Hot Track Action Matches Weather at 25th Passion for Speed
The 25th Passion for Speed, held at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, 31 January, delivered on its promise as the vast crowd was entertained by non-stop action, both on and off the track. A few early morning showers had cleared by the time the first cars took to the circuit, and with the afternoon thunderstorms that were forecast staying away, the Zwartkops faithful basked under a summer sun.
While the weather was hot, so was the on-track action. The flagship Legends of the 9- Hour 45-minute race for Pre66/68 Le Mans Sports & GT cars featured numerous previous champions on the grid, along with a host of contenders capable of challenging them. In the end, it was 2022 champion Warren Lombard (Ford Cobra) who just managed to hold off Marc Miller (Ford Daytona) to take another crown by just six-tenths of a second, the closest winning margin in the race’s history. Early leader, and defending champion, James Temple (Ford Daytona) looked to have things under control from pole position at the front of the field after his fellow front-row starter, Swede Kennet Persson (McLaren 5B) suffered a fuel pump failure on the warm-up lap, but Temple dropped back after his compulsory pit stop with brake problems, eventually having to settle for fifth place. Ahead of him, Jason Campos brought his BMW home in third, with the Marauder Mk3, piloted by John and Chad ten Doeschate, in fourth place.
Crowd favourites, the Legends of the 9-Hour Pre70 Production Cars, delivered spectacular racing. Seef Fourie Jnr (Ford Cougar) managed to hold off Ben Morgenrood (Ford Mustang) to take the opening heat win by less than half a second, with Paolo Cavalieri (Ford Galaxie) in third. James Temple, driving Paige Lindenberg’s Ford Fairlane, won the ZB class, while Djurk Venter claimed ZB/TA. With the second heat less than two laps old, the race was stopped after Colin Ellison had a spectacular accident with his Ford Thunderbolt, coming to rest upside down on top of the barriers between turns three and four. Luckily, Ellison was able to walk away from the badly damaged car, and the battle between Fourie and Morgenrood resumed. This time, Morgenrood was able to get past Fourie shortly before half distance, and when Fourie spun the big Cougar, Morgenrood was able to take the win, followed by Cavalieri and Mark du Toit (Ford Fairlane). Temple took another ZB win, and Venter made sure of ZB/TA.
Rui Campos was 1.6 seconds quicker than his closest rival in Friday afternoon’s qualifying session for the Pre-74 International Sports Prototypes, so it was no surprise when he grabbed an early lead in the first race. Larry Wilford (Lola T70) was not to be outdone, however, and he found a way past the V8-powered Shelby CanAm. Campos was not willing to give up and fought his way back to the front with just a lap remaining to take a narrow victory. Mark du Toit brought his Lola T70 through from sixth on the grid to claim the final podium position. Niel Lobb, in another Lola T70, crossed the line in fourth to take Class B, while a bit further back, George Avvokoumides (Porsche 911 RSR) took Class C. In the second heat, there was no catching Campos, who pulled away from the chasing pack at over a second a lap, and went on to take an easy victory in the afternoon heat. Wilford and Mark du Toit again joined him on the podium. This time, Seef Fourie Jnr claimed Class B in the Lolette, while Avvokoumides again headed Class C.
Zimbabwean visitor Denzil Bhana (Ford Anglia) has a race-long duel with Alan Poulter (Volvo 122s) at the front of the Pre66/68 Little Giants and U2 field, eventually taking the win by just under four-tenths of a second. Marc Miller had to settle for third and took the U2 class win. John den Doeschate (GSM Dart) took Class A, with Chris du Plooy (Volvo 122s) at the top of Class B. Tim Crossland claimed Class C in his Alfa 1750 GTV. In the second heat, the top three remained as they were in the opening race, although Bhana was able to open a sizable gap at the head of the field. Ten Doeschate, du Plooy and Crossland again won their respective classes.
The opening race of the new Classic GT class went to Damian Hammond (Lamborghini Gallardo), who led Mark du Toit (Ford GT) and Wayne Roach (Lamborghini Gallardo) over the line. Lee Thompson won the GOP class in an Opel Astra from Paulo Cavalieri at the wheel of his BMW E9 CSL Batmobile. The opening laps of the second heat saw du Toit and Daimian Hammond swap the lead every lap until Hammond was forced into retirement after six laps. This allowed du Toit to take a relatively easy win from Wayne Roach and Nathan Hammond. Calvalieri took the GOP class from Franco di Matteo (Ford Mustang).
The HRSA brigade brought a massive field to the event, with their drivers being split into two groups. The opening race for the faster cars, Classes A to E, saw Keegan Campos (Porsche 911 RSR) and Werner Kotze (Mazda R100) do battle at the front of the field, with Campos taking the lead from the fire-breathing rotary just after the halfway mark. Campos held on to take the win, with Kotze second ahead of Andre van der Merwe (Porsche RSR). Kotze’s second place gave him the Class C win as well. Jannie van Rooyen (VW Sirocco) claimed Class D, with Class E going to Seef Fourie Snr (Datsun Y). Campos didn’t make it out for the start of the second heat and it looked like Kotze was going to run away with the win, but a spin as his tyres went off dropped him down the field, leaving Rudolf de Vos (Chev CanAm) to take the spoils ahead of Mo Mia (Porsche 996.1) and George Avvakoumides (Porsche 911 RSR). Avvokoumides also took Class C, with van Rooyen and Fourie repeating their respective class wins.
In the races for Classes F, G and H, Dave Leyshon (VW Sirocco), Keegan Ward (Datsun GX Coupe), and Ian Richards (Datsun 1200 GX) battled for supremacy in both heats. Leyshon was able to do enough to take both victories. Wynand du Plessis (Porsche 944 S2) claimed Class G in both heats, while Wayne Potgieter (Datsun 1200 GX) did the same in Class H.
In more contemporary action, the BMW ///M Performance Parts race series debuted its new Turbo Cup and NA Cup race format. In the opening NA Cup race, Andre van der Merwe romped away at the head of the pack, winning by over 13 seconds from Bernard de Gauveia and debutant Richard Gerntholtz. Class C went to Ignus du Plessis from Nicholas Herbst and Tihan van Rooyen. Ruan van der Walt got the better of Zaheer Seedat and Henry Platt to take Class D. The reverse-grid second heat went to Olerato Sekudu, who got the better of Bernard de Gouveia and Try Cochran. Du Plessis and Herbst were again the leading pair in Class C, this time with Kent Swartz joining them on the class podium. Reinhardt Miller had a relatively comfortable run to the Class D win ahead of Chloe Stuart and Henry Platt.
In the Turbo Cup, Kashen Naicker dominated the opening heat to take the win in a slightly shortened race from Anton Pommersheim and Leon Loubser. Renier Smith got the better of Lenard Archer to take Class B, while Oz Biagioni took Class C from Anand Naidu and Bennie Luyt. Johan Miller led the way from Alan Hilligen and Ronald Lenters in Class D. It looked like Naicker was going to make it two from two on debut in the second race, but he was adjudged to have jumped the start. The subsequent 30-second penalty dropped him to second behind Pommersheim, but still ahead of Loubser, who took another third place. Smith again took Class B from Archer, with Carlo Garbini in third. Baigioni and Naidu claimed the top two spots in Class C after Luyt was also hit with a 30-second penalty for a jump start. Varish Ganpath took third. Craig Herbst dominated the Class D field, winning by over 12 seconds from Gerald Anthony and Ronald Lenters.
The Passion for Speed now moves to Red Star Raceway, where the second part of the 25th anniversary celebrations will take place on 6 and 7 February.
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