Southern African Endurance Series (SAES), the promotors of the SA Endurance National Championship has a mouth-watering line-up of support races for the opening round of the championship which takes place at Zwartkops Raceway on 21st and 22nd February.
Last September, SAES introduced a new SA GT Super Trophy class for Sports and GT cars. Such has been the rapid growth of the class that SAES has spun off a separate single brand Porsche class – another first for SAES – which has attracted 16 cars and fans can look forward to two sprint races and a 45 minute race over the weekend.
The Sports and GT race has 12 entries while an exciting 46 strong entry from Motorcycle Racing Series SA (MRSSA) will ensure non-stop track action across the two day event. MRSSA is at the forefront of transformation within motorsport and features 11 riders of colour, which closely aligns with SAES’ Africa Race Together charter.
GT Cup SA:
Charl Arangies will debut his new Porsche 991.2 GT3 R run out of the Stradale Motorsport stable who will field three additional cars; a pair of 997 GT3 Cup for Jay Jay Deysel and Arnold Neeveling and Ryan Naicker in a 992 GT3 Cup racer.
An interesting entry is that of the Backdraft racer Mike McLoughlin in a 911 GT3 Cup type 996 who will take on Andre Brink (911 GT3 cup), Willie de Beer (997 GT3 Cup), Deven Pillay (911 GT3 Cup) and Nicky Dicks’ Curvent Racing GT3 Cup Porsche.
Sun Moodley will wheel out his new Bigfoot Express GT3 Cup Porsche and take on the likes of Mo Mia’s Toys R Us 991.2 GT3 Cup, Roy Obery (991.2 MR), Andrew Honeywill (911 Carerra Cup), Jimmy Giannoccaro’s G&H Transport 997 and Philip Smit’s GT3 Cup, making for a very closely fought race.
Qualifying takes place on Friday at 15h20 with the first race scheduled for 17h35. Saturday sees the Porsche brigade take to the track at 10h00 and 11h40 for their second and third races.
Sports and GT:
With marques like McLaren, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ligier, Backdraft, BMW and Shelby, the Sports and GT entry offers a delectable variety of machinery for race fans. Andrew Horne’s Xena Chemicals Ligier-Honda JS 49 heads the entry and will face off against a pair of Shelby Can-Ams in the hands of Mike Verrier, the reigning 1-Hour Dash champion and Antonie Marx.
Mike McLaughlin will power around the 2.4km track in his Backdraft Slingshot and should be a strong contender for overall victory while Dan Hirsch gives chase in his Backdraft Roadster.
Charl Arangies has entered his box-fresh Porsche 911 GT3 R and will face off with a pair of Lamborghinis, a Stradale Motorsport-run Gallardo GT3 for Shayur Harpal and Samlin Racing’s Huracan Super Trofeo GT3 in the hands of Damien Hammond.
Gianni Giannoccaro will have his G&H Transport McLaren MP4-12C GT3 at his disposal to take on Sun Moodley’s Bigfoot Express Porsche GT3 Cup machine and the similar GWM Edenvale 991.2 MR Porsche of Roy Obery.
Uli Sanne wheels out his G&H Transport BMW Z4 M making for an exciting race as everyone will want to bank an early season advantage at the start of a long racing season.
Qualifying is on Friday at 14h00 with the first race scheduled for 18h00. Two races are schooled for Saturday, the first at 08h20 and the final race for the category at 12h05
MRSSA Motorcycles:
A bumper entry of 46 motorcycles will thrill fans at Zwartkops; split into three classes for 1000cc and 600cc machines as well as V4 and Battle of the Twins (BOTTS), there is a separate class for Classic bikes and Open Superbikes.
The 2024 Super SBK 1000 champion Adolf Boshoff heads the 24 strong big-engine bike class aboard his Honda CBR 1000 and should be chased hard once again by Themba Khumalo aboard his Ducati Panigale V4R, who ended second in the championship last year. Filling the title podium last season was Damion Purificati on his BMW S 1000 RR. Other top riders include Luca Bertolini (Yamaha R1, Nicole Purificati (Yamaha YZF-R1) and Tristan Pienaar.
In the 600cc class, where Yamaha’s YZF R5 and R6 models are the weapon of choice, the MRSSA 2024 champion Diego de Ponte returns aboard his R6 and will resume his fight with the championship runner-up Troy Tonking on a similar R5. Taigh Janse van Rensburg, fourth in last year’s points log returns on a R6.
Other 600cc riders include Ryan van Nieuwkerk ((R6), Ora Phiri (R6) and Mitch Mortimer, the grandson of the legendary rally driver Geoff Mortimer.
In the V4 and BOTTS class, champion Leon Horn will defend his title from Alan Hulscher and Mick Landi, all three aboard Ducati’s Panigale V4R Johan Le Roux and Jaco Gous will also join in the fun.
Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda are all represented in the Classics class with top riders Kevin and Dean Kemp aboard Suzuki GSXRs, Etienne Louw representing Kawasaki and Fergal McAdam on a lone Honda VTR 1000.
Moe Essop (BMW S 1000 RR) and Siya Tshabalala (Yamaha YZF-R1) had a huge scrap in the Open Superbike class last year, finishing one point apart and this battle can be expected to continue all year.
Nkululeko Majola won the Novice Open Superbike class last season and returns for more two-wheeled action aboard his Yamaha YZF-R1. Malcolm Govender adds another BMW to the field, with Simphiwe Mahlolo on a Yamaha YZF-R6.
Boikanyo Mabaso ((Yamaha), Shaun Pietersen (BMW) and Martyn Parry (Kawasaki) are other riders looking for strong results.
Qualifying for the three classes starts at 15h35 on Friday with the races on Saturday for Senior SBK riders at 08h45 and 10h25, Junior SBKs at 09h10 and 10h50. The Unlimited motorcycles have their races at 09h35 and 11h15.
