HEAVY METAL. Top challengers in the SKF Pre-1966 Legend Saloon Car races will include Sarel van der Merwe (Ford Galaxie), Hennie Groenewald (Mercury Comet), Jonathan du Toit (Chevrolet Nova) and Peter Lindenberg (Shelby Mustang). Pictures: RacePics.
The 2020 South African circuit racing season will commence on a spectacular and international note at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria this weekend. The Passion for Speed racing extravaganza will offer spectators a wide variety of motorsport highlights from the past and the present on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Topping Saturday’s bill in terms of sheer spectacle should be two races for SKF Pre-1966 Legend Saloon Cars. Dubbed the event’s Races of Champions, the two eight-lap heats will feature drivers like maestro Sarel van der Merwe (Ford Galaxie), Hennie Groenewald (Mercury Comet), Jeffrey Kruger (Plymouth Barracuda), Lee Thompson (Ford Galaxie), Colin Ellison (Ford Fairlane), Peter Lindenberg (Shelby Ford Mustang), Jonathan du Toit (Chevrolet Nova), Mark du Toit (Ford Thunderbolt), and visitor from the Netherlands Michel Campagne (Ford Fairlane).
The Under Two-litre category should see front-runners like Vic Campher (Tom Campher Volvo 122S), Carel Pienaar (Lotus Cortina), Rob Gearing (BMW 2002), Roger Houston (Alfa Romeo Guilia), Alan Poulter (Vic Campher Volvo 122S), Robyn Kriel (BMW 300), Francesco Lombardi (Alfa Romeo Guilia), Wouter Roos (Alfa Romeo GT) and Patrick Gearing (Alfa Romeo Guilia).
The event’s international flavour will mainly centre around two 10-lap races for Pre-1966 Historic Grand Prix Association cars, with 19 venerable Formula One entries taking to the tarmac. Frontrunners should include the 1964 Brabham BT11 of John Romano, the 1961 Lotus 18 of Andrew Beaumont, the 1962 Lotus 18/21 of Eric Staes, the 1964 Cooper Ford of Chris Drake, the 1960 Lotus 18 Alfa of Brad Hoyt, the 1960 Heron Alfa of Eddy Perk and the 1960 Cooper T53 of Will Nuthall. The absolute star of the show should be the extremely rare 1956 Maserati F250 of Christian Dumolin – easily the most expensive car at the event.
The fastest historic cars of the weekend should be the Pre-1974 International Sports Racing Prototypes. Podium contenders should include Larry Wilford (Genie Lola T70), Colin Ellison (Chevron B19), Andre’ Bezuidenhout (Porsche RSR Turbo), Jonathan du Toit (Chevron B8), Peter Bailey (Porsche 917), Keegan Campos (Porsche 911 RSR), Mark du Toit (Lola T70 Spyder), Neil Lobb (Lola T70), plus Swedish visitors Janne Kling (Ford GT40), Brent Andersson (Lola 212) and Kenneth Persson (Ford GT40).
SPORTS CARS. Podium chasers in the races for Pre-1974 International Sports Racing Prototypes should include Neil Lobb (Lola T70), Jonathan du Toit (Chevron B8) and Larry Wilford (Lola T70).
Officially, the day’s premier event will be the 45-minute Castrol Tourist Trophy race for Pre-1968 Le Mans Sports and GT Cars. The race will have a mandatory three-minute pit stop, which can be done at the discretion of the crew. Top teams must include Mark/Jonathan du Toit (Ford Daytona), Peter Bailey (Ford GT40), Chad ten Doeschate (Shelby Cobra), Warren Lombard (Shelby Cobra), Rui Campos (Lola T70 Spyder), Peter/Paige Lindenberg (Ford Daytona), Russel Fear (Lola T70 Spyder), Thomas Falkiner (Ford Mustang), Frans van Marshalckvaart (Chevrolet Corvette), Graham Vos (Duphet) and Djurk Venter/James Temple (Ford Daytona).
The SKF Pre-1966 Little Giants races should see frontrunners like Ishmael Baloyi (GSM Dart Alfa), Mark van Rooyen (Sunbeam Alpine), Jake Dovey (Austin Healey Sprite), Adrian Velaers (Ford Cortina), Stephen Britz (MGB), Chad ten Doeschate (Alfa Sprint Spider), Terrence Botes (Mini Cooper S), Melanie Spurr (Ford Consul 315), Robbie Frank (Lotus 23B) and Les McLeod (MGB).
The races for Pre-1974 Single Seaters will include drivers like Alan Bailey (Brabham BT14), Des Hillary (Dulon), Richard Smeeton (Wainer), Jason Williams (Lotus 20), Ian Ronley (Lotus 22), Pat Dunseith (Merlyn), Paul Richardson (Dulon) and Ian Hebblewaite (Merlyn).
With 41 cars taking to the tarmac, the day’s largest entry will be in the races for Greats from the Past vehicles that will combine Pre-1981 Saloon Car and Midvaal Historic cars. At the front end, veteran Willie Hepburn in his venerable Opel Rekord V8 will face off against people like Joe dos Santos (Opel Calibra V8), Eugene Gous (Chevrolet Firenza CanAm), Malcolm Uytnbogaardt (Basil Green Ford Granada V8) plus the Datsun 240Z entries of Phillip Pantazis, Sophos Pantazis and Jan-Willem de la Porte.
Top Midvaal Historics competitors should include Deon van Vuuren (Mazda R100), Brendon Parker (Datsun Coupe), Johann Smith (Mazda Capella), Travis Jensen (Datsun 1200), Franz Jensen (Datsun 1200) and Stewart White (Alfa Romeo GTV6).
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