Legendary chase demons make the engines roar

Engines will rev as legends of the oval racetrack dust off their overalls and helmets to take to the track again for the first time in years.

A total of 54 legends will climb into their race cars on October 5 and race around the Mahem oval track in Pretoria West.

The Legends Race is the first of its kind in the world with the oldest driver taking part at 80.

The race is open to anybody who competed or won titles between 1960 and 2010.

“I’m pretty nervous,” Ted Young told Record while he and a few other legends were getting their cars ready for a test run at the track.

Young, who is from Edenvale in Johannesburg, said he has not been on the track for 43 years.

Another legend, Andre Maree, who will also take part in the race this coming Saturday, last competed in 2013. Maree is one of eight champion families to take part in the race.

His father, Koos, was SA champion in 1976.

Andre earned a second place in the championships in 2003 with his son Ruan Maree was SA champion in 2016. Jacques Maree, also part of the family, was SA champion in 2004 and 2007.

Another legend, Johan Fourie from Pretoria North, who has not driven a race car for 30 years, described the race as exciting. Fourie was named champion in 1985.

“Back in the day our practice runs usually turned into a black flags,” jokes Fourie and some of the other legends, Boella Botha.

Boella Botha also boasts several titles including the SA and UK captains.

Botha was also named SA champion in 2006.

The legends arrived in their numbers at the race track on Wednesday night to prepare for the big race this coming weekend.

Other legends such as Johan Coetzee and the Scott brothers, Bobby and Neville and Johan Albertes will also be featured at the event.

The special race was put together by one of the co-owners, who is also a legend, Chantelle Lewis, with the help of other legends, Boella Botha, Rolius Smit and Andre Maree.

The gates for the race will open at noon on Saturday with the first legends set to set foot on the petrol pedal at 06:30.

“We hope to continue to improve our racing while maintaining our official reputation as the best in Gauteng,” said Lewis, co-owner of Mahem and also a race title holder.

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