Spring finally showed up for the 21 September 2024 Extreme Festival at the Killarney International Raceway.
Sunbet ZX10 Masters 2×12 Laps
Currently the only motorcycle series that enjoys national status and with a field of twenty riders local honour was at stake and it was Trevor “Killer” Westman who led the charge on his Team Wayward 60 Kawasaki ZX10R with a mighty pole position. Split into three age based classes riders have to be 35 years or older to qualify for the ZX10 Masters. It makes them senior and determined, not aged.
Heat 1 saw Trevor Westman lead off the line with Allann-Jon Venter in hot pursuit until Trevor lost the front end going into Damps Dip. Unfortunately the Kawa hit the retaining wall at fairly high speed and turned back into the hapless rider. Contact left Westman on a stretcher, but he will hopefully be back soon.
Ilse of Man TT veteran, Allann-Jon Venter, taking victory aboard his Vault Markets 39 Kawasaki ZX10R from the Motorwise 78 Kawasaki ZX10R of David Enticott and the colourful K9 Enforcement 4 machine of Hein McMahon. Class B winner Graeme van Breda fourth on his Stefanutti Stocks 1 Kawa with James Barson (Steelmonkey & Proproof 15C Kawa) fifth and Pieter de Vos (Jongingozi Outsourcing 17C Kawa) sixth.
Heat two saw Venter and Enticott all over each other but the order remained the same past the André Grewe flag after 12 hard laps. Hein McMahon led Damien Purificati (Amalgum Welding Shop 821 Kawa) from Graeme van Breda and James Barson.
Overall the order down the classes were; Class A Allann-Jon Venter, David Enticott, Hein McMahon, Damien Purificati, Gerhard Vrey (Seal Pro Winelands 21A Kawa) and Peron Parasaramen (10 Kawa). In class B the order saw Graeme van Breda ahead of Sfiso Themba (Wakahima Racing 63 Kawa), Dieter Huysamen (Trucella Angling Supplies 70 Kawa) and Darryl Barrington (30 Kawa). The class C order had James Barton winning by a mile from Lionel Black (61) and Pieter de Vos (17).
Investchem F1600 2×10 Laps
Impressively quick, nimble and notoriously tricky on the limit a field of more than 12 would have been welcomed, but those present certainly did not hold back as the 2024 championship was at stake.
Jagger Robertson could do nothing wrong all weekend, finishing on maximum points and the championship log lead in his Liqui Moly 76 Mygale SJ whilst KC Ensor-Smith had to accept fourth overall for the day in his African Heating / Bitro Frameless 68 Mygale SJ. Now eight points behind with one meeting remaining at Zwartkops on 19 October 2024.
Alex Vos enjoyed a very competitive outing for third overall in his Investchem / DV Building Supplies 5 Mygale SJ whilst Siyabonga Mankonkwana accepted fifth in the Investchem 74 Mygale SJ. Storm Lanfear completing the top six in his Investchem / Mantalis / RDSA 27 Mygale SJ.
Shrien Naidoo started his day well in good form but contact with Alex Vos midway through Pertamina Fastron turned his Production X 12 Mygale SJ into a Space X model and it was parked in the spring flowers. Third in the second heat proved what may have been. Liam Polome also found the flowers attractive but recovered to finish the heat in his Red Dot / Vantage 95 Mygale SJ.
Astron Energy Polo Cup 2×8 Laps
Kyle Visser used his local knowledge to great effect in the VW Rookie Cup / VW Motorsport 77 VW Polo GTi to win overall for the day with a tight second place in heat one and two wins in the remaining heats.
Three eight lap heats certainly had the 21 entries singing all day but the use of a Safety Car in a sprint format seems questionable. Rory Atkinso started his day on pole but consistency saw him net second overall in the Industry Petroleum 2 VW Polo GTi entry. Jason Loosemore third in the Security fencing and Alarms 15 VW Polo GTi and Ethan Coetzee fourth in the Slayer Energy / Lee Thompson Racing 58 VW Polo GTi. The top six completed by Mohammed Koradio in the Fast 6 Motorsport 25 VW Polo GTi.
VW Rookie protégé Björn Bertholt seventh in his Sizanani Plastics 82 VW Polo GTi and the surviver of the day award to Tyler Robinson for not hitting anything solid into Pertamina Fastron with her spinning AF Fans 27 VW Polo GTi. Charl Smalberger had a DNF in heat two ruin a great day as he finished 3rd in Heat 1 and won the final Heat with the Universal Motorsport 12 VW Polo GTi entry.
Wayne Masters remain the master to beat in the Polo Cup Masters as the AlphaESS 4M VW Polo GTi romped home to overall victory from John Kruger in his Habot Oil 76M VW Polo GTi and Derick Smalberger in his Sabertek 55M VW Polo GTi. Elna Croeser (ATE Brakes 5M VW Polo GTi) fourth, Luigi Ferro (AlphaESS 10M VW Polo GTi) fifth and Chris Dale (Blog Belt Pozidrive 7M VW Polo GTi) sixth.
