The National Extreme Festival returned to the Aldo Scribante Raceway in Gqeberha for Round 4 of the 2024 South African Touring Car Championship (SATC) this past weekend. Spectators were treated to an exhilarating display of motorsport as TGRSA competed fiercely across both the SATC and SupaCup Championships.
South African Touring Cars (SATC) Highlights
The SATC races provided plenty of action, starting with a highly competitive qualifying session. TGRSA’s Saood Variawa put in an impressive performance, securing second place on the grid, just behind Julian Van Der Watt, despite setup problems with the rear diff on his car. Michael van Rooyen qualified in fourth after a mistake that arguably cost him pole position, while Nathi Msimanga rounded out the top five.
Official SATC Qualifying Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Julian Van Der Watt | 1:01.789 | – |
| 2 | Saood Variawa | 1:01.851 | +0.062 |
| 3 | Robert Wolk | 1:01.859 | +0.070 |
| 4 | Michael van Rooyen | 1:01.963 | +0.174 |
| 5 | Nathi Msimanga | 1:01.964 | +0.175 |
| 6 | Anthony Pretorius | 1:02.260 | +0.471 |
| 7 | Andrew Schofield | 1:02.811 | +1.022 |
SATC Race 1
Race 1 saw intense competition from the get-go. Saood Variawa, in his SATC GR Corolla, started strong, but ultimately finished third as the differential niggles again held him back. His time was 10:43.838, trailing winner Julian Van Der Watt by 6.402 seconds. Michael van Rooyen also had a strong race, securing second place with a time of 10:38.377, just 0.941 seconds behind the leader. Nathi Msimanga faced some challenges but managed to finish in fifth place, 10.490 seconds behind Van Der Watt.
SATC Race 1 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Julian Van Der Watt | 10:37.436 | – |
| 2 | Michael van Rooyen | 10:38.377 | +0.941 |
| 3 | Saood Variawa | 10:43.838 | +6.402 |
| 4 | Robert Wolk | 10:44.058 | +6.622 |
| 5 | Nathi Msimanga | 10:47.926 | +10.490 |
| 6 | Anthony Pretorius | 10:48.559 | +11.123 |
| 7 | Andrew Schofield | 10:51.311 | +13.875 |
SATC Race 2
Race 2 started with a reverse grid based on the results of Race 1. This added an extra layer of strategy and excitement. Anthony Pretorius capitalised on his strong starting position, taking the win with a time of 12:44.460. Robert Wolk finished second, just 1.126 seconds behind. Michael van Rooyen and Nathi Msimanga both showed resilience, finishing in third and fourth places, 3.757 and 4.036 seconds behind the leader, respectively. Saood Variawa, still struggling to fully control his car due to the setup problem with the rear differential in his car, finished in fifth place, 6.858 seconds behind Pretorius. Van Rooyen commented on the solid preparation of his car by the team for this weekend, as could be seen by his highly competitive performances throughout the event.
SATC Race 2 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Anthony Pretorius | 12:44.460 | – |
| 2 | Robert Wolk | 12:45.586 | +1.126 |
| 3 | Michael van Rooyen | 12:48.217 | +3.757 |
| 4 | Nathi Msimanga | 12:48.496 | +4.036 |
| 5 | Saood Variawa | 12:51.318 | +6.858 |
| 6 | Julian Van Der Watt | 12:51.529 | +7.069 |
| 7 | Andrew Schofield | 12:54.472 | +10.012 |
SupaCup Championship Highlights
The SupaCup races were equally thrilling, with Sa’aad Variawa making his debut in a newly built TGRSA SupaStarlet, taking over driving duties from Bradley Liebenberg, who continues racing in a privately entered Toyota SupaStarlet. Despite facing a series of technical challenges and on-track incidents throughout the weekend, Sa’aad showed resilience and potential in his new role. A deflated tyre bugged his qualifying session, forcing the young driver back to the pits mid-session. This robbed him of valuable qualifying time, which impacted his results for the starting grid.
