Summarize

Toyota Gazoo Racing Week 9 of 2022 was a big one for South African motorsport. A large and appreciative crowd returned to the trackside for the biggest meeting in over two years since lockdown at a marvellous sunny and hot Killarney in Cape Town on Saturday. They were treated to brilliant racing as several home heroes gave them more than just a bit to shout for. It was just as good overseas, where Brad Binder starred in MGP and a South African leads the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge bikes.

Cape Town race fans embraced Killarney’s post lockdown opening round 2022 National Extreme Festival. Champion Robert Wolk and his Chemical Logistics Toyota Corolla survived a crunching reverse grid second race and a penalty to still come out on top as the Global Touring Cars thrilled on track. Wolk held Daniel Rowe off to win the first heat and then followed local hero Julian van der Watt’s RDSA Ford Focus home in race 2, before Rowe inherited second. Jeffrey Kruger and Keagan Masters shared spectacular GTC Supacup wins.

Jonathan du Toit's Lamborghini Huracan beat Charl Arangies' Nissan GT-R and Greg Parton’s Huracan to the Extreme Supercar win. Dominant Cape Town kids, Jurie Swart led Tate Bishop, Charl Visser and Giordano Lupini to a Polo Cup 1-2-3-4, and Gerard beat brother Antwan Geldenhuys and Josh Le Roux to Investchem Formula 1600 honours as Ian Schofield took the Kent win. Trevor Westman and Ronald Slamet traded SunBet ZX10 Masters bike wins and Ashley Oldfield won both Toyota Gazoo Yaris Media Challenge races.

South Africa also had much to cheer for overseas. Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini took an emotional maiden victory at the Qatar MotoGP a year after team founder Fausto Gresini passed away. SA hero Brad Binder was a sensational second from Honda man Pol Espargaro, brother Aleix Espargaro on an Aprilia, Marc Marquez’ Honda and Suzuki rider  Joan Mir. Younger Binder brother Darryn missed the points by a position in 17th on his debut on a Yamaha. Celestino Vietti dominated Moto2 and Andrea Migno won Moto3.

South African Michael Docherty is leading the bikes on an SRG Husqvarna, two days into the 5-day Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, round 2 of the Rally Raid world championship after the Dakar. He beat KTM’s Dakar winning duo Mattias Walkner and Sam Sunderland’s Gas Gas. SA champion Brad Cox was 16th on his KTM and Charan Moore’s Husqvarna 20th on Sunday. Stephane Peterhansel and Edouard Boulanger’s petrol electric Audi leads the cars from Yazeed Al Rajhi and Dirk Von Zitzewitz Toyota Hilux.

In other international action, Alex Bowman cashed in with a Las Vegas NASCAR Cup win in his Chevrolet. He beat Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain’s similar cars in a two-lap overtime shootout. Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. had fought out front for most of the distance. Shane van Ginsbergen used a three-stop strategy to win the opening Aussie Supercars round in Sydney. Chaz Mostert, whose parents hail from SA, snatched the final in a Holden double.

Back in SA at an EP regional further up the East Coast at Gqeberha, Celso Scribante’s Lamborghini beat Deon Slabbert’s wild Polo and Gordon Nicholson’s Nissan GT-R in the Modified races. Slabbert’s Polo won the 45 minute enduro from Gerald Beech and Daniel Bright’s Opels. Derek Boy’s Chevy defeated Aidan Barnard’s Opel and Darryn Vice in a Ford in Coastal Challenge. On two wheels, Nkululeko Majola’s Kawasaki took the regional win, Ashton Heidemann won in the CBR 150s and Dylan Grobler NSF 100s.

Moving up to Delmas, Jannie van Rooyen and Stuart Konig’s Sciroccos beat Johann Smith’s Mazda to BMG Historic Race Car victory at Red Star. Mike Thompsons Ford Capri beat  Machiel Oberholzer's Mercedes 190E and Werner Hartzenberg’s Porsche 356 to Pursuit victory. Roger Houston took Legends of the 9 Hour honours, William Einkamerer took BMW Club victory from Carlo Garbini and Fabio Fedetto. Charl Roux best Gerhard Roux to the Inex Legends win. And Corrie Le Roux took the Monoposto win.

And finally on the local scene, Rotax Max second round KZN karting Challenge action at iDube. Brent Walden won DD2 and Jonathan Pieterse DD2 Masters. Richard Horner won Max Masters, Troy Snyman Senior Max and Dhyvien Naidoo Junior Max. In the primary school classes, Travis Mingay won Mini and Ryan Falconer, Micro Max and Diego Antunes Bambino. Andrew Nivison took Shifter honours.