EXTREME REGIONAL FESTIVAL – WEATHER TESTS DRIVERS

July 2024 will remain on record as the month in which the Western Cape had the most rain in recorded (since 1960) history and winter was most certainly still present on Saturday 3 August 2024 when the Extreme Regional presented itself at the Killarney International Raceway.

Mobil 1 V8 Supercars & V8 Masters (1×8 Laps)
The Western Cape have patiently waited two years for the former Wesbank V8’s to return and there was much anticipation when the Mobil 1 V8 Supercars arrived. The big names of the past have made way for a new champion in Julian Familiaris in his Lube-Net / Di Matteo Racing 1 GT1 Chevrolet Corvette V8. The cars still looked familiar as there had not been any new developments since the arrival of the Ford Falcon and Chev Lumina.

Familiar faces now restricted to the Wilford family, Larry and Terry, and Fuchs Lubricants as well as Franco di Matteo and his Jaguar XKR. Sadly Larry Wilford would not make it past Friday practice when the Fuchs Lubricants 4 GTX Ford Falcon arrived at Pertamina Fastron (Turn 5 or BP) minus brakes. Fortunately Larry does not give up easily and he soon found himself back behind the wheel of the 00 V8 Masters APV 347is.

Weather unfortunately really did not suite these brutes as they date from an era where the driver still has full control – when the track surface and tyres communicate properly that is. Massive slicks on a cold and wet surface simply become an ice skating exercise for even the most experienced V8 racer.

Their first heat almost ending in a first corner disaster when the leading bunch followed each other everywhere but around the corner as the rain arrived as the grid approached the startline on lap two. Ironically the race was red flagged when Jason Ibbotson (Autohaus Angel 14 APV 347is) crashed into the spun car of Rui Campos (Campos Transport 29 APV 347is) into Castrol (Turn 2 or Quarry) corner. Simply too dangerous to race.

They would eventually run a single, slippery, heat where Julian Familiaris simply destroyed all opposition to record a dominant victory in his Lube-Net / Di Matteo Racing 1 GT1 Chevrolet Corvette V8. Thomas Reib taking second in the Café 9 Automotive 9 GT1 Chevrolet Lumina V8 with Larry Wilford a mighty third in the 00 V8 Masters APV 347is. Lack of traction favouring the V8 Masters, but even they found the going extremely tough. Sean Moore the first regular home in fourth spot with the Ziegler Logistics 73 APV 347is with Jason Ibbotson fifth in the (second) Autohaus Angel 46 APV 347is. The top six completed by Warren Lombard in his Pep Boys Automotive Ford Mustang.

Not the return they had hoped for, but hopefully good reason to come back really allow the Rolling Thunder to speak for itself.

Pabar Volkswagen Challenge (2×8 Laps)
Once again a difficult race to truly compare North versus South as local knowledge may have been of more value in the difficult track conditions and the local drivers were driving for bragging rights whilst the visitors had to consider their Pabar championship prospects and classes ran at different times in different heats and conditions. What was clear was that the visitors considered the local drivers to be rather unforgiving on track.

Class A had Jurie Swart survive the war o take overall honours in his Alpine Autohaus 39A VW Polo 6R. Nathan Victor (Summit Racing 71A VW Polo 6R) and Schalk Geldenhuys (G&A Motorsport 10A VW Polo 6R) as well as Clinton Bezuidenhout (Progress Precision Engineering 57A VW Polo 6R) were involved in a mighty scrap for overall honours and it went pear shaped for Victor when Bezuidenhout turned Geldenhuys sideways putting Victor head on into the pit wall. A spectacular accident, fortunately without injury.

Wayne Masters finishing second in class A with his Performance Masters 4A VW Polo 6R and he was followed home by Oliver Hintenaus in the Coastal Engineering Supplies 76A VW Polo 6R and The CPS Warehouse 9A VW Polo 6R of Bevin Masters. Madodana Mydi Mfana fifth in his Clean Renewables 12A VW Polo 6R and in sixth it was Björn Bertholdt in his Sizanani Plastics 111A VW Polo 6R.

Raaziegh Harris surprised even himself by taking top honours in class B with the Cooltouch 19B VW Polo 2.0 and he was followed home by Dewald Theron (Ardfin 60B VW Polo 2.0), Nur Abass (Spice Mecca 8B VW polo 2.0), Stuart Mack (Creation Wealth 51B VW Polo 20), Ian Walker (77B VW Polo 2.0) and Francis Alrich (168B VW Polo 2.0)

Class C had Christopher Tait (Sportex 42C VW Polo 1.6) ahead of Andy Gossman (31C VW polo 1.6) and Mitch Coetzee (JRT Racing Experience 56C VW Polo 1.6). Fourth spot belonged to Philip Croeser (ATE Brakes 8C VW Polo 1.6) with Kyle Petersen (Insurick 43C VW Polo 1.6) fifth and in sixth spot it was Dimitri Zapheriou (Insurisk 24C VW Polo 1.6)

Laude Classic Cars (2×8 Laps)
A thirty three car entry shrunk substantially before the start of the first heat which ironically then ran in pretty acceptable conditions. The Lindenberg family returned as did Dave Köpke, Charles Arton and Ferdi van Niekerk. This was not a round of the regional championship and as such cars were split into five categories.

