Summarize

The G&H Transport Extreme Supercars delivered a couple of entertaining races at Saturday’s Zwartkops Passion for Speed races as Charl Arangies escaped a fraught early first race to deliver a compelling double victory to take the day. The real action was however in the Balance of Performance GT3 class, which delivered the dice of the day in the second race.

Pole man Arangies led the first race away in the Stradale Into Africa Lamborghini Huracan GT3. He was hounded by an on form Paulo Loureiro who was delighted to have planted his Combined BMW 335i alongside Arangies on the front row. 

Behind them, Arangies’ teammate Xolile Letlaka spun his Class A Stradale Into Africa McLaren 650S GTS in the pack out of Turn 1, causing Balance of Performance Lamborghini GT3 duo, Gianni Giannoccaro’s BISC Transport Supertrafeo and Greg Parton’s Drizit Lamborghini Huracan to almost grind to a halt in avoidance and open up the field behind.

Arangies then slid off in defence into the final turn in lap 1 and dropped behind Kris Budnik’s Bucketlist Dodge Viper as Loureiro led the way. Arangies was having none of it though and soon passed the rumbling Viper to set off after Loureiro, whom he proceeded to reel in and catch by mid-distance. 

The fight was on as Loureiro defended fiercely, causing Arangies to quite literally fight his way past. He and the combative Loureiro banged wheels as the Lamborghini man forced his way through in the final turn. Once by the BMW, Arangies made off to an ultimately comfortable win from Loureiro, Budnik and BoP GT3 winner Gianni Giannoccaro. He fended Parton off after Ricky Giannoccaro’s third BoP G&H Transport Lamborghini Supertrafeo slowed.

Mark du Toit was next up in his BoP GT3 Trans Africa Racing Ferrari F430 GT3 ahead of Class B and C winners, Ant Blunden’s SAJCO CV Porsche 997 GT3 Cup and Marius Jackson in his re-liveried MegaFibre Audi R8 LMS GT4. 

Letlaka recovered to tenth as he claimed Class A in the McLaren, ahead of Class C runners Deon du Plessis’ BPT KTM X-Bow RR, Stefan Snyders’ Steton Porsche RSR and Jimmy Giannoccaro’s G&H BMW M4 with Class D winner Ian Kotwal’s XPEL BMW M235i next up. Class A man Ben Morgenrood and GT3 runner Jonathan du Toit took early showers after their Lexus and Ferrari hit trouble.

Charl Arangies made no mistake has he sped off to win a trouble free second race from Loureiro. A recuperated Ben Morgenrood fought back through the pack to eventually pip Budnik at the post, but the race of the day was behind them between the GT3 Balance of Performance frontrunners.

Greg Parton held off race long pressure from both Gianni Giannoccaro, who was in a sandwich, with Jonathan du Toit’s Ferrari all over the back of both the Lamborghinis. That dice allowed Ricky Giannoccaro to close in, in his Lambo to make that a four-way fight to the end of the 15-lap race, with the four of them covered by just a second at the flag.

Ant Blunden came home ninth to take Class B ahead of Class C winner Deon du Plessis’ KTM and D winner Ian Kotwal, He held Uli Sanne’s similar Z4 at bay, while Jimmy Giannoccaro, Marius Jackson and Class A winner Xolile Letlaka all struggled home with a variety of challenges after Stefan Snyders exited mid-race following a Turn 8 shunt.

Charl Arangies took overall and Class A+ victory from Paulo Loureiro and Kris Budnik, while Greg Parton made it a Lamborghini GT3 Balance of Perfotmance Class 1-2-3 as he pipped Gianni and Ricky Giannoccaro. Ant Blunden took Class B. Deon du Plessis took Class C from Marius Jackson and Ian Kotwal lifted the Class D trophy.

The G&H Extreme Supercars returns to action at Zwartkpos Raceway on Saturday 13 August.