Close action on the cards as over 50 identically powered bugs take to the track.
Back in the 1960s, The Love Bug kicked off a film franchise featuring Herbie the VW Beetle, a “Volksie” with a mind of its own that becomes an unlikely racing champion.
On Saturday, more than 50 modern day Herbies hit the track at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit when the Fun Cup makes its debut on the African continent. Based in Europe, the Fun Cup is a one-make, eight-hour endurance race split into two classes.
Launched in the United Kingdom 2002, the Fun Cup endurance championship’s goal is to provide cost-effective, close and exciting racing for all competitors. Engines and gearboxes are sealed and strictly controlled to ensure low running costs and close racing to make sure fun is the name of the game.
While Herbie’s famous racing stripes and his number 53 were the only visual clues to its racing ambitions, the Fun Cup entrants are much more advanced racing machines. In fact, the VW Beetle-styled bodywork is where the similarities end.
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Racing VW Beetles mean business
The Fun Cup cars are race designed, single-seaters, with strong space frame chassis that weighs in at only 740kg. They are all powered by 1 800cc VW/Audi petrol engines that pumps out 97kW of power, a far cry from Herbie’s humble 30kW. All cars are identical in specification, with no performance modifications.
The Fun Cup Beetles are also equipped with Sadev sequential gearbox and feature race brakes and fully adjustable suspension. Pit to car radio and paddle shifters are also offered depending on the depth of the entrant’s pockets.
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The races usually last between three to six hours, with a 45-minute or one-hour qualifying session on race day. Testing takes place on Friday and the grid positions are made from a random ballot, rather than times set in qualifying. At each round, the overall winning team from the previous event starts the race from the back of the grid.
Pit stop windows
Each race is split into stints of between 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes. At the end of each race, there is a pit stop window when each car must stop and may refuel. Refuelling cannot take place at any other time.
Once in the pits, the driver must get out and either run round the car before getting back in again. Or be replaced by another driver. That way, however many drivers in a team, there is no disadvantage. Team with any number of driver aged 55 or above compete in the Masters Championship.
Tickets for the Fun Cup is available through Quicket. General access costs R200 per adult, while children under 12 get in for free. Gates open at 7am with the action starting at 9am.
