The country’s biggest saloon car racing show will perform for Western Cape motorsport enthusiasts this Saturday (April 3). The occasions will be Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2004 South African Production Car Championship, which should see more than 40 near standard passenger vehicles, take to the Cape Town Killarney circuit. Among them will count a number of new models, never before raced in the Western Cape. –
– Leading the Class A newcomers at Killarney should be the Champion Mercedes- Benz C32 AMG of Leeroy Poulter, with the supercharged vehicle’s power output restricted to equal that of other vehicles in the class. Equally popular newcomers should be the LG Squadra Corse Alfa Romeo equipe, with Alfa 147 GTA models for Martin Steyn and Morne Jurgens, plus an Alfa 156 GTA entry in the hands of Marco da Cunha. Cape Town’s enthusiasts will recall how Martin Steyn scored the Alfa 156 GTA’s first race victory at Killarney last year, and the three scarlet cars will certainly enjoy a lot of spectator support. So should Capetonian veteran Steve Wyndham, racing the works Ford Credit Falcon XR8 in front of his home crowd. –
– All of the above competitors will face a daunting challenge from the BMW camp, led by the factory Castrol BMW 330i entries of Etienne van der Linde and Anthony Taylor. Van der Linde and Taylor took turns to win the two season-opening races at AA Kyalami a month ago, and they will wish to maintain their advantage in the Western Cape. Also on the front pace in BMW 330i models should be the Kaye-Eddie Racing team’s Reghardt Roets and Steve Morris, plus privateer Richard Sorensen, under the banner of Titan Aviation. –
– Topping the Class B contingent – both racing in the Western Cape for the first time – will be the works Castrol MINI Cooper S of Shaun van der Linde and Clint Weston’s factory entered Furman Glass Ford Focus ST170. Judging by their efforts at AA Kyalami, the two drivers should continue a no holds barred war for supremacy this time out. Various other competitiors could interfere, led by Brian Martin (Havoline Toyota RunX RSi), Craig Nicholson (Sabat MINI Cooper S) and Phillip Kekana in his Sasol Toyota RunX RSi. Following mechanical maladies during their first outing, Mercedes-Benz will be back with their two turbo diesel C270 CDi models, to be driven at Killarney by Mark Allison and local ace Dave Kopke. Running in the respective colours of VaalMac and the Motion Group, the two cars’ progress will certainly be watched with great interest. –
– Class C will see some 20 cars on the grid, representing six marques and nine model variants. The current men to beat should be Kyalami winners Angus Thompson (Bredren Autobody VW CitiGolf) and Cor Kraamwinkel (Daihatsu Sirion), with current category champion Dave Compton (BumperTech Toyota Tazz 1600) their closest rival. Other drivers will have different ideas, led by the likes of Darren Murphy (Genuine Parts VW CitiGolf 1,6i), plus factory Ford drivers Fanie de Bruin (Makita Ikon 1,6i) and Muguel Pasqualli (M&R Ikon 1,6i). Also in works cars will be Bluetooth Fiat Palio pilots Mike O’Sullivan, Brad Anassis and Theunis Eloff, plus Irshad Jaffer, in the Daihatsu team’s second Sirion. Veterans who could surprise will be James Menin (Goldco Midas Opel Corsa 160 GSi) and John Kruger (Ford Fiesta 1,6 RSi), plus youngsters Robi Beninca (BTS VW Citi Life), Francois van Zyl (Roodt Motors VW CitiGolf 1,6i) and Shane Williams (Ford Ikon 1,6i). –
– Finally, Echart Schoenknecht’s efforts in his turbodiesel Caltex VW Polo 1,9TDi will be closely watched.
