What Historic Tour Race Report
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 23 September 2023
Community Gauteng Regional
Splendid Historic Tour races call back the past
Zwartkops Raceway celebrated Heritage Day in classic Historic Tour style as the racecars, and some drivers of the past delivered great action as fans also enjoyed sizzling braais trackside in perfect Pretoria spring sunshine.
Larry Wilford’s Lola T70 coupe held Trans Am winner Hennie Groenewald’s Chevy Camaro off to win the opening Sports & GT race with Mark du Toit third in his Lola T70 spyder. Jonathan du Toit followed in his Chevron B8 ahead of Peter Bailey’s Lola T70 James Temple and Warren Lombard’s Daytona Cobras, Ben Morgenrood’s Mustang, Chevron B8 driver Allen Meyer and Marc Miller’s Alfa Romeo. Mark du Toit bounced back to take race 2 from brother Jonathan, Bailey, Temple, Lombard, Morgenrood, Meyer, Miller Ish Baloyi’s Dart and John Ten Doeschate in his VPW Sport.
It was a battle of the giants in the Marlboro Crane Hire Legends of the 9 Hour opening race. SA racing legends, Hennie Groenewald’s Mercury Comet held Ben Morgenrood’s Ford Mustang off for a close win. Pole man Jonathan du Toit’s Chevy Nova ended fourth from Mark du Toit’s Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt, Seef Fourie Jr’s Barracuda, Class B top two Paige Lindenberg’s Ford Fairlane, and Sophos Pantazis’ Datsun 240Z. T/A winner Jonathan Needham’s Cortina followed from Deon Schwabsky’s Escort and Marc Miller ended tenth in his Alfa Sprint. Morgenrood was left to win race 2 from Mark du Toit, Lindenberg, Needham, Schwabsky, Djurk Venter’s Escort, Kyle Brink ‘s Mini and John Ten Doeschate in a GSM Dart.
Historic Single Seaters celebrated 25 years of racing with a spectacular grid of everything from ‘fifties Specials to Formula 3s putting on a show. But nothing would stop classic Formula Fords from dominating as Matt Nash took the opening race from Paul Gerber’s Ray, Ben van der Westhuizen’s Royale, Shannon Winterstein’s Titan Alan Kernick’s Tempest Paul Richardson in a Dulon Patrick Dunseith in a Merlyn. Wihan Tiedt’s Dulon followed from Dalan Holton’s van Diemen and Roy Douglas’ Tiga. Nash took race 2 from Holton, Gerber, Kernick, Winterstein, Shaun Cabrita’s Titan, Richardson, Mike Ward’s Formula 3 Reynard, Tiedt and Dunseith.
PE visitor Rudolf de Vos’s Chevy Firenza Can Am dominated the Ben Morgenrood Group HRSA Historic Sprint races. He left Class D winner Meredith Willis’ Escort to fend off Class D winner Stuart König’s Scirocco, and Andre ten Napel and Johno König’s similar cars. Gavin Lundin’s Datsun 1200 GX followed ahead of Scirocco duo, Johan Gouws who won Class E in 8th, from Terence Ladner and Nigel Townshend’s Escort. Behind them Ballade duo Robert Clark took the Youngtimer win from Mike O’Sullivan and Jonathan Visser’s Jetta, and John Bronner’s Alfa Sprint won Class F. Race 2 delivered the same top three from Ladner, Lundin, E winner Richard Duckham’s Escort Fred König’s Scirocco, Townshend, with the same results in Youngtimers and Class F too.
Rob van Aarle’s Escort beat Althea Pretorius’ Exa home to the opening Ben Morgenrood Group HRSA Historic Pursuit race, from Jose Vasques’ Mercedes, Stan Stacey’s XR8, Garreth Ferreira in a Mini, David Leyshon’s Scirocco, Wernher Hartzenberg’s Porsche 916, Willem van Niekerk’s Marauder, Andre Hattingh in his Mercedes and Tihan van Rooyen’s Porsche 924. Andre Hattingh took race 2 from Pretorius, van Aarle, Hartzenberg, Gary Stacey in the XR8, Alfa duo Gerrit Murray’s GTV and John Bronner in a Sprint, Hedley Whitehead and Ferreira’s Minis, and van Niekerk. Both those results exclude any handicap break-out penalties.
Formula M man Jannie Gerber took the opening Formula Monoposto race from Didier Diedericks’ similar car and Allen Meyer’s Formula VW machine. Super Vee men Clint Baudoux, Lushen Ramchander and Jeandre le Roux followed from Kennedy Torres’ Formula Vee, Formula M duo Chloe Stuart and Brian Mnguni and Blane de Meilon’s Super Vee. It was all change in race 2 as Allen Meyer beat Tjaden Tromp’s Super Vee, Baudoux, Damien Archer’s Formula GTi Ray, le Roux, Torre,s Bruce van Niekerk’s Vee, Ramchander, Ahmad Mahomed’s Super Vee and Hayden Archer’s Vee home.
It was all about Devin Robertson in INEX Legends as he stormed to all three wins. He beat Jagger Robertson and Sebastian Lanzetti in the first two races, before Lanzetti put one over Jagger for second in the final. Jayden Goosen was a consistent fourth through the day as Tyler Robinson, Cyril Jacobs Jr. and Christian Padayachee fought it out for fourth.
Zwartkops Raceway now gears up for the National Extreme Festival finals on Saturday 14 October.
Issued on behalf of Zwartkops Raceway
Photography by: Colin Windell
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