The 2024 South African National Championship Extreme Festival season kicks off with huge intrigue and great action at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway on Saturday 16 March. It’s certainly a case of out with the old and in with the new for 2024. Not only do new classes come into play as others race out their final season, but fresh title sponsors, rule changes and new car and driver combinations promise excitement out of the top drawer throughout an action packed race day.
Fastest first, Capetonians are in for a Lamborghini-rich Extreme Supercars Driven By Dunlop treat. Champion Charl Arangies drives a Gallardo, while Stuart White, Jonathan du Toit, Silvio, and Aldo Scribante, Xolile Letlaka and Ricky Giannoccaro will be out in a fleet of Huracáns. They have local hero Dayne Angel in a Ferrari 488 GT3, Franco Scribante’s wild Porsche, Arnold Neveling in a Audi R8 GT3, Gianni Giannoccaro’s Nismo GT-R and Paarl hero Dawie Joubert’s Lotus Ferrari to deal with. Add Mercedes-AMG GT3 duo Sun Moodley and Andrew Culbert, Kris Budnik’s V10 Viper, Mike Verrier’s BMW-Corvette Z4 and more.
Moving on to the innovation, the South African Touring Cars make their much anticipated new era debut following a radical transformation from Global Touring Cars. None of that is likely to generate any of the love lost between title favourites, Johannesburg teenager Saood Variawa’s Toyota Corolla and double champion Robert Wolk’s BMW 128ti. Expect Variawa’s teammates Michael van Rooyen and Nathi Msimanga and Wolk’s rookie wing man Andy Schofield, home hero Julian van der Watt’s Golf and rookie Anthony Pretorius’ Corolla to be in the thick of it too.
It’s just as interesting in SATC SupaCup, where champion Bradley Liebenberg is chasing a third title. He once again has his hands full with old rivals Jonathan Mogotsi, Keegan Campos, home hero Tate Bishop, and Kalex lass Karah Hill. Another Cape local, Charl Visser won his drive by taking the 2023 Polo Cup title, while Dean venter also steps up from Polo Cup, Nathan Hammond makes a comeback and Nicolaos Vostanis moves up from the GR Yaris League. But the big SATC SupaCup news is all about the debut of Toyota’s all-new SuperStarlet in ’23 Yaris League champion Sa’aad Variawa’s hands.
Astron Energy Polo Cup also races into a new era with a new sponsor, a new Masters class, and whoever wins, will be first time Polo Cup winners! Cape lad Nathan Victor will want to stamp home his Killarney advantage down, but he has his hands fill with old KZN rival Jason Loosemore and Jozi trio Ethan Coetzee, Mo Karodia, and racing lass Tyler Robinson. Watch for Cape Rookie Cup winner Kyle Visser taking up his prize Polo Cup seat, rival rookies Bjorn Bertholdt and Hannes Scheepers, Charl Smalberger, and the Masters lot including John Kruger, Wayne Masters and Elna Croeser.
It may be all-new elsewhere, but 2024 is the end of the Investchem Formula 1600 era before it becomes MSA4 next year. That leaves stalwarts home hero Jason Coetzee, Nicholas van Weely, Alex Vos, and Siya Mankonkwana chasing the final F1600 title. Add KC Ensor-Smith, Shrien Naidoo, Karabo Malemela and Storm Lanfear, the returning Ewan Holtzhausen and rookies Jagger Robertson, Mikel Bezuidenhout and Renzo Ribeiro. Formula Ford Kent shares Killarney with F1600, with veterans Schofield, Duncan Vos, Rick Morris, Allen Meyer, Ron van Weely, and Graham Hepburn in the hunt.
Two wheel fans are not excluded from Killarney’s Extreme Festival action. The ever popular SunBet ZX10 Masters will be back and sure to deliver closest racing as always, while Cape local heroes will have them shouting in the stalls. The Masters have already started their season and it’s all eyes on leader Clinton Seller, who has Allan Jon Venter, Damion Purificati, Trevor Westman, and the ever-present Graeme van Breda on his case. Don’t discount Hein McMahon, Cristian Caravello, Jayson Lamb, Dave Veringa and Keith Agliotti among this lot either.
Last but not least, the Gazoo Racing Media League switches to the all-new Toyota GR Corolla for 2024. Watch for comeback kid Sean Nurse and occasional rally driver Hannes Visser among the six scribes signed up to race this year. Of more interest perhaps, will be ultra-quick Polo Cup refugee Dawie van der Merwe’s progress in the Bucketlist Toyota GR86 League. He contends with GR Yaris graduates Niko Zafiris and Ryan Naicker and newcomers, karter Kent Swartz and Dylan Pragji.
Pre-book discounted tickets online at www.ticketmaster.co.za to dodge the queue at R110 for adults, R40 for scholars and kids under 12 free. The racing is supported by Killarney’s regular off-track entertainment, market stalls, kids play areas, public power and pedal karting, a fun fair and even a gymkhana. With food and drinks aplenty and live music in the beer garden, race fans can also pack for that trackside braai. More at www.wpmc.co.za. See you at Killarney!