Gazoo Racing SA Cup 2×8 Laps
Three independent classes of racing consisting of six Toyota Corolla GR (GR Cup Media Challenge), four Toyota Yaris GR (GR Cup Dealer Challenge) and six Toyota 86 (GR86 Development Academy) models.
Dawie van der Merwe claimed top honours in the GR86 category from Kent Swartz, Setshaba Mashigo, Dylan Pragji, Ryan Naicker and Niko Zafiris. The latter two the greatest threat to Dawie van der Merwe.
Devon Scott (GR Driving Academy) looked impressive in the GR Yaris and won the Dealer element with absolute ease from Mario de Sousa (Motus Bedfordview), Theo Brits (NMI Toyota) and Marius Claassen (Rola Toyota).
Sean Nurse (AutoTrader) stayed top of the GR Corolla points log from Alex Shahini (CAR), Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel), Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M), Jaco van der Merwe (The Citizen), and Bernie Hellberg (Driven).
Extreme Supercars driven by Dunlop 2×12 Laps
Almost disappointing to state they only had two heats and though the field was certainly impressive one missed the presence of a few manufacturers in a field that always delivers a spectacle of variety in sheer good looks, sound and brute power. No matter which of these may be your personal favourite, just having these cars present steals the thunder for the day.
Stuart White certainly started the day as the odds on favourite for overall victory, but he encountered a few challenges enroute with the Into Africa 27A Lamborghini Huracan always looking dominant on the track. Heat one brought victory but then Stuart had to take the “long lap” around Pertamina Fastron when Dawie Joubert made a rare error, spinning the Lotari Wild Rose Gin 18A Lotus Exige 3.9 in front of the snarling pack on the opening lap.
Arnold Neveling recovered from a frustrating fourth in heat one to win the second heat in the Bobcat powered by Goscor Lift Trucks 54A Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo, finishing that day second overall to Stuart White. Circumstances did not allow the expected head to head between these two but they were not holding back on track.
The ever consistent Jonathan du Toit must rate as one of the smoothest drivers on track and he keep the Trans Africa 34 GT3 Lamborghini Huracan clean all day to win his class and take third overall. Impressive was the pace of Silvio Scribamte in the Cemza 55 GT3 Lamborghini Huracan. Second overall in heat one and looking stronger than ever before he was unfortunately forced to retire from the second heat.
Charl Arangies enjoyed a steady day behind the wheel of the three wheeling Stradale Motorsport / PAGID 86A Porsche 911 GT3 MR Gen II to finish fourth overall on the day. Gianni Giannoccaro enjoys quite a following in the Cape with the BISC Transport 15 GT3 Nismo GTR and fifth overall was a good result in serious company. Silvio Scribante credited with sixth overall.
Imaad Modack drove the former Johan Engelbrecht / Dayne Angel M.I.M.Carriers 47 Porsche 911 GT2R to seventh overall on debut with the MJR Motorsport 80A Audi R8 LMS GT3 of Marius Jackson in eighth spot. Ricardo Giannoccaro claimed ninth in his G&H Transport 75A McLaren MP4 12C GT3 with Marco Retter completing the top ten in his Progress Precision Engineering 50C BME E46 Turbo.
To see four Lamborghin Huracan GT3 cars circulating in close proximity really quite a sight at Killarney but unfortunately Xolile Letlaka had to retire his Into Africa 125A entry with what smelt like an onboard fire near the end of Heat 1 and though he certainly looked very competitive the car was retired for the day.
SA Touring Cars and Supacup 2×12 Laps
Robert Wolk made the SATC Championship his own by simply dominating the day in his Chemical Logistics / WTC Engineering 41 GTC BMW 128 and he was followed home by Julian van der Walt in the Chemical Logistics / WCT Engineering 42 GTC VW Golf 8 GTi. Michael van Rooyen third in the Toyota Gazoo Racing 16 GTC Corolla. Anthony Pretorius fourth in his OMP / LTR Racing 60 GTC Toyota Corolla with Andrew Schofield fifth in the FlySafair / Investchem 8 GTC BMW 128.
In the Supacup categrory it was local ace Tate Bishop that reigned supreme in his Angri Racing / LTR 94 VW Polo with Jonathan Mogotsi second in his VW Motorsport 14 VW Polo and third going to Bradley Liebenberg in the Sparco / Turn me On 12 Toyota Starlet. Charl Visser had to be content with fourth in the second VW Motorsport 33 VW Polo with Nicolaos Vostamus fifth in his 24 VW Pol and David Franco sixth in the Graphix Supply World 95 VW Polo.
Published by: Patrick Vermaak
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