No taking it easy as Historic Tour returns to Zwartkops

The day will see 150 competitors take part in eight different disciplines over two races each.

Willie Hepburn (Opel Rekord V8) should win the Roofsure Midvaal Historics races. Picture: Paul Blackburn

Historic car racing will return to the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria this Saturday (21 May), with more than 150 competitors tackling the event there in eight separate Historic Tour disciplines.

Heading up the events will be two combined races for Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1966 Saloon Cars, incorporating the Under Two-Litre and Little Giants categories.

Alan Poulter (Volvo 122), Marc Miller (Alfa Romeo Giulia), Roger Houston (Alfa Romeo Giulia) and Francesco Lombardi (Alfa Romeo Giulia) will dice in the Under Two-Litre category.

John Ten Doeschate (Protea), Ishmael Baloyi (GSM Dart), Gary Stacey (Ford Cortina), Kyle Brink (Mini Cooper S), Eddie Botes (Mini Cooper S), Brian Rowlings (Ford Anglia) and Ben van der Westhuizen (Lotus Cortina) could all win in the Little Giants class.

Larry Wilford (Lola T70) must be a victory favourite in the races for Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1990 Sports Cars, facing off against James Temple (Shelby Daytona Coupe), Rob Beaumont (Porsche 917), Peter Jenkins (Chevron B19), Peter Bailey (Ford GT40), George Avvakoumides (Porsche 911 RSR), Rudolf de Vos (Chevrolet Can-Am) and Andre’van der Merwe (Porsche 911 RSR).

Inland Historic tour revving-up for day of nostalgia at Zwartkops

Willie Hepburn (Opel Rekord) should win the Roofsure Midvaal Historics races, chased by people like Rudolf de Vos (Chevrolet Can-Am), Travis Jensen (Datsun 1200 GX), Martin Venter (Volkswagen Jetta), Peder Jensen (Datsun 1200 GX), Jimbo Bennet (Ford Capri), Alan Hooper (Alfa Romeo Giulia) and Johan Kruger (Datsun 1200 GX).

The Ben Morgenrood Group HRSA Sprints ought to see front runners like Rudolf de Vos (Chevrolet Can-Am), Peter Bailey (Porsche 911 RSR), Andre’ van der Merwe (Porsche 911 RSR), Jannie van Rooyen (Volkswagen Scirocco), Stuart Konig (Volkswagen Scirocco), Rene Janse van Rensburg (Ford Escort) and George Avvakoumides (Porsche 911 RSR) fighting for podium places.

Historic Single Seater front runners should include Ben van der Westhuizen (Royale FF), Andrew Horne (Royale FF), Colin Clay (Lotus 23G), Des Hillary (Dulon FF), Paul Richardson (Dulon FF) and Shaun Cabrita (Titan FF).

Single-seater fans can also look forward to Monoposto races, with front runners to include Leon Scholtz (Ray FVW), Corrie le Roux (Formula M), Louis van der Merwe (Swift FVW), Steve Venter (Van Diemen FF), Herman Krige (Formula M), Kylton Morrow (Formula M), Ken Price (Formula M) and JM Gerber (Formula M).

Marius Jacobs (AAA Opel Tigra Spaceframe) will be the man to beat in the SilverCup 2,0 category, chased by people like Evert Seyffert (Chevrolet Can-Am), Dewald Brummer (Volkswagen Polo), Lenard Archer (ACD Honda Civic Type R), Guilio Alraga (Opel Tigra Spaceframe) and Evert Seyfert Jnr (Volkswagen Spaceframe).

Rounding out the programme will be two races for the Ben Morgenrood Historic Pursuit Series. Front runners should include Stan Stacey (Alfa Romeo GTV6), Rob Clarke (Honda Ballade), Wynand du Plessis (Toyota MR2), Kola de Klerk (Nissan 300ZX), Werner Hartzenberg (Porsche 916), Mike O’Sullivan (Honda Ballade) and Machiel Oberholzer (Mercedes 190E).

Racing will commence at 9am, with admission R100 per adult, R80 per student and kids under 12 to go in for free. Food and drink will be on sale or you can take your own, and you can visit the pits on foot at any time.