You will typically find him in his garage, working on his Ford Escort Mk 1, or tinkering with a Kent engine.

Ballito resident Bennie Hayes’ one true passion is cars – he has loved them since he was a baby, he says.

A qualified mechanic, he is also a member of Retro Racing South Africa, a social club of racing enthusiasts who race older cars.

In KZN, the club meets at Dezzi Raceway in Port Shepstone once a month to race.

The cars have to be pre 1979 and out of production for at least 20 years.

“Believe me, our cars are quicker than some of the modern cars!” said Hayes.

Not only does Hayes race, he also builds engines for other historic car enthusiasts.

“The more the engine is balanced, the quicker it turns,” said Hayes, who builds up to two engines a month for his company Bennie Hayes Performance.

He also works on suspensions, gearboxes, differentials and brakes.

Hayes strictly builds Kent Crossflow 1600CC engines.

Engines can get expensive depending on the customer’s requirements, but he builds entry-level engines too, for newcomers, and encourages people with historic cars to give racing a try.

“There are people sitting with a car like the Ford Anglia, and they drive to the shop and back and that’s all.

“But put it on a trailer and bring it to Dezzi, you will have two days of fun, you bring it back and work on it more and do it all again.”

There are other forms of motor sport at Dezzi Raceway, but historic racing appeals to both young and old, especially those who remember motor sport in its heyday at the Roy Hesketh circuit in KZN.

The sport appeals to people from all walks of life – from doctors to CEOs.

“It is all to do with driving skills and performance,” said Hayes.

“It’s the ultimate sport!”

The next Retro Racing meeting is this Saturday, September 7.

To get involved contact Hayes on 071 671 7000.

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