Sushi to captivate fans at Red Bull Shay ‘Imoto
“I am prepared and can't wait to compete with the other drivers."
Rynsoord resident Sunesh Pursad will go wheel to wheel with 11 other spinners for the 2022 Red Bull Shay ‘Imoto title at Wheelz ‘n Smoke arena in Johannesburg South on September 3.
Pursad’s competition includes defending champion, Samukeliso Thubane, last year’s runner-up Chadwin Hadjie and Ziko Nembambula from Pretoria.
Known by his contemporaries as Sushi, the petrol-head found the smoke and dust, loud revving of engines and swerving of BMW 325is enthralling and after 15 years he began his career.
“I started in 2007, trying to spin my 325is. Later that year, I bought myself a four-door 318i which I converted into a 325i with a limited-slip diff. I started going to illegal drags and spin events on the streets,” he said.
Still suffering from the hangover of the 1980s when it was synonymous with gangsterism when Pursad started, the sport was shrouded in darkness – with events held at night, away from the public eye.
Today, however, it’s one of the fastest growing and popular motorsport events in the country as the new generation of spinners have worked tirelessly to make it a mainstream sport.
With its growing popularity, spinning attracts huge crowds to raceways across the country. This has allowed Pursad and co to burn rubber and envelop arenas with smoke in a safe and secure environment.
“I wanted more than just spinning on the streets, beside it being dangerous. I went to events that were hosted by other hosts who were at that time far and few.
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“I then started my team and began hosting events with them in Benoni, called Spin City Benoni. Thereafter, the events started growing in popularity and I managed to grow myself in the sport by improving my driving abilities and my car’s performance.”
This catapulted the legendary spinner to the top echelons of the sport and sponsors who wanted to be associated with his brand came galore.
His list of sponsors includes Sound Magazine, Max My Ride magazine, Diktator Engine Management and Suntech Auto Development Centre among others.
Known for his precision and panache on the track, he has accumulated many titles in his illustrious career. While he is proud of what he has achieved, the one title that sits close to his heart and is most proud of is the Bragging Rights national MSA title he won in 2021 at Killarney Raceway in Cape Town.
Competition at Shay ‘Imoto is expected to be tough for all 11 thrill seekers, but Sushi is undaunted. He knows that once the arena is absorbed by smoke, chants of ‘Sushi’ from his staunch fans, wife, Narina, and children will spin him to victory.
“I am prepared and can’t wait to compete with the other drivers.
“A big thank you to my supporters for always standing behind me. I will do my best to make them proud.”
Tickets for the event are available on www.redbullshayimoto.co.za and it will also be televised on SABC 1.
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