Two-horse race at Zwartkops

The 2017 Extreme Festival will end on a high note at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria this Saturday, with eight separate racing disciplines set to entertain spectators.

• Heading up proceedings will be two races for Sasol Global Touring Cars, with the season’s overall championship outcome to be determined. Fighting for the title will be Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi) and Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW). There are many permutations, but two third places on the day should be enough to crown Stephen, while Bonafede will need to win both races to give him a shot at the title. Others able to interfere with their struggle will include Simon Moss (Engen Xtreme Audi), Johan Fourie (EPS Couriers BMW), Robert Wolk (Sasol BMW), Mathew Hodges (VW Motorsport Jetta), Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW) and Daniel Rowe (VW Motorsport Jetta). Already crowned 2017 category champion, Keagan Masters (VW Motorsport Golf GTI) will lead the GTC2 entry, with his closest adversaries people like Trevor Bland (TB Golf GTI), Chris Shorter (Champion MINI JCW), Bradley Liebenberg (Ferodo MINI JCW), Charl Smalberger (VW Golf GTI), Mandla Mdakane (VW Motorsport Golf GTI), Iain Stevenson (Comsol Honda Civic) and Juan Gerber (Comsol Golf GTI).
• Probably the day’s biggest drawcard will be races for G&H Transport Extreme Supercars, with Charl Arangies (Stradale Aston Martin Vantage) and Franco Scribante (Porsche 911 GT3) expected to fight for overall victory. Also in the fray will be people like Jaki Scheckter (Drizit Lamborghini Huracan), Jonathan du Toit (TAR Ferrari 430), Marcel Angel (Autohaus Angel Ferrari 458), Deon du Plessis (BPT KTM X-Bow), Paul Hill (Kalex BMW 335i), Greg Parton (Drizit KTM X-Bow) Olivier Dalais (Marlboto Crane hire Ford GT) and Marius Jackson (Mega Fibre Audi TT).
• With 40 cars on the grid, the autObarn SuperHatch races will boast the day’s largest entry list, headed by Jonathan du Toit (TAR Honda Civic) and Brett Garland (autObarn Honda Civic). Others fighting for podium places should include Karel Stols Pta Noord Toyota RunX), Chris Davison (Opel Superboss), Tyler Scott (Jestic Opel 200TS), Melanie Spurr (Wealth Ave VW Polo), Andre Dannhauser (Pro Auto Opel Corsa) and Louis Scholtz (Car Care Honda Civic).
• Iain Pepper (Husqvarna Polo), Stiaan Kriel (Spanjaard Polo), Waldie Meintjes (Lee Thompson Polo), Quinton Needham (Megatron Lubes Polo), Wayne Crous (Toshiba Polo), Gavin Ross (Norbrake Polo) and Adrian Wood (Kyocera Polo) should be front runners in the VW Challenge races.
• Harry Arangies (Stradale Porsche 944), George Bezuidenhout (Accolade Nissan Primera), Lucas Bezuidenhout (Pta North Toyota Lexus), Jannie van Rooyen (VW Golf), Brent Henshaw (Delvin Toyota Celica) and Heinrich de Villiers (N&H Golf GTI) could spray champagne after the races for 111 Sports and Saloon cars.
• As is often the case at Zwartkops, the Hankook Formula Vee category could produce the event’s closest racing. Chasing glory at the front will be people like Gert van den Berg (BP Nantes Rhema), Jaco Shriks (Cubed Coatings Rhema), Peter Hills (Lube Fusion Rhema), Siya bonga Mankonkwana (Cervinia Vee), Lushen Ranchander (Technical Rope Forza) and Brandon Hills (Lube Fushion Rhema). v The Bridgestone Thunderbikes and Sub-10 Superbikes will race together, with probable podium chasers riders like Shaun Vermaak (Adrenalin Yamaha R1), Gavin Upton (Turn Skill Yamaha R1), Morne Potgieter (Fourways Kawasaki ZX10R), Byron Rothquel (Mag Magic BMW S1000RR), Hendrik de Bruin (Paramount Yamahab R1), Hendrik Erasmus (E Engineering BMW S1000RR) and Morne Potgieter (Fourways Kawasaki ZX10R).
• Rounding out the programme will be races for Bridgestone Challenge Motorcycles, with front runners expected to be Kyle Tavares (Frost Honda CBR1000), Werner Strohm (Parrot Interactive Kawasaki), Coen Erasmus (E Engineering Suzuki GSXR) and Hennie Swanepoel (Fourways Kawasaki ZX10).

– Circuit racing correspondent