Franco Donadio simply disappeared up the road in the dominant Donadio Plant Hire 32A Chevrolet Can Am V8 with James Temple running second in the Lindenberg Racing 33 Shelby Daytona Coupé with Mark Uytenbogaardt running third in his massive Superior Elevators 36 Ford Fairmont V8 with Dave Köpke fourth in his never say die 23 Mazda R100 Rotary. Wynand Nell ran a cautious fifth in the Donadio Plant Hire 2 Ford Escort MkI.

Bruce Avern-Taplin (77 Toyota Corolla Sprinter) enjoyed a great tussle with Dave Alhadeff (95 BMW E30 325iS) for sixth and behind them Djürk Venter (Lindenberg Racing 24 Shelby Daytona Coupé) tussling with Paige Lindenberg (Lindenberg Racing 23 Ford Fairlane). Robert Rowe (11 Veldt Reared BMW E30 325iS) led the duelling Charles Arton (70 Porsche 914-6) and Ferdi van Niekerk Jnr (356 Porsche 356 Speedster) home.

Heat two had everything but heat and saw a few quick retirements as Ferdi van Niekerk Jnr was forced to withdraw the attractive 356 Porsche Speedster with a broken sideshaft on the warm-up lap and Malcolm Uytenbograadt parked the Superior Elevators Ford Fairlane at the scrutineering bay whilst the left rear wheel headed for the marshals down at Pertamina Fastron on lap six.
Team Lindenberg opted to retire all three cars as they headed towards the starting lights. Once again Franco Donadio disappeared in the Can Am whilst Wynand Nell made it a dominant Donadio Plant Hire one and two result in the Ford Escort MkI.

Mark Uytenbogaardt forced to retire his understeering Fairmont with a broken crankshaft whilst running second. Bruce Avern-Taplin took third in the Corolla. Dave Köpke tried twenty year old road tyres on the R100 Mazda but conditions remained tricky and it took a serious drive to remain ahead Dave Alhadeff (Shadowline Beemer). Charles Arton next in his Porsche 914-6.

Ferro Energia 111 / Sports & GT Saloons / Superhatch (2×8 Laps)
Thanks to Dave Ledbitter who provided the answer as to why it is called the Ferro Energia 111 category – it was created for cars not capable of lapping Zwartkops below 1min11. However Sport & GT Saloons can and it was Dawie Olivier who had a monumental shunt in Pertamina Fastron T5 when he last visited Killarney and he was back with yet another quick BMW E30. As a winner of the daunting Gydo King of the Mountain title driving his legendary Toyota Breadvan this driver is considered fearless and extremely capable and the weather was putting that theory to the test.

Few would have bet against George Economides to take overall victory in the insanely powerful Wealth Avenue 5GT Volkswagen Golf MkI Turbo but he was kept very honest by a sixteen year old Keegan Nathan in a Nathan’s Motorsport 21C VW Polo 2.0 during the extremely wet second heat and the youngster had the win in the bag until youthful exuberance beat him coming out of Interceptor (Turn 3 – Damps Dip).

Phillip Meyer drove a very calculated and cautious race in his pple Group 23GT Porsche 924 Turbo with the turbo only given time to breath down the straights whilst Dawie Olivier drove a relatively boring race to third overall in the 00GT International Race Supplies BMW E30 3.0.

Wayne Robb placed his attractive 225A Ford Focus ST fourth with Louis Scholtz fifth in Car Care Clinic 777X Honda Ballade and Piet Potgieter sixth in his 33A VW Golf.

George Economides the GT category victor from Phillip Meyer and Dawie Olivier. Class A saw Wayne Robb ahead of Piet Potgieter and Lindsay Clur (Natha’s Motorsport 28A VW Golf). Madodana Mydi Mfana won class B in his Clean renewables 12B VW Polo with Jonathan Visser second in a Auto Express 212B VW Polo 6R and in third spot it was Luigi Ferro in his Eco Simply Solar / Ferro Energia VW Polo.

Wouter Roos claimed class C in the Car Care Clinic 1C VW Polo with Marius Malherbe second in a M Kruger Auditing Inc Porsche 924 Turbo 1.8. and a somewhat unfortunate Keegan Nathan third in his Nathan’s Motorsport 21C VW Polo. His day will come though.

Robert Clark the only finisher in class D with his 13D Honda Ballade 1.8 as was George Alrichs in the Superhatch category with his 44SH Opel Corsa. Overall championship leader coming into the day Melanie Spur had a rather torrid outing in her Car Care Clinic 64A VW Golf 7.