SupaCup Qualifying Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Tate Bishop | 1:06.025 | – |
| 2 | Charl Visser | 1:06.147 | +0.122 |
| 3 | Jonathan Mogotsi | 1:06.147 | +0.122 |
| 4 | Keegan Campos | 1:06.178 | +0.153 |
| 5 | Jason Campos | 1:06.380 | +0.355 |
| 6 | Jean-Pierre Van Der Walt | 1:06.502 | +0.477 |
| 7 | Bradley Liebenberg | 1:06.677 | +0.652 |
| 8 | Nicolaos Vostanis | 1:06.861 | +0.836 |
| 9 | Sa’aad Variawa | 1:07.066 | +1.041 |
| 10 | Dean Venter | 1:07.244 | +1.219 |
SupaCup Race 1
Tate Bishop took pole position and maintained his lead to win Race 1, with Charl Visser and Jonathan Mogotsi completing the podium. Sa’aad Variawa faced difficulties but managed to make up some positions, finishing in ninth place.
SupaCup Race 1 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Tate Bishop | 10:20.152 | – |
| 2 | Charl Visser | 10:21.279 | +1.127 |
| 3 | Jonathan Mogotsi | 10:22.457 | +2.305 |
| 4 | Keegan Campos | 10:23.773 | +3.621 |
| 5 | Jason Campos | 10:25.590 | +5.438 |
| 6 | Jean-Pierre Van Der Walt | 10:26.633 | +6.481 |
| 7 | Bradley Liebenberg | 10:26.914 | +6.762 |
| 8 | Nicolaos Vostanis | 10:28.469 | +8.317 |
| 9 | Sa’aad Variawa | 10:29.073 | +8.921 |
| 10 | Dean Venter | 10:30.064 | +9.812 |
SupaCup Race 2
Race 2 saw Keegan Campos take the win, followed by Jonathan Mogotsi and Bradley Liebenberg, who secured a strong third place finish for his new team. Sa’aad Variawa started from the back and made significant progress before being pushed off track, ultimately finishing in eighth place.
SupaCup Race 2 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Keegan Campos | 10:22.340 | – |
| 2 | Jonathan Mogotsi | 10:23.181 | +0.841 |
| 3 | Bradley Liebenberg | 10:24.449 | +2.109 |
| 4 | Charl Visser | 10:25.629 | +3.289 |
| 5 | Tate Bishop | 10:26.993 | +4.653 |
| 6 | Jason Campos | 10:28.272 | +5.932 |
| 7 | Jean-Pierre Van Der Walt | 10:29.322 | +6.982 |
| 8 | Sa’aad Variawa | 10:30.175 | +7.835 |
| 9 | Nicolaos Vostanis | 10:32.085 | +9.745 |
| 10 | Dean Venter | 10:32.699 | +10.359 |
Sa’aad Variawa reflected on his challenging weekend, noting the issues faced with the car from Thursday through Saturday. Despite the setbacks, he managed to gain valuable experience and is focused on improving the car’s performance for the next race.
Looking Ahead
As the season progresses, TGRSA remains focused on maintaining their competitive edge in both the SATC and SupaCup championships. The team is well-positioned for a strong finish and is determined to continue their successful campaign.
“We are pleased with the performances of our drivers this weekend,” said Riaan Esterhuysen, Senior Manager at TGRSA. “The team showed great resilience and determination, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the upcoming races.”
The National Extreme Festival now heads to the East London Grand Prix Circuit for Round 5 of the 2024 SATC Championship. This event, scheduled for the last weekend in July, promises to deliver more thrilling racing action as TGRSA continues to push the limits and aim for the top.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa Acknowledges Its Sponsors
Toyota enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with Toyota Financial Services, Innovation Group Services and Kinto.
Published by: Karabo Sethusha
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