Summarize

The Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit is limbering up to a huge race weekend when the local Regional Extreme Festival teams up with the National Extreme Festival roadshow for a blockbuster racing showcase from 11-13 April. 

Race fans can look forward to the regular National Extreme Festival action, when the Extreme Supercars Driven by Dunlop, South African Touring Cars and SATC SupaCup, Astron Energy Polo Cup, Investchem F1600 Including Formula Ford Kent, SunBet Zx10 Masters Cup motorcycles Gazoo Racing SA Cup take to the track.

But that’s just half the story. Those classes will be joined by the finest regional racing Gauteng can offer, when the super-fast Mobil 1 V8 Supercars and monster packs of PABAR VW Challenge, BMW M Performance Parts Race Series, DOE Formula Vee and 111 GT Sports & Saloons with SuperHatch add more than just a little spice what’s already guaranteed to be a spectacular day of racing.

Looking closer at Kyalami’s Regional Festival attractions, the thundering Mobil 1 V8 Supercars will be among the fastest cars racing on the day. Julian Fameliaris’ Corvette and Thomas Reib’s Lumina shared the wins last time and both will be looking for more. Terry Wilford, Warren Lombard and Auke Compaan’s Mustangs, Sam Dahl in a Falcon and Steve Herbst’s Corvette are however among the many baying for their blood.

The PABAR VW Challenge has made a changes to its Balance of Performance between its turbo and aspirated cars. So, while Chris Dale, Luigi Ferro and Mike Barbaglia will be keen to continue their surprise speed in that first race, Masters brothers Wayne and Bevin will want a return to old form. Former C champion Ian Walker, Durban lad Shiren Rajpaul and Mo Karodia are the ones to beat in Class B. And Michael Zapheriou is keen to continue his winning ways over Chris Tait and Philip Croeser in Brat Pack Class C.

While the PABAR lads may impress with over 40 entries, that’s nothing compared to the almost 60-car BMW M Performance Parts Race Series pack. That will even fill Kyalami to capacity and guarantee many a thrills. Leon Loubser will dice Fabio Fedetto and Bob Neill up front on Class A, with B lot, Andreas Meier, Nek Makris, Renier Smith et al snapping at their heels. Bennie Luyt, Hein van der Merwe, Claudio Jardim and Guy Martins are the C men to watch, with Nick Herbst, Cobus Bohmer and Craig Herbst quick in D. And Eddie Rodriguez and Shaun Dodd are the BMWs to beat in Class E.

Not to be outdone, DOE Formula Vee partnered with CIM Lubricants has drawn a healthy 26-car entry. All eyes are on Lendl Jansen, who came out of his corner punching to take a close first race win from ’22 champion Peter Hills in the previous round. Also watch for ’23 champion Jaco Schriks, MD Bester, Brandon Hills, and Kyle Watt among the Vees, which have brought incredible close racing and huge thrills to South African racetracks ever since they were invented in the mid-1960s.

 

The 111 GT and Saloon race may be sharing the track with the SuperHatch entries, but that does not take anything away from another packed 35-car grid there. 111 expert Lenard Archer’s BMW, Louis Cloete’s Beetle, Melanie Spurr, George Economides and Piet Potgieter’s Golfs, Subaru men Braam Muller and Johan Labuschagne and a few others can be expected to make the running up front. Add huge action throughout the varied field with Lucas Bezuidenhout’s Lexus, Phillip Meyer, and Marius Malherbe’s Porsches among them. Mark du Toit’s BMW meanwhile takes on Seten Naidoo and Ish Baloyi’s Hondas, George Aldrich’s Peugeot, and the rest in SuperHatch. 

With practice Thursday before qualifying and even two races on Friday afternoon, and a full day of dawn to dusk National and Regional racing among a true Extreme Festival atmosphere, Kyalami’s blockbuster is the place to be on Saturday 13 April. Entry is R200 per person, with kids under 12 free. Book now at Computicket. See you at Kyalami!