DOE Formula Vee with CIM Lubricants (2×8 Laps and 1×10 Laps)
Always extremely entertaining to watch and exceptionally competitive the Formula Vee races traditionally produce some of the best racing and this year was no exception. They came to race irrespective of conditions and even opted for a three heat schedule on the day.

Dry circuit for their first heat but little assistance in temperature saw Peter Hills taking the opening victory in his Mangaza Racing Rhema 1.4i. An incredibly close train of eight cars had Lendl Jansen, Peter Hills and Theodore Vermaak disputing first place into Pertamina Fastron when Vermaak touched a wet patch, sliding into the back of Hills, allowing Jansen to lead into the final lap. Hills snatching victory from Jansen on the finish line whilst Vermaak recovered to a close third minus nose cone, 0.02sec clear of Brandon Hills. Richard Carr fifth, Joshua Smit sixth and Kelly Fletcher seventh.

Heat two ran over ten laps and the action at the front of the field was as close as ever. Peter Hills once again driving a very tactical race to record a second consecutive victory. Theodore Vermaak led on the opening lap but soon had Lendl Jansen and Peter Hills all over him with Brandon Hills also in the mix. On lap five Jansen outbraked himself into Pertamina Fastron, dropping out of contention. Peter Hills just pipping Brandon Hills to the line with Theodore Vermaak third and Richard Carr fourth. Joshus Smith fifth and Kelley Fletcher sixth after ten very entertaining laps is fair conditions.

The third and final heat ran in super wet conditions and proved to be quite a tester over eight laps. Experience paid dividends as the crafty Peter Hills managed to make it a hattrick of wins in his Mangaza Racing 3 Rhema 1.4i. The Hills dominated the grid at the start but Brandon Hills fluffed his start with massive amounts of wheelspin dropping him out of contention and then Theodore Vermaak took himself out in Interceptor (Turn 3 or Damps Dip).

Peter Hills vanished up the road with Richard Carr a solid second with Lendl Jansen moving into third with Joshua Smit fourth, Kyle Watt fifth and Vaughn Hills sixth. Jansen gradually reeled in Carr with Kyle Watt clinging on to fifth and Brandon Hills sixth. Vaughn Hills and Shaun van der Linde seventh and eighth.

BMW M Performance Parts Race Series (2×10 Laps)
It rained BMW’s at Killarney as 40 entries made their way onto the track for the first heat of the BMW M Performance Parts Series. A truly remarable variety of extremely quick BMW entries almost all neutralised by tricky weather as most of these drivers had never lapped Killarney in the dry, never mind extremely wet, cold and slippery conditions.

Still, credit to Nian du Toit who drove absolutely faultlessly to win dominantly in the NDT Racing 20A BMW E36 328i Turbo. Local knowledge may have been to his benefit but this was an impressive drive by an extremely talented driver. Ryan Naicker could offer no resistance and had to settle for second place in his very good looking 93A BMW E92 328i Turbo. Obviously settling for championship points rather than bragging rights it is doubtful if he would have been much closer.

Renzo Torrente third in the ATM Chiptuning 86A BMW F80 M3 GT4 and Marco retter fourth in his impressive Progress Precision Engineering 250A BMW E46 328i Turbo and in fifth it was another good looking Dalmon Mining 49A BMW E92 M3 Turbo with Bob Neill driving. The top six completed by Ammaar Coetzee in his MYH Motorsport 27A BMW E46 M3 Turbo.
Class B fell to Mansoor Parker in his Jive / Armien Levy 46B BMW E36 M3 Turbo with Dean Ball second in the Champion Motors 115B BMW E36 330i Turbo and Renier Smith third in his 5B BMW E36 M3 Turbo.

Class C was won by Reinhard Miller in his neat Amtec Racing Fuels 2C BMW E36 328i Turbo with Oliver Hintenaus second in his Coastal Engineering Supplies 76C BMW E36 M3. Claudio Jardim took class D in his Mixbox Automotive 44D BMW E36 330i with Trevor Long second in the Roof Surgeon 13D BMW E36 328i and in third it was Dewald Smith in the neat Amtec 130C BMW E36 M3 Turbo.

Class E going to Ernest Page in the 143 BMW E36 328i in which Dexter Bruce had won the All Tar Rally the previous weekend and he was followed by Faizal Jacobs in the Tracktion 144 BMW E46 M3 in which he failed to finish the All Tar Rally. Matthew Wadeley placing the unique BMW Car Club Gauteng 330 BMW E46 330i Touring third.

Conditions really making this an unusual overall result as the extremely powerful cars found themselves struggling to simply stay on track. As they say, they will be back!

VW Rookie Cup (2×8 Laps)
A training camp with two instructors mixing it with four actual competitors does not fit into any Extreme title and represented little more than a Volkswagen marketing demonstration on track.

Judd Bertholdt survived the challenging on track conditions to win overall from Dhivyen Naidoo, ahead of instructors Jonathan Mogotsi and Daniel Rowe. Uzair Khan, Josh Moore and Jayden Goosen completing the field.

Published by: Patrick Vermaak

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