Match made in motor sport heaven

When a woman tells you she likes the Subaru because the car comes ‘clean off the line’ in a drag race, then you must know – chances are she is a much better driver than you.

Talking to Zahid and Jeenah Hassim at their home in Arboretum, it immediately becomes clear that this couple is passionate about cars and racing them.

Together they are the driving force behind the annual Dice for DICE event which is happening on 28 and 29 September.

For Zahid cars and racing are a way of life since learning how to drive at the age of 10.

The first car in which he officially took to the race track at age 21 was a BMW 325iS.

He started out doing drag racing at Mtubatuba and soon tried his hand at auto cross and track racing.

Through the years he has owned many fast cars, which he all used in motor sport of some kind.

One of his favourites, a Subaru WRX STI, saw action only two weeks after he bought it, at the Phakisa Race Track in the Free State.

It was raining on that occasion and to this day Zahid holds the ‘wet’ track record of the GT Supercup.

Super cars in action

It was at Phakisa where Jeenah got her first opportunity to race in a drag event – and right away she put the men to shame.

On that day in 2008 she went on to kick dust in two Porches’ eyes, much to the delight of her husband. Before she used to be his ‘pit crew, spanner hand and photographer’, but is now a force to be reckoned with at all local events.

She is now the ‘fastest’ woman in KZN with a quarter-mile time of 11.2 seconds in their Nissan GT-R.

The Dice for DICE event is organised by racers for racers.

Porches, GT-Rs, Jags and Ferraris will be on show on Naval Island on Saturday 28 September, and Sunday will see drivers from as far as Durban taking part in a MSA time trail event at the Umfolozi Casino Resort in a bid to raise money for charity.

Zululanders are invited to come and view the cars and to watch real racers in action. Entry is free at both venues.