The Round 2 national championship battles headlined the spectator entertainment at this past weekend’s (11-12 April) Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola, held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.
Tyler Robinson (AF Fans) became only the second female driver to take the spoils in the all-Volkswagen Polo GTI Astron Energy Polo Cup. After taking the Dunlop Polo Position on Friday afternoon, she fended off her rivals for a lights-to-flag win in Race 1. Initially, Rory Atkinson (Industry Petroleum) held second place but lost it to Mohammed Karodia (Fast 5 Motorsport) just after the half-distance mark, with the latter also losing places soon after. This promoted Ethan Coetzee (Ethan Coetzee Racing) and Anthony Lessing onto the podium. Karodia won Race 2 after taking the early lead, with Coetzee battling it out with Shiren Rajpaul (Dubcorp Service Centre) for the runner-up spot.
In the Masters Class, Wayne Masters (Performance Masters) took both wins from Derick Smalberger (Sabertek). Mike Barbaglia (PABAR) and John Kruger (Habot Lubricants) finished third in Races 1 and 2, respectively.
Brad Liebenberg (Turn Me On Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO) beat Ryan Naicker (Mercedes-AMG GT3 and Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO) in a fiercely-contested first Extreme SuperCars Driven By Dunlop race. This also settled the GT3 Class podium for the race. Damian Hammond (Liqui Moly Lamborghini Super Trofeo ST EVO 1) took the Class A honours comfortably, while his father, Sam Hammond (Lamborghini Super Trofeo) won Class B. Uli Sanne (G&H Transport BMW Z4) took the Class C honours.
Shortly after Race 2, Liebenberg was disqualified for a technical infringement. Du Toit took the race and GT3 honours from Naicker, with Class A winner Kris Budnik (Bucketlist Composites Dodge Viper) completing the race podium. Sam Hammond and Sanne took double wins for the day in Classes B & C.
The South African Touring Car field also did not disappoint. Former champion Saood Variawa (Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla) quickly made his way to the front in Race 1 to take the win from Julian van der Watt (Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI) and Jagger Robertson (Sparco Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI). After an early Race 2 incident, Variawa and Michael van Rooyen (SVR Steelworks Toyota Corolla) dropped down the order. The series-debutant Keegan Campos (Campos Transport BMW 128ti) finished his weekend with the Race 2 win, with Robertson taking his best finish in second and Van der Watt third.
Behind them, the SATC SupaCup field also had a fierce contest. Race 1 winner Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Motorsport Polo SupaCup), second-place finisher Charl Visser (Charl Engineering Volkswagen Polo SupaCup), and debutant Niko Zafiris (Lee Thompson Racing Polo SupaCup) all received post-race penalties for utilising the Push-to-Pass feature on the opening lap. This saw Tate Bishop (ANGRi Racing Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) crowned the winner, ahead of Dylan Pragji (Stylin Auto Volkswagen Polo SupaCup), the latter’s best finish to date. Mogotsi was classified third. In Race 2, Mogotsi took the win while Bishop and Visser battled it out for second place.
The Gazoo Racing Cup Driven By Netstar produced some of the day’s best racing and most unexpected results.
In the 86 Cup, Kent Swartz won the first race from Khanya Ngqenya and Jason Coetzee. In the second race, Coetzee fought off Ngqenya for the win, with Brandon van der Walt third.
However, the status quo of the 86 Cup winner being the first to cross the line ended. In Race 1, Yaris Cup winner Nabil Abdool, one of the media personalities who made his 2025 debut in March, also won the race. Kyle Kock and Phuti Mpanye completed the podium. This trio repeated their results in Race 2, but this time, it was Dealer Cup winner Mario de Sousa who crossed the line first, making it a double win on the day. He shared the podium with Paul de Vos and Theo Brits on both occasions.
While the debut of the Investchem MSA4 Championship was one of the most anticipated events on the programme, only two demonstration sessions took place. The field of newly built cars only had their first track session mere days before the event. With their on-track tests coinciding with heavy rainfall in Gauteng, there was hardly any time to resolve minor teething issues. Subsequently, it would not have been fair to all entrants to have this as a championship-scoring round.
However, the demonstration sessions gave a glimpse of the exciting future of single-seater racing in South Africa and introduced some of the young drivers who will be contesting the opening season.
Subsequently, the season opener will take place at the home of the series’ engine partner, Volkswagen, the Aldo Scribante Raceway, on 9-10 May. This will also be the next stop on the National Extreme Festival calendar.
Published by: Reynard Gelderblom
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