC Supacup pole men, who also each grab a R2,500 cash Dunlop Pole Position Award Saturday morning. Then the attention turns to the racing, with the overall winners in those three classes each earning a special Dunlop Trophy. All awards are of course presented to the applause of the lovely Dunlop Girls!

Dunlop is also the tyre of choice for both the Gauteng regional PABAR VW Challenge and Alert Engine Parts GTi Challenge in the Cape, as well as the upcountry Lotus Challenge and Car Care Clinic Superhatch series. That have all raced hard over the past three weeks. The PABAR VW Challenge proved spectacular at Zwartkops, where a record 43-Polos saw classes split into A and C racing together, and a 23 car B grid alone. 

Racing rookie Hannes Scheepers caused a sensation to lead his first ever race from lights to flag in Class B aboard his Dainfern Dental Polo. Hot 102.7 FM Pole lass Charisse van der Merwe’s chased all the way to second from Ethan Coetzee, Elna Croeser, Dominic Dias and Cape visitor Giordano Lupini. Croeser initially led Lupini and Francois van Zyl's Jesus Saves car in a chaotic second heat, until a yellow flag. Van Zyl then led Croeser, Dias, Stuart Mack, Scheepers and Coetzee home as a red flag ended the race.

Pole man Stian Kriel’s first A race ended in the Turn 2 kitty litter, leaving Rory Atkinson's BHIT car to hold Performance Master Wayne, Waldie Meintjies’ AllWagen, Bevin Masters CPS Warehouse car Derick Smalberger and Sam Dale home in the all Polo 6R Class A field. Atkinson beat Wayne and Bevin Masters, a resurgent Kriel, Meintjies and Stelio Nousias home in race 2, while FSS man Pierluigi Muzzulini and Ian Walker’s Cycles United car entertained throughout both C races, with Dino Smit third.

Quick and nimble, the Lotus Challenge also races on Dunlop. Jeffrey Kruger’s Design Hut Birkin and Thomas Falkiner ARE Taylon thrilled with two splendid race long duels in a full field. Birkin trio Mackie Adlem, Rudi Barnard and JP Nortje followed in race 1. Adlem, was third from Nortje, Barnard and Sean Hewitt in Heat 2. Ben Knights’ SWAMBO car held Andre du Plessis, Nick Hodgson off for Locost honours. African Packaging driver Sean Hepburn bounced back to win race 2 from Hodgson and Knights, and du Toit.

Moving on to Car Care Clinic Superhatch, Karel Stolts' PN Toyota Etios beat Jonathan du Toit's Motul Civic, Andre Dannhauser’s Pro Auto Corsa and Louis Scholtz’ Car Care Civic to the opening win. Nic Martin’s Peugeot 207 took Class B and Francis Aldrich’s Corsa C. Dannhauser struck back to top a splendid four car fight in race 2 from du Toit, overall winner Karel and Louis Scholtz. Melanie Spurr’s Car Care Clinic Polo beat Martin in B as Aldrich doubled up from Tony Hyams in C.

And the Dunlop shod Alert Engine Parts GTi Challenge likewise thrilled Killarney in Cape Town this past weekend. Several regional races entertained closer to home. At Killarney, Jurie Swart beat race 1 winner Marco Busi to overall Alert GTi Challenge victory. Kyle Wiltshire and Tate Bishop took the Class B wins, but Eden Thompson won the day. Class C lad Dylan van Eden scored a debut victory before Alfie van Zyl took race 2. 

All of the above classes compete exclusively on Dunlop Direzza 15-inch Racing tyres, which ensure excellent stability, predictable grip and equal performance every race or session. Dunlop Direzzas feature a race tyre construction with a reduced tread depth and a high stability pattern along with a tread compound to ensure precise control, surefooted braking and predictable grip. 

Now the Dunlop team is looking forward to the pizzazz and excitement of the first post-lockdown National Extreme Festival at Zwartkops on 23 April. Bring it on!