That is how enthusiasts will regard Rounds 19 and 20 of this year’s Bridgestone South African Production Car Championship at Kyalami next Saturday (November 24).
The passenger car racing brigade will attend the final event of the 2007 WesBank Super Series with unresolved title fights in three of the four its contested classes.
That apart, this season’s overall Bridgestone South African Production Car Champion will be crowned at Kyalami.
Going to the final two races, three drivers are virtually locked on points at the top of the overall, and Class A championships.
They are points leader Johan Fourie (JF Transport Audi A4 3,2 quattro), Shaun Watson-Smith (Engen Xtreme Audi) and current title holder Leeroy Poulter (Sasol Nissan 350Z).
The three drivers are separated by 10 points on the title log and, with 38 points up for grabs next Saturday, their championship fight should be both dramatic and spectacular.
None of the three title contenders can be confident of taking overall race victories at Kyalami – various other drivers in Class A could interfere rudely with their championship agenda.
Able to win races will be Melvill Priest (MiKar Sonax Audi), Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme Audi), plus Sasol Nissan 350Z pilots Gavin Cronje’ and Tschops Sipuka.
Also able to upset the applecart, and eager to do so, should be people like Castrol BMW 330i drivers Anthony Taylor, Etienne van der Linde and Clint Weston, Marco da Cunha (Tubular Tech Nissan 350Z), Deon Joubert (Carfind.co.za Nissan 350Z).
Finally, the Subaru Impreza WRX STi models of Dawie Olivier, Seef Fourie and Peter Lindenberg could provide surprises under the respective banners of Bosal, Medal Paints and Ferodo.
Veterans Iain Pepper (PG Glass VW Golf GTI) and Graeme Nathan, debuting the new BP Ultimate SEAT Leon will fight for this year’s title in Class T, for force-inducted petrol engined cars.
Their closests championship rival will be Speed Tuning Golf GTI driver Heinz Bose, but, again, the championship contenders will not start as race winning favourites at Kyalami.
On current form, that distinction will belong to Robert Wolk (Afinta Part MINI Cooper S) and Garth Waberski (Castrol MINI Cooper S).
The two MINI drivers have been setting the pace in the class over the last two months, and they would like nothing better than to rain heavily on the Volkswagen brigade’s parade.
Rounding out the class should be Peet Visagie (Liebherr VW Golf GTI) and another brand new SEAT, in the hands of Phillip Kekana.
Ben Morgenrood (Zoom-Zoom Mazda RX8) will start as the favourite to clinch the year’s Class B honours, but youngster Riyad Jaffer (Sasol Toyota RunX RSi) could just end up as his main competitor.
Assisting Jaffer in his quest will be Dave Compton in the Sasol team’s second Toyota RunX RSi, while Danie van Niekerk (Ford Fiesta ST), Paulo da Cunha (Middelburg Fiat Stilo Abarth) and the ever improving Shaun Pike (Tosco Toyota RunX RSi) will fill out the entries.
This year’s Junior South African Production Car Championship has produced a season-long fight for supremacy between privateer Robi Beninca (BTS VW CitiGolf) and works Fiat driver Trevor Tuck, in his Motorsport Infinity Grande Punto.
The two bitter rivals will square up for the last time this year at Kyalami, with only the brave and the ignorant willing to bet on the ultimate victor.
Again, other drivers could influence the outcome by winning the day’s two races.
Their list would be topped by Etienne Prinsloo (Bizhub VW Polo TDI), Mark Silverwood (OKI Ford Fiesta), Theuns Eloff (Motorsport Infinity Fiat Grande Punto) and Jason Thornton (Global Car Rental Ford Ikon).
CAR Magazine’s Rookie of the Year 2007 will also be chosen from newcomers in Class C this Saturday.
The Bridgestone Production Cars will all take to Kyalami’s tarmac at the same time, and tackle two 8 lap races on the day.
