What Extreme Festival 2024 Round 4 Preview
Where Aldo Scribante, Gqeberha EP
When Saturday 29 June 2024
Community South Africa National
Still nothing between Loosemore and Victor in Polo Cup
Jason Loosemore may have taken advantage of his three race to one success over title rival Nathan Victor at Zwartkops last time out. But it’s still extremely close between the two on top of the title table as Astron Energy Polo Cup heads to its midseason midwinter Extreme Festival appointment at the series’ spiritual home ground at Aldo Scribante on Nelson Mandela Bay on Saturday 29 June.
It’s also a most interesting affair at the head of the Astron Energy Polo Masters chase, where Wayne Masters is fighting it out with John Kruger and Derick Smalberger for top honours. Volkswagen Motorsport rookie driver Kyle Visser meanwhile plans to give his team a home round to remember, and there’s also a home town hero in the mix as the best Polo Cup pack for years descends on the Bay for its annual visit to the tight, twisty yet quick Gqeberha racetrack.
Having shared the honours evenly through the first two rounds, Zwartkops’ triple header served as a tie break. Richards Bay oval track champion Loosemore’s Security Fencing & Alarms Team Red Polo took a two race to one win over Capetonian former motocrosser Victor’s Summit Racing version. Nathan also struggled slightly in his other two races to allow Jason ahead in the chase, but there are very few points in it at a neutral track albeit known to favour the Cape Town lad.
Both however have their work increasingly cut out by a literal fleet of rivals hungry for their maiden Astron Energy Polo Cup victory. Not least of all Mo Karodia, who delivered a trio of very close second places last time out in his powerful Fast 5 entry. Ethan Coetzee is another young man intent on success in his JRT Racing Experience version. Two more seasoned rivals have come back to Polo Cup after a long time away, and both Charl Smalberger’s Sabertek car and Rory Atkinson Industry Petroleum Polo are both significant threats.
Then there are a couple of youngsters who have a home turf thing or two to prove. Local hero Jeandre Marais has been coming good of late aboard his Syrabix Team Red car and where better to nick a first national race win than on the racetrack he grew up at. And then there’s rookie Kyle Visser who may hail from the Cape, but it’s his Volkswagen Motorsport team’s home race. So he’d love to make his breakthrough at the Gqeberha races.
Never underestimate the young rose among the Astron Energy Polo Cup thorns. AF Fans Team Red lass Tyler Robinson has made giant steps toward the front of late and she’s chasing a first podium. Her Team Red teammate Roshaan Goodman is another driver to impress recently, while series rookies, Dainfern Dental Dr Hannes Scheepers, FSS International lad Pierluigi Muzzulini and young guns Bjorn Bertholdt’s Sizani Plastics and Nirav Singh’s Racing Spirit machines are all chasing a step forward.
Moving on to the over-50 year old Astron Energy Polo Masters, the appropriately named Wayne Masters has stitched together a fast and consistent season so far aboard his Alpha FSS car. He holds a reasonable advantage over fellow race winners, John Kruger’s Habot Performance Lubricants Polo, and Derick Smalberger’s Sabertek version. They have fast lady Elna Croeser’s ATE Brakes car, PABAR man Mike Barbaglia, Luigi Ferro’s second Alpha FSS entry, Chris Dale’s Dale Automation version and Elio Muzzulini FSS International Polo to worry about too.
There’s another most significant aspect to the home Astron Energy Polo Cup races in Gqeberha. With upwards of 20 cars on the list, it’s the biggest entry the series has seen for many a year, so the track action is guaranteed, and then some. Another very good reason for Nelson Mandela Bay residents keen on some great entertainment to diarise it now. And pack the tent, those chairs, the cooler and the braai, and head for Aldo Scribante on Saturday 29 June.
Issued on behalf of Volkswagen Motorsport
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