Summarize

The East London Grand Prix Circuit’s wonderful winter of motor racing continues with the Border region now set to be invaded by both the South African Endurance Series and Historic Racing South Africa circuses. They join East London’s regular regional classes on Saturday 3 August in something of a classic and endurance fest, with the Bigfoot 700 Mopar SA Endurance 4-Hour running into the evening after a 1-Hour Historic Endurance race, all that only after a full day of regular sprint racing.

The Bigfoot 700 Mopar SA Endurance 4-Hour will enjoy premier billing as that title chases into its second half. On the face of it, the race should see a keen dice up front between the wieldy Ligier-Hondas of championship leader Nick Adcock driving with Dane Michael Jensen and the winner of the last two rounds, James Forbes and Fritz Kleynhans’ similar machine. 

Don’t rule out Riaan Botma and Supervan Sarel van der Merwe, and Romano Sartori and Franco di Matteo also driving a pair of Ligier-Hondas, but there's a powerful Corvette V8 propelled Ginetta fly in that ointment, piloted by Craig Jarvis and Stuart White. Easily the fastest car in the field, the trick with the Ginetta is to find reliability, so let’s see if that pair can finally coax the monster to the finish without an issue at the Grand Prix Circuit.

East London’s long straight will see the leading GT cars keeping the frontrunners honest, with an exciting newcomer in the form of Paul Hill and Michael Stephen’s Aston Martin Vantage V12 GT3 facing off against GT3 championship leading Charl and Harry Arangies’ Lamborghini and East London regulars Sun Moodley and Andrew Culbert in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

There’s always a great dice in the smaller Sportscar classes and East London race fans can expect more of the same between Eric Salomon and Dave Sinclair's Elf S06 Toyota, Dean Wolson and Gerald Wright's Sports 2000 Opel and a swarm of Nash MVW3s driven by Howard Blake and Andrew Horne, John and Byron Oliver, among others.

GT5 action will see Kishoor Pitamber and Kris Budnik's Ferrari F360 Challenge taking on Tony Martin and Mike Mcloughlin and Trevor Graham and Brian Martin in a pair of Backdraft Roadsters, but they will all have their work cut out by the leading tin-top entry as Bradley Scorer returns to SAEC duty alongside endurance regular Darren Winterboer in a quick BMW M3.

The production championship battle is another matter however, as Dayne Angel and Jarryd Evans' Honda Civic Type R will have its hands full with title rivals Theo van Vuuren and Keegan Ward’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Uli Sanne, Terence Lander and John McLachlan in an Alfa Romeo GT.

The other upcountry attraction will be the visting historic party headed up by a Pre-90 Sports & GT Porsche versus Chevron battle with Richard Pott, Richard de Roos and Stefan Puschavez’ 911 RSRs take on classic Peter Jenkins and Colin Ellison. The Pre-1980 Universal Health Care Historic Racing Saloons will see title leader Fanie Kloppers (Mercedes) fighting off Sean Hepburn’s Datsun, Andre ten Napel's Scirocco, Hubi Von Moltke’s Mercedes and Alan Green, Johann van der Walt and Rene van Rensburg’s Ford Escorts and a few local entries including Derek Boy’s Ford Capri Perana, Gudmanz clan Alec and Darron in a pair of Capri Peranas and Matthew (Mazda Capella).

The visiting Charlies Superspar Pursuit gang will race in two handicap heats, where Werner Hartzenberg comfortably leads that title chase in his Porsche 928S, but it's close behind between Althea Pretorius’ Porsche 924, Rob Clark (Citroen GS), Mercedes Benz 190E duo Richard Tudor-Owen and Andre Hattingh and Kola de Klerk’s Nissan 300ZX. Add Henk De Klerk’s Honda Civic, Nadine Von Moltke (Mercedes) and Harm Beens (Escort) for good effect.

A one-hour Historic Endurance Race will see old-timer all-comers taking to the track, including Jenkins and Ellison's Chevrons, the Pott, de Roos and Puschavez Porsche RSRs, Jacobs' Alfa Romeo, von Moltke's Mercedes and others, as well as a few local Border Historics to spice it all up. 

Depending on final entry numbers, the local Border Historics will either race alone or with the up-county visitors but either way, all eyes will be on Mike Forsyth and his Cobra to see if he can maintain his recent advantage over Alec Gudmanz’ Capri Perana, Brendan Smith (Escort) and Gudmanz duo, Mathew and Darron and Donovan Collins (BMW) in the local series. Add Shane Fantham, Graham (Cortina) and Quentin Lessing (Escort), Gary Schultz, Johan van der Westhuizen (Chevy), Quenton Bates, Andrew Karshagen and Kyle Rose among others set to entertain further down the pack.

So there you have it — another quality day of top drawer motor racing is coming up in the Border region, again spiced up by a decent dose of national and upcountry competition. Sounds like the perfect excuse to pack the braai, cooler box and deck chairs and head to the Grand Prix Circuit for the day Saturday 3 August!