Super Series will happen, starting at Zwartkops
Less than a month ago many local motorsport fans strongly doubted that this year's premier South African circuit racing series would happen.
The Engen Cup category should boast the largest entry, with some 30 cars on the grid.
There was a dearth of car entries in all of the involved classes, with sponsors now definitely a threatened species.
That apart, the motorcycle racers, who were often the top spectacle of Super Series racedays, left for other pastures, now competing on Sundays.
Pessimists declared national motorsport to be knocked out on the ropes. Nobody, but nobody, had anything positive to say about the game.
Where motorsport enthusiasts meet, the favourite passtime was to allocate blame and spread gloom.
And yet, it is going to happen. Zwartkops Raceway will host the opening round of the 2014 Super Series next Saturday, March 1.
Heading up the action will be races for Bridgestone Production Cars.
Reigning South African champion Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi S4) will defend his title, backed by Simon Moss in a similar car.
Hennie Groenewald will also be in an Audi this year, joining young Gennaro Bonafede in a similar car under the Sasol banner.
Gavin Cronje and Johan Fourie will be driving BMW 335i models.
Defending Class T champion Graeme Nathan (Volkswagen Golf GTi) will be up against the likes of Lee Thompson (MINI Cooper S), plus Gary Formato and Shaun Duminy in their Castrol Ford Focus ST entries.
Veteran Ben Morgenrood (Ford Mustang) will lead out the SA Sports and V8 GT cars, accompanied by people like Franco di Matteo (Jaguar XKR), Willie Hepburn (Chev Corvette), plus Terry Wilford (Ford Mustang) and Larry Wilford (Jaguar XKR).
The Shelby Can-Am racers will include Rui Campos, Brian Algar, Alan Eve, Andre Strike, Craig Shorter and Alister Brown.
The day’s biggest entries should be seen in the Engen Volkswagen Cup category, with youngster Sheldon van der Linde’s efforts in a Ferodo Polo willl be closely watched.
Other front runners should include Daniel Rowe, Shaun Le Réservée and Dewald Brummer, plus lady racers Tasmin Pepper and Robyn Kruger.
The single-seater classes should run together, making up a grid of some 20 cars. Top drivers in Formula VW should be champion Robert Wolk and Werner Scholtz, while Formula Ford should see Simon Temple, Jason Campos and Keegan Campos.
In the absence of national championship motorcycle racing, Zwartkops will run Thunderbikes and a Brunch Run Challenge, with most of Gauteng’s top regional racers on the grid.
We knew it would come to pass.
The people who make motorsport happen simply do not know any better. No matter how bad things are we remember why we first fell in love with this cruel, crazy beautiful game.
And then we make it happen.
