ZWARTKOPS RACEWAY WILL SEE NATIONAL EXTREME FESTIVAL TITLES DECIDED

While some national championships have already been decided, there is still much at stake in 2024’s final National Extreme Festival, which will take place at Zwartkops Raceway this coming weekend (18-19 October).

For all but the SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup, Volkswagen Rookie Cup, and Extreme SuperCars Driven by Dunlop, this will be the seventh round of the season. Apart from Extreme SuperCars Driven by Dunlop, who will visit Zwartkops Raceway for the third time this year, this will be the second visit to the Pretoria-based venue.

For one of the series on our tour, it will not only be the end of the season but also the end of an era. In 2017, the Investchem Formula 1600 Championship debuted, and we have since seen a host of drivers progress to greater things, with Julian van der Watt, Andrew Rackstraw, and Jarrod Waberski being only three notable names. Scheduled to be replaced by MSA4 as the country’s premier single-seater series, the weekend’s farewell will see a fiercely contested championship battle open the season finale’s programme.

Jagger Robertson (Liqui Moly) heads up the points table with 98 over KC Ensor-Smith’s (African Heating) 90. Robertson, competing in his debut season, retook the lead after Ensor-Smith had a troublesome weekend in the previous round. However, this series does utilise the Drop Race System, which sees each competitor forfeit their lowest scores of the season. Therefore, Robertson’s net lead over Ensor-Smith is 10 points, with 22 points still on offer. Jason Coetzee, in third place, did not enter for this round. While a shot at the title is out of his reach, Siyabonga Mankonkwana (Investchem) is eager for the tall task ahead of eliminating the 19-point gap to Coetzee.

For the first time since the Gqberha leg of the Extreme Festival, they will also be joined by the Formula Ford Kent brigade. Entrants will include recent Top of the Hill Shootout winner Ian Schofield (Mygale SJ), joined by Duncan Vos ( Van Diemen RF04), Alan Meyer (Investchem Van Diemen RF07), Nicholas van Weely (Magnificent Paints & Hardware Van Diemen RF06), and Ronald van Weely (Magnificent Paints & Hardware Van Diemen RF92).

The Volkswagen Rookie Cup rejoins the national roster for the first time since the Gqeberha outing. Since then, they have travelled to Cape Town as part of the Regional Extreme Festival and competed on the Algoa Motorsport Club roster.

Judd Berthold (Sizanani Plastics), also victorious in the recent Top of the Hill event, has since taken a three-point lead over Dhivyen Naidoo (Production X) in the all-Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT series. These are the only two drivers still in play for the title, while Uzair Khan (TSS), 19 points behind Naidoo, still has a mathematical chance of taking the runner-up spot.

The South African Touring Cars (SATC) Drivers’ title is already wrapped up, with Robert Wolk (Chemical Logistics SATC BMW 128 ti) now having joined Michael Stephen as three-times series champion. However, the battle for second place is still on, with Michael van Rooyen (Toyota Gazoo Racing SATC Toyota Corolla) only six points clear of Julian van der Watt (Chemical Logistics SATC Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI). 2024 debutant Anthony Pretorius (OMP SATC Toyota Corolla) is merely nine points adrift and also still in the hunt. The season finale will also see the outgoing champion Saood Variawa (Toyota Gazoo Racing SATC Toyota Corolla) back in action, having missed the penultimate round.

The Manufacturers’ title is still up for grabs, with defending champions Toyota only nine points ahead of BMW.

Behind them, there are only 13 points in it at the top of the SATC SupaCup Championship. Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) retook the lead from Keegan Campos (Campos Transport Volkswagen Polo SupaCup). Charl Visser (Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) is also in a strong position to take third place, with defending champion Brad Liebenberg (Sparco Toyota Starlet SupaCup) 28 points further back. Dylan Pragji (Bucketlist Racing Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) is set to make his debut this weekend.

This weekend will see the eighth round of the Extreme SuperCars Driven by Dunlop championship. Arnold Neveling (Bobcat powered by GOSCOR Lift Trucks Audi R8 GT3 EVO) holds a three-point lead over Jonathan du Toit Trans Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO) in the series championship.

