Summarize

Killarney race fans can look forward something completely different at Saturday 9 July’s Power Series races. While many may be unhappy to learn that all their regular Alert Engine Parts GTi Challenge heroes are not racing in the midwinter meeting, there’s a most intriguing substitute. The upcountry PABAR VW Challenge will race in their place. Best of all, a strong field of top local Cape Class A drivers are entered as wildcards to make it a true North vs. South spectacular.

So, Rory Atkinson’s newly purple rebranded BHIT Industrial Transport car heads to Killarney in a 7-point championship lead in the all-VW Polo 6R Class A over wily old Wayne Masters’ Performance Masters machine. They have a sizeable advantage over a tight three-way spat for third between former Capetonian Stiaan Kriel’s Design Hut Polo, Waldie Meintjes’ Allwagen car and CPS Warehouse lad Bevin Masters. All three of whom can complain about troubled runs so far this season.

Thre’s a splendid spat behind them for sixth in Class A between Derick Smalberger's Sabertek Polo and Blue Belt Pozidrive father and son team Sam and Chris Dale.  Stelio Nousias’ Chasing Cars Polo, Mr. PABAR Mike Barbaglia, Mydi Mfana, Dewald Theron and another Volkswagen Challenge oldtimer Gavin Ross are also all in the mix. The touring party however has a lot more to think about with that strong contingent of local Alert Engine Parts Cape GTi Challenge wildcards entering the fray.

Expect old rivals Jurie Swart’s Summit Racing and Automan lad Marco Busi’s Polo 6Rs to race right at the sharp end. TAC Steel driver Dillon Joubert, ITT man  Colin Meder and second Summit driver Nathan Victor will be in the thick of it too. And look out for local Class A newcomers, G+A Motorsport duo, former WP champion Jacques and Cape Class C regulars, son Schalk Geldenhuys, and Razlegh Harris to surprise, too. Will these upstarts enjoy a hometown advantage? Time will tell!

There may not be any Cape locals racing, but PABAR VW Challenge Class B has proven so popular that it's been forced to race on its own on shorter racetracks so far this year. No less that eighteen Class B cars make the trek to the Cape, where rookie sensation Hannes Scheepers arrives in a formidable title advantage in his Dainfern Dental Polo. He has two racing ladies keeping him honest with Charisse van der Merwe' Hot 102.7 FM and Elna Croeser’s ATE Polos in second and third.

Other upcountry Class B challengers to keep an eye on at Killarney include JRT Polo lad Ethan Coetzee and Francois van Zyl's Jesus Saves Vivo, Karshin Naidoo, RAM racer Bevan Williams, Jacques Hayes, Miguel Dias and FAST kid Anthony Pretorius. Also look out for Lindsay Clur, Stelio Nousias, Fast 5 lad Mo Karodia and Elio Muzzulini’s FSS Polo. And don’t ignore Dean Ross, JRT man Mitch Coetzee, Robbie Cosani or Chris Davison among the Class B lot either. 

Class C is another key VW Challenge battleground where Cape fans can expect something different from the local all-Golf 1 field. They race Vivos upcountry, where Ian Walker hit the ground running and is the man to beat in the baby class in his Cycles United car. Champion Pierluigi Muzzulini is already fighting back in his yellow FSS Vivo and expect Eezi Parts’ Mark Castel, ReZoom lad Dino Smit, PABAR driver Charl Andersen and ATE man Philip Croeser to also entertain.

So, far from missing their regular Challenge action, Cape race fans can look forward to an equally thrilling VW spectacle with the added bonus of a genuine Cape vs. Gauteng flavour about it. Let’s hope that this is the first of many such opportunities! Catch the action live via steaming on Killarney's official social media, or even better, see you at Killarney!