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The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Regional Extreme Festival preparing for lights out at Zwartkops
Third round of this year's championship will be headed by the ATS 200, a 200 km endurance race. The Zwartkops Raceway outside Pretoria will host round three of this year's Regional Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola on Saturday, with the event to include one of inland competitors' annual highlights. 200 km endurance The highlight in question will be the ATS Zwartkops 200, the season's only endurance race for Ferro Energia 111 GT Sports and Saloon Cars. Wayne Robb (Ford Focus ST) should be contender for podium places in Saturday's Zwartkops 200 endurance race. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter. The 200 kilometre race will include a mandatory three-minute pit stop, during which teams have to change at least one wheel on their cars, without the use of power tools. The race has attracted 39 entries, with pre-event victory favourites to include Wouter Roos and Peet Visagie (Origen Oils Volkswagen Golf GTI), Mark du Toit (TAR BMW Z4), Ishmail Peck (National Motorsport BMW 130i), Piet Potgieter (Nathan's Volkswagen Golf), Mike O'Sullivan (All Things Motoring Honda Ballade), Wayne Robb (Ford Focus ST) and Craig Priestley (Tactical Fluid Volkswagen Polo). ALSO READ: Kyalami shows its teeth to National and Regional Extreme Festivals Others to watch will include Melanie Spurr (Origen Oils Volkswagen Polo), Ishmael Baloyi (TAR Honda Civic), Louis Scholtz (Car Care Clinic Honda Ballade), Lenard Archer (ACD Welkom Hyundai Getz), Jonathan du Toit (TAR Honda Civic), Jonathan Visser (Auto Express Volkswagen Polo) and Shaun Vermaak/Strati Yannakis (Gapcon BMW M235i). BMW M Performance Heading up the supporting programme over two races each, the BMW M Performance Parts Series will be split in two categories due to the number entrants. Topping the list in classes A, B and C should be people like Leon Loubser (Monaco Motors 335i), Renier Smith (M3 Turbo), Nek Makris (335i), Bob Neil (Delmon Mining M3 Turbo), Anton Pommersheim (Eagle Granite M3 Turbo), Andreas Meier (#CEC 318i STC), Carlo Garbini (Kimbo 328i Turbo) and Fabio Fedetto (M4). Bernard de Gouveia (De Gouveia Accountants M3) should be the man to beat in the races for cars in Classes D, E and F. He will face off against drivers like Dawie Olivier (International Race Supplies 330i), Gerhard du Plessis (Deep Civils M240i), Nick Naidoo (Waldans Cartage 1 Series M Coupe), Craig Herbst (The Blue Store 335i), Eugene Gouws (Master Mowers M3), Neil Reynolds (Valve Hospital 330i) and Andre Scheepers (Curvent 325i Turbo). Volkswagen Challenge Wayne Masters (Performance Masters) should be the man to beat in the largely Polo campaigned ATE Volkswagen Challenge. Stuart Mack (AutoZone) currently tops the ATE Volkswagen Challenge title points ladder, and will wish to keep it like that on Saturday. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter. He will be chased by drivers like Jayden Goosen (Ferro Energia), Elna Croeser (ATE Brakes), Dean Ross (Norbrake), Ian Walker (Mellow Velo), and current championship leader Stuart Mack (AutoZone). V8 Supercars The Dunlop V8 Supercars should see current title leader Warren Lombard (Pepboys Automotive Ford Mustang) fighting to maintain a narrow points lead over Thomas Reib (Café 9 Automotive Chevrolet Lumina). Warren Lombard (Pepboys Automotive Ford Mustang) will go to Zwartkops as the current Dunlop V8 Supercar points leader. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter. Others who could challenge for podiums should include Wayne Spicer (Wellness Group Jaguar XK8), Franco di Matteo (Di Matteo Jaguar XK8), Terry Wilford (Fuchs Ford Mustang), Ben Morgenrood (Morgenrood Auto Ford Mustang), Auke Compaan (CMI Lubricants Ford Mustang), Richard Fuller (PotAround Ford Falcon) and Steve Herbst (Prei Instrumentation Chevrolet Corvette). Single-seaters The all-new Liqui Moly Super Vee category will kick off with a 21-car grid, led by drivers like Lushen Ramchander (Liqui Moly Forza), Blane de Meilon (Lantis), Morgan Jacobs (Liqui Moly Stealth), Nick van der Westhuizen (N+W Stealth), Kanya Mahajana (Sting) and Mark Tucker (Forza). The all-new Liqui Moly Super Vee category will kick off with a 21-car grid, led by drivers like Lushen Ramchander (Liqui Moly Forza). Photograph: Brandsponential. With 26 drivers facing the starter, the DOE CIM Lubricants Formula Vee races should see ultra close spectacle, with top competitors likely to include title defender Lendl Jansen (Bull Security Rhema), Peter Hills (MXTwo Rhema), Gert van den Berg (DOE Parts Rhema), MD Bester (MXTwo Rhema), David Austin (DA Rhema), Anton van der Merwe (MonitorNet Rhema) and Vaughn Hills (MXTwo Rhema). How much and when? The Zwartkops gates will be open from 06h00, with racing to commence at 09h30. Admission will cost R140 per adult and R100 per student, with kids under the age of 12 going in for free. Food and drink will be on sale or you may take your own and you are welcome to set up camp and braai on the grass embankments. Everybody is invited to visit the pits and the circuit's Mini Moke trains will run between spectator areas and the pit gate throughout the day. The full event programme will be available on the Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola website closer to the weekend. All relevant spectator information can also be accessed via the Extreme Festival Links page. The day's events will be broadcast live on the Extreme Festival website. NOW READ: Regional Extreme Festival puts on a fizzy display at Zwartkops
