Summarize

Rotax Max karting is all set for the all-important opening round South African National, and wildcard African Open at Killarney in Cape TownSaturday 23 March. With karters converging on the Cape from all corners of the country and African continent, and incredible action in the regional Rotax races so far, it can only be a case of excellent racing over the weekend.

The Nationals must still continue through KZN and up to Gauteng for its following rounds to decide its respective champions to represent the country at the Italian Grand Finals in October. The second part of  Killarney double header, the 2024 African Open will however hand the winner of those wildcard races a ticket straight into that Neapolitan ‘Olympics of Karting’. So Sunday is an even bigger deal that Saturday!

The action is sure to be explosive from top to tail, starting with the premier direct drive 2-speed DD2s, where home crew, SA champion Seb Boyd, Joseph Oelz, Jason Coetzee, Ethan Stier and Matthew Wadeley take on the upcountry best. They include multiple SA DD2 champion Bradley Liebenberg, Nic Vostanis, Olerato Sekudu, Dusan Radojevic and Karabo Malemela. Cape Town DD2 Masters heroes, Jared and Michael Jordan, Conor Hughes, Bjorn Roos and Roy Gruer have KZN hero Jono Pieterse, upcountry raider Grant Veenstra and Angolan Cristian Bouche to deal with the over-30 class.

Moving on to Senior Max, Jozi lot Kent Swartz, Kian Spies Ethan Bostander, Jonno Wilson and the wily Muhammad Wally have local gang, SA Polo Cup champion Charl Visser, SupaCup racer Tate Bishop, Luca Wehrli and KