National Extreme Festival visits Cape Town Saturday 18 March
What Extreme Festival 2023 Round 2 Preview
Where Killarney International Raceway
When Saturday 18 March 2023
Community South Africa National
The South African National Extreme Festival roadshow heads for Killarney on Saturday the 18th of March. The country’s premier circuit racing series will not just thrill the Cape crowd, but Province race fans will have more than their fair share to shout for, with home heroes in the thick of the lead fight pretty well across the board.
The Global Touring Cars were sensational and chaotic at their Kyalami season opener as the favourites hit trouble along the way. So expect even more drama this time out. Champion Robert Wolk and opening race winners, Saood Variawa and Michael van Rooyen’s Toyota Corolla GTCs will fight back. Never discount Cape Town home hero Andrew Rackstraw and his new Golf GTC, Polo Cup graduate Nathi Msimanga who so impressed on debut in his Corolla GTC, and Investchem Formula 1600 champion Josh Le Roux, who took a shock debut overall win in his Audi S3 last time. So, Killarney fans are assured of high GTC drama.
Keegan Campos is the man to beat in GTC SupaCup after a grand slam weekend last time out. Rest assured that Jonathan Mogotsi, Brad Liebenberg and Cape rookie Tate Bishop will be out to stop them, while Tato Carello, Dominic and Calvin Dias and JP dan der Walt are all keen to prove a point too. Arnold Neveling makes a welcome GTC SupaCup return at Killarney, while another Cape Town home favourite, Danie van Niekerk will also be back in action as he graduates to the Masters class to take on Scotsman Paul Luti.
Another weekend highlight, the G+H Extreme Supercars will thrill. Charl Arangies and his Mercedes-AMG GT3 and Jonathan du Toit’s Lamborghini Huracan won Zwartkops’ opening races, with Franco Scribante’s Porsche Turbo and Kris Budnik’s Dodge Viper in close attendance. Expect Dane Angel and his Porsche and dad Marcel’s Ferrari 488 to defend home glory and keep an eye out for Giannoccaro cousins Gianni’s Nissan GT-R, and Ricky and Giacomo’s Lamborghinis, Marius Jackson, and Joseph Ellerine’s Audi R8s, and Paarl racer Dawie Joubert, Mo Mia, Ant Blunden, Nicky Dicks, and Roy Obery’s Porsches too.
The CompCare Polo Cup is guaranteed to thrill, with local lad Charl Visser leading the championship charge home. Dawie van der Merwe is very close behind in second and never discount reigning rookie of the year Jagger Robertson, the experienced Dean Venter, quick racing lady Karah Hill and multiple hot rod champion Jason Loosemore. Local fans will cheer rookie GTi Challenge graduate Nathan Victor, while fellow first year lad Anthony Pretorius is another one to watch. Add Farhaan Basha, Bryce Pillay, Mo Karodia, Shivesh Bissoon and Ethan Coetzee among others, all of whom will be right in the thick of it.
Cape fans will be delighted by news that local youngsters Troy Dolinschek and Jason Coetzee will be the lads to beat in the Killarney Investchem Formula 1600 action. Both starred at Kyalami, so the home boys including Storm Lanfear, will prove difficult to stop. Not unbeatable, however, as Gerard and Antwan Geldenhuys, Siya Mankonkwana, Alex Vos, veterans Nicholas van Weely and Andrew Schofield and the rest will be out to prove. The Formula 1600s race alongside the stalwart Formula Ford Kents, where Graham Hepburn and Duncan Vos take on Ian Schofield, Allen Meyer in Rick Morris, and Ron Van Weely.
Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup comprises two classes this year. GTC top gun Saood’s kid brother Sa’aad Variawa will be keen to carry on his stellar main circuit debut with two more GR Yaris league wins over fellow karters Nikolas Vostanis and Bjorn Bertholdt, racing lass Karah Hill and virtual racers Taariq Adam and Ryan Naicker. And the GR86 Challenge sees Denis Droppa taking over the car colleague Thomas Falkiner won with last time out, to take on media rivals Mark Jones, Reuben van Niekerk, Chad Luckhof, Brendon Staniforth and Setshaba Mashigo.
Last, but very much not least, the hugely popular Kawasaki ZX10 Masters line up for their first round of racing for 2023 to add a little motorcycle magic to Saturday’s race programme. That’s where Highveld native Graeme van Breda has a swarm of Cape locals all over his back. Watch for Jayson Lamb, David Enticott, Ronald Slamet, Clint Munton, Brian Bontekoning and veteran Johan Le Roux among these motorcycle madalas classified by wrinkles, baldness, grey hair and age, rather than by speed!
The full National Extreme Festival programme powered by the City of Cape Town will be backed by track walks and off-circuit action, displays and entertainment aplenty. Practice will be on Friday before some classes qualify. Saturday morning will see the balance of qualifying sessions, followed by a full program of racing action. This coming Saturday 18 March, Killarney is ready to thrill. Tickets are available at Computicket, or at the gate.
Issued on behalf of Extreme Festival
Photography by: Colin Windell
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