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
National Extreme Festival treks seaside to Aldo Scribante
South Africa's premier circuit racing series makes its second visit to the coast this year after the season opener in Cape Town in March. Saood Variawa (Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla) and Michael van Rooyen (SVR Steelworks Toyota Corolla) should be front runners in Saturday's South African Touring Car races. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter. The Aldo Scribante circuit outside Gqeberha will host round three of this year's National Extreme Festival Presented by Coca-Cola this weekend, with six disciplines on four and two wheels taking to the tarmac. Touring Cars Heading up proceedings will be two races for South African Touring Cars. ALSO READ: Kyalami shows its teeth to National and Regional Extreme Festivals Leading the title chase, and the man to beat, should be veteran Michael van Rooyen (SVR Steelworks Toyota Corolla), with his closest challengers being the likes of Jagger Robertson (Sparco Volkswagen Golf GTI), Keegan Campos (Campos Trucking BMW 128ti), Saood Variawa (Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla) and Julian van der Watt (Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf GTI). Also in the running will be Nathi Msimanga (Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla), Andrew Schofield (Chemical Logistics BMW 128i) and Siyabonga Mankonkwana (Chemical Logistics Toyota Corolla). SupaCup Racing behind the Touring Cars will be the SupaCup brigade. Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Motorsport SupaPolo) should be a favourite to win the two SupaCup races. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter. They will be led by led by drivers like Tate Bishop (ANGRI Volkswagen SupaPolo), defending champion Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Motorsport SupaPolo, Charl Visser (Charl Engineering Volkswagen SupaPolo) and Dawie van der Merwe (Toyota Gazoo Racing Supa Starlet). Challenging for top places as well will Andre Bezuidenhout (Weltevreden Volkswagen SupaPolo), Jason Loosemore (Astron Energy Volkswagen SupaPolo), Karah Hill (Kalex Volkswagen SupaPolo) and Dean Venter (Platinum Mile Volkswagen SupaPolo). Polo Cup The Astron Energy Polo GTI Cup races should see Ethan Coetzee (Ethan Racing) and Mohammed Karodia (Fast 5) continue their season-long fight at the front. Ethan Coetzee (Ethan Racing) could spray champagne after Saturday's Astron Energy Polo GTI Cup races. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter. Able and willing to spoil their day should be drivers like lady racer Tyler Robinson (AF Fans), Wayne Masters (Performance Masters), John Kruger (Habot Lubricants) and Derick Smalberger (Sabertek Polo). Expected to also challenge for top places will be Rory Atkinson (Industry Petroleum), Bevan Masters (CPS Warehouse), Mike Barbaglia and Hannes Scheepers (Dainfern Dental). Two-wheels For two-wheeler enthusiasts, the SunBet Kawasaki ZX10 Masters will tackle two races, with defending champion Clinton Seller (King Price Xtreme), certainly the man to beat on top of the points table. He will face off against riders like Graeme van Breda (Stefanutli Stocks), Jayson Lamb (Tyremart EL), Adriaan van Dalen (VAG Automotive Centre ), Pieter Delport (Carlin Alademie) and James Barson (Steelmonkey Clothing). Also in the running will be Johan le Roux (Avidan Trading), Damian Purificati (Amalgum Welding Shop) and David Enticot (Ravenol SA). The Gazoo Racing Cup Driven By Netstar races should deliver spectacular action, with drivers competing in the three separate-scored classes. GR Cup Jason Coetzee will head up the Toyota GR Cup's GR86 class after having won three out of four races so far. He will be challenged by drivers like Kent Swartz, Khanya Ngwennya, Brandon van der Watt and Jordan Moodley The GR Corolla class for select Toyota dealers will see points leader Mario de Sousa being the man beat. Opposition will come from fellow Andries de Villiers, Johan Boonzaaier, Dylan Jones, Riaan de Ru, Werner Venter and Toyota GR Cup Academy instructor, Paul de Vos. Veteran tin-top racer Mario da Sousa should be the pre-event favourite in the Toyota GR Cup Corolla class for select Toyota GR dealers. Photograph: Toyota In the media section, driving the all-new GR Yaris fitted with the eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission, runaway championship leader Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) will continue his season battle with Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine) and Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive). Fighting out for in the rest of the six car field will be Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader), The Citizen's Charl Bosch and Willem van de Putte (Independent/IOL). Volkswagen Rookie Cup The Volkswagen Rookie Cup will start Saturday's race day programme with front runners in the identical Polo Vivo GT models to include Giovanni Florotto, Uzair Khan, Mauro Da Luz, Christopher Tait and Luke Hill. When and how much? The full event programme is available on the Extreme Festival Presented by Coca-Cola website. Admission tickets will be available from the Aldo Scribante Raceway entrance gate at R100 per adult, and children under 12 will get in for free. Saturday's full race day will be broadcast live on the Extreme Festival website. ALSO READ: National Extreme Festival opens 2025 up with a show of note
