Summarize

Astron Energy Polo Cup will race into a new era with a new sponsor and a virile new Masters class when the new season kicks off at Killarney International Raceway’s season opening National Extreme Festival on Saturday 16 March. Perhaps even more intriguing is that whoever wins the weekend’s two heats, will be first time Polo Cup winners. None of the pack that was entered at the time of writing, had ever won a Volkswagen Polo Cup race!

Only six of last year’s grid return for 2024 after the cream of the 2023 crop moved on to bigger things. Which leaves two of last year’s most competitive drivers as favourites. Local lad Nathan Victor will be looking to stamp home his Killarney advantage aboard his Summit Racing entry, but he will certainly have his hands full with old Richards Bay rival, oval graduate Jason Loosemore’s Security Fencing and Alarms car. Do not overlook Jozi trio, PABAR VW Challenge Class B champion Ethan Coetzee’s JRT Racing Experience Polo, Fast 5 Motorsport lad Mohammed Karodia, AF Fans lass Tyler Robinson, or Nelson Mandela Bay racer Jeandre Marais’ Syrabix machine. All of them are super-quick, have vital a year or more of Astron Energy Polo Cup experience under their belts, and should be considered a threat for a maiden win

They will be joined by a fast trio of Astron Energy Polo Cup rookies in Volkswagen Motorsport Rookie Cup winner Kyle Visser taking up his prize Polo Cup seat, former Rookie Cup rival Bjorn Bertholdt’s Sizanani Plastics car, Nirav Singh, and another man not to be taken lightly, the flying dentist, Dr. Hannes Scheepers VCSA Dainfern Dental Studio Polo. Sabertek Team Red racer Charl Smalberger meanwhile returns to Polo Cup after several seasons away, when he raced the previous generation car.

The other big Astron Energy Polo Cup news is the return of the Masters class for over-50 year old drivers for 2024. Among them, former Polo Cup champion Jeff’s dad John Kruger returns to tin top racing aboard his Habot Performance Lubricants. He should have his hands full with a few PABAR VW Challenge frontrunners including Wayne Masters’ Performance Masters car and rapid ATE Brakes lady racer Elna Croeser.

Charl’s dad, Derick Smalberger is another strong contender in his Sabertek car against old Challenge rivals, PABAR capo Mike Barbaglia, Ferro Energia man Luigi Ferro, and Johan Gouws’ Keller Williams Realty Polo Cup. 

“Volkswagen Motorsport is primed and ready for another great year of Astron Energy Polo Cup racing,” Head of Volkswagen Driving Experience, Mike Rowe concluded. “2024 promises to be a vintage season and a completely different Astron Energy Polo Cup story this year. Not only do we have a great new sponsor in Astron Energy, South Africa’s next biggest fuel supplier, and an all-new over-50 Masters class, but we are also guaranteed new winners and champions at the end of the season.”

The Astron Energy Polo Cup champion will earn a fully paid-for drive in the 2025 SATC SupaCup championship, while the 2024 Volkswagen Rookie Cup champion will race in Astron Energy Polo Cup in 2025. 

Astron Energy Polo Cup races as part of the full and spectacular Extreme Festival roadshow on Saturday. See you at Killarney!