What CompCare Polo Cup 2023 Round 5 Preview
Where East London Grand Prix Circuit
When Saturday 22 July 2023
Community South Africa National
Visser ahead as Polo Cup enters second half at East London
The CompCare Polo Cup remains in the Eastern Province as it heads to the East London Grand Prix Circuit to commence the second half of the 2023 season. While racing is always fraught in the breeding ground of future South African champions, one young man arrives the Border Region in a significant title advantage, with the rest looking to stop his charge.
Four times a race winner this season, Cape Town’s championship leader Charl Michael Visser has been super consistent too. That sees his Tyre Zone Team Red Racing Polo arrive in East London a handy 33 points clear of closest rival, Mbombela driver Dawie van der Merwe, who has also won a race in his Nathans Motorsport Polo. Dawie is one of several drivers keen to make good following a tough weekend in Port Elizabeth last time out, while Visser stormed to a dominant double win.
Just three points separate the three drivers vying for third in the title chase. Cape duo Nathan Victor’s Summit Racing car, Giordano Lupini, who has stormed back to win three races in spite of missing the opening round in his Tork Craft entry, and the other driver to win a race this year, Jozi’s Anthony Pretorius’ OMP Bucket List Polo will be looking for good results in East London.
It’s just as close for sixth in the chase, with seven points separating Jozi lad Farhaan Basha’s QVWI car, Jason Loosemore out of Richards Bay in his Security Fencing & Alarms Team Red entry, and Jozi duo, veteran Dean Venter’s MTown VDN Polo and young gun Ethan Coetzee’s JRT Racing machine. Squadra Corse’s Reaobaka Komane has impressed as he closes off the championship top ten, but he also has Bryce Pillay’s Techtisa Polo on his case.
Mo Karodia’s Fast 5 car and Jeandre Marais’ Syrabix Polo are tied on points for 12th in the title chase with AF Fans Team Red rookie racing lass Tyler Robinson, another newcomer Raaziegh Harris’ Cooltouch car and Roshaan Goodman’s Upward Spiral Team Red Polo in chase.
A super-fast yet technically challenging racetrack that favours the brave, the East London Circuit’s history stretches back 90 years to the first South African Grand Prix. Which makes it the ultimate test for the country’s best up and coming future racing champions to prove their mettle in the CompCare Polo Cup at the Extreme Festival there on Saturday 22 July. Don’t miss it!
*Volkswagen Motorsport thanks its partners CompCare Medical Scheme, Dunlop, Ferodo, Motul, Sparco and VW Genuine Parts.
Issued on behalf of Volkswagen Motorsport
Photography by: Andre Laubscher
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