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South Africa's premier circuit racing series makes its second visit to the coast this year after the season opener in Cape Town in March.
Saood Variawa (Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla) and Michael van Rooyen (SVR Steelworks Toyota Corolla) should be front runners in Saturday’s South African Touring Car races. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter.
The Aldo Scribante circuit outside Gqeberha will host round three of this year’s National Extreme Festival Presented by Coca-Cola this weekend, with six disciplines on four and two wheels taking to the tarmac.
Heading up proceedings will be two races for South African Touring Cars.
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Leading the title chase, and the man to beat, should be veteran Michael van Rooyen (SVR Steelworks Toyota Corolla), with his closest challengers being the likes of Jagger Robertson (Sparco Volkswagen Golf GTI), Keegan Campos (Campos Trucking BMW 128ti), Saood Variawa (Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla) and Julian van der Watt (Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf GTI).
Also in the running will be Nathi Msimanga (Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla), Andrew Schofield (Chemical Logistics BMW 128i) and Siyabonga Mankonkwana (Chemical Logistics Toyota Corolla).
Racing behind the Touring Cars will be the SupaCup brigade.
They will be led by led by drivers like Tate Bishop (ANGRI Volkswagen SupaPolo), defending champion Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Motorsport SupaPolo, Charl Visser (Charl Engineering Volkswagen SupaPolo) and Dawie van der Merwe (Toyota Gazoo Racing Supa Starlet).
Challenging for top places as well will Andre Bezuidenhout (Weltevreden Volkswagen SupaPolo), Jason Loosemore (Astron Energy Volkswagen SupaPolo), Karah Hill (Kalex Volkswagen SupaPolo) and Dean Venter (Platinum Mile Volkswagen SupaPolo).
The Astron Energy Polo GTI Cup races should see Ethan Coetzee (Ethan Racing) and Mohammed Karodia (Fast 5) continue their season-long fight at the front.
Able and willing to spoil their day should be drivers like lady racer Tyler Robinson (AF Fans), Wayne Masters (Performance Masters), John Kruger (Habot Lubricants) and Derick Smalberger (Sabertek Polo).
Expected to also challenge for top places will be Rory Atkinson (Industry Petroleum), Bevan Masters (CPS Warehouse), Mike Barbaglia and Hannes Scheepers (Dainfern Dental).
For two-wheeler enthusiasts, the SunBet Kawasaki ZX10 Masters will tackle two races, with defending champion Clinton Seller (King Price Xtreme), certainly the man to beat on top of the points table.
He will face off against riders like Graeme van Breda (Stefanutli Stocks), Jayson Lamb (Tyremart EL), Adriaan van Dalen (VAG Automotive Centre ), Pieter Delport (Carlin Alademie) and James Barson (Steelmonkey Clothing).
Also in the running will be Johan le Roux (Avidan Trading), Damian Purificati (Amalgum Welding Shop) and David Enticot (Ravenol SA).
The Gazoo Racing Cup Driven By Netstar races should deliver spectacular action, with drivers competing in the three separate-scored classes.
Jason Coetzee will head up the Toyota GR Cup’s GR86 class after having won three out of four races so far.
He will be challenged by drivers like Kent Swartz, Khanya Ngwennya, Brandon van der Watt and Jordan Moodley
The GR Corolla class for select Toyota dealers will see points leader Mario de Sousa being the man beat. Opposition will come from fellow Andries de Villiers, Johan Boonzaaier, Dylan Jones, Riaan de Ru, Werner Venter and Toyota GR Cup Academy instructor, Paul de Vos.
In the media section, driving the all-new GR Yaris fitted with the eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission, runaway championship leader Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) will continue his season battle with Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine) and Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive).
Fighting out for in the rest of the six car field will be Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader), The Citizen‘s Charl Bosch and Willem van de Putte (Independent/IOL).
The Volkswagen Rookie Cup will start Saturday’s race day programme with front runners in the identical Polo Vivo GT models to include Giovanni Florotto, Uzair Khan, Mauro Da Luz, Christopher Tait and Luke Hill.
The full event programme is available on the Extreme Festival Presented by Coca-Cola website.
Admission tickets will be available from the Aldo Scribante Raceway entrance gate at R100 per adult, and children under 12 will get in for free.
Saturday’s full race day will be broadcast live on the Extreme Festival website.
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