In the time-based classes, Stuart White has already wrapped Class A+. Along with his second-placed Into Africa Mining teammate, Xolile Letlaka, he will miss the season finale, with the pair focusing their attention on other campaigns, locally and abroad. Neveling, Aldo Scribante (Scribante Concrete Lamborghini Huracan) and Charl Joubert (A One Bakkie Spares Lotus Elise) will head up the challenge in this class. Class A’s Ricky Giannoccaro (G&H Transport/ ITRE Cugini logistics McLaren MP4-12c GT3) holds a three-point lead over Charl Arangies (Stradale Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup MR). Anthony Blunden, who will also compete in his Class A G&H Transport McLaren MP4-12c GT3, has already wrapped up the Class B honours in his Porsche. Shayur Harpal (Stradale Motorsport Porsche 997 GT3 Cup) will head up the Class B battle this weekend. Class C sees no entries heading into the weekend, with Jimmy Giannoccaro (G&H Transport Audi GT4) already taking the honours. Uli Sanne (BMW Z4) will compete in Class D.

The GT3-specification class sees Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO) already in an uncatchable position, with Gianni Giannoccaro (BISC Transport Nismo GT3) and Silvio Scribante (Cemza Lamborghini Huracan) both looking to take the runner-up spot.

Jason Loosemore (Security Fencing and Alarms) has virtually sewn up his maiden Astron Energy Polo Cup title. He holds a 42-point lead in the all-Volkswagen Polo GTI series over his nearest rival, Ethan Coetzee (JRT Racing Experience), with a maximum of 43 points still on offer. Kyle Visser (Volkswagen Rookie Cup) is 39 points adrift and only three ahead of Mohammed Karodia (Fast 5 Motorsport).

In the Masters class, Wayne Masters (AlphaESS) is 36 points clear of Derick Smalberger (Sabertek), with John Kruger (Habot Oil) third, 40 points adrift.

The 10-round SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup season will also conclude this weekend. Clinton Seller (King Price Xtreme) already secured the title in the all-Kawasaki ZX10 series earlier this year. However, the multiple South African champion will look to add to his impressive tally of 13 wins in his debut season. Damion Purificati (Amalgum Welding Shop) has moved into second place, nine points ahead of Trevor Westman, who will be out for the season finale after injuries sustained in the penultimate round.

In the Masters class, This trio occupy the same positions, albeit with slightly different points totals. Purificati has 218, Westman 214, and Hein McMahon (K9 Law enforcement) is in closer contention with 208. Outgoing series champion Graeme van Breda (Stefanutti Stocks) has already wrapped up the Grand Masters class title, with Dave Veringa (East Rand Bike & Boat World) also having secured second place. Dieter Huysamen (Trucella Angling Supplies) is 29 points ahead of James Barson (Steel Monkey), with a maximum of 50 points still available. In the Veterans class, Johan le Roux is 26 points ahead of Jason Lamb, who is 25 clear of Pieter de Vos.

All three titles have already been wrapped up in the Gazoo Racing South Africa Cup Driven by Netstar. However, this does not mean that the battles are concluded.

Dawie van der Merwe is on target to complete his GR 86 season with a 100% win ratio and will give little thought to the battle for the runner-up spots. Niko Zafiris is 10 points clear of Dylan Pragji and Ryan Naicker, tied on 36 points. Sean Nurse took the GR Corolla honours, while Alex Shahini and Hannes Visser will look to tie up the runner-up spots. Devon Scott will not be in action in the GR Yaris class, while Mario de Sousa (MOTUS Toyota) and Paul de Vos (GR Driving Academy) will look to complete their seasons on the championship podium.

Spectator tickets can be purchased at the entrance gate on Saturday or by contacting the Zwartkops Raceway office beforehand. The entire race day programme, starting at 10:20, will also be broadcast live on the Extreme Festival website. The complete weekend programme will be made available on the Extreme Festival Facebook page and Instagram account on Thursday evening.

Published by Brandsponential on behalf of Extreme Festival

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