Summarize

The Gauteng circuit season kicks off with an action packed day of Regional Festival racing at Zwartkops on Saturday 18 February. VW Challenge, Formulae Vee and Monoposto, Superhatch, the 111s and Silver Cup, as well as the Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup, all make for a pleasantly varied late summer’s day of racing.

Guaranteed to thrill, the Pabar VW Challenge will likely be split into two races. One for Classes A and C, and another for the more than 20 cars racing in Class B. Rory Atkinson will have brothers, Wayne, and Bevin Masters, Waldie Meintjies, Derick Smalberger, Mike Barbaglia and Chris Dale among his Class A rivals. 

Class B champion Hannes Scheepers is back to race returning former class champion Stiaan Kriel, fast ladies Charisse Piazza Musso and Elna Croeser, Bevan Williams and Francois van Zyl. Two Class C champions, Ian Walker and Pierluigi Muzzulini also step up to B. And watch for Dino Smit, Philip Croeser, Jan Spamers, and Charl Andersen in the Class C brat pack.

DOE Formula Vee is lubricated by CIM Lubri Fuel this year. Champion, Grandpa Peter Hills is the man to beat. He has sons Brandon and Trevor riding backstop, with, Jaco Schriks, Lendl Jansen, MD Bester and Shaun van der Linde all in with a shout. All race Rhema 2s. Michael Kernick’s Tasman, Theo Vermaak’s Forza, Klinton Kane’s Sting and Marcel Blignaut in a Lantis add variety.

Formula Monoposto has broad variety and a large entry. GTI men Renzo Ribeiro, Damien Archer and Leon Scholtz should set the pace, hounded by Formula Ford men, Allen Meyer, Steve Venter, and Paul Schultz. Lushen Ramchander and Andre le Roux’s Super Vees are quick and Blane de Meillion is among the regular Vee entries. A large contingent of Formula Ms includes Connor le Roux, Neville van den Berg and Brian Mnguni.

Back to the tin-tops, George Economides, and Louis Scholtz’ Golfs, Bob Neill’s Focus and Lenard Archer Civic will fight over GT honours in Car Care Clinic 111 & GT Sports & Saloons. Also, up front, Class A is a mixed bag of Lucas Bezuidenhout’s Lexus, Johan van der Vyver’s Subaru STI, and Dhiren Ganasen’s Civic. Add VW five, Wouter Roos, Piet Potgieter and Johan van Heerden’s Golfs, and Mydi Mfana and Francois Henning’s Polos. 

Roland Hopkins’ Polo and Wayne Lebotschy’s Golfs dice Joshua and Charl Weyers’ Corsas in Class B. They will be chased Chris Smit and Marius Malherbe’s Porsches, Yorick Smith’s MX5 Michael Grobler in a Polo, Craig Priestley’  Laser and Rob Clark’s Ballade. Wayne Masters Luigi Ferro and Miguel Dias gang of VW Challenge Polos double up in Class X against Melanie Spurr’s similar car in Class X.

Car Care Clinic Superhatch is also raring to go, with Karel Stolts’ Etios ready to take on Francis Aldrich in a Corsa, Dhiren Ganasen and Seten Naidoo’s Civics and Quintus Viljoen’s Polo in Class A. Class B is all about Jonathan du Toit, Thishan Govender and Ishmael Baloyi’s Civics, Christiaan van Wyk in a Figo and Andre de Lange’s Golf while George Aldrich is in a Peugeot 206 in Class C.

Silver Cup always entertains. Spaceframe men, Marius Jacobs, Giulio Airaga and Cyril Jacobs Sr. should set the pace. Class A is competitive, with Stiaan Kriel’s Jetta taking on  Wayne Pereira, Paul van Niekerk, Andre de Lange and Paul Verios’ Golfs, Karel Stolts in a Mazda RX7, Lenard Archer and Shaun Lamprecht and  Thomas Hollier’s BMWs. Add Kenny Darroch, Neo van der Walt and Chantelle Bakkes’ Golfs and  Kevin Paynter’s Ballade in pursuit.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup comprises two classes this year. The Media Challenge racing GR86 coupes will see Denis Droppa taking on Mark Jones, Reuben van Niekerk, Chad Luckhof, Brendon Staniforth and Setshaba Mashigo. And the GR Yaris league has karters Nikolas Vostanis and Sa’aad Variawa racing Karah Hill and virtual racers Taariq Adam and Ryan Naicker.

The Regional Extreme Festival attractions continue off the track too to guarantee best family entertainment. There’s a kids play area, face painters, stilt walkers and balloon artists. Add car displays, food stalls and a beer tent too, live music and a deejay. Entry is R130 per adult, Students get in for R90 and kids under 12 are free.

See you at Zwartkops Saturday 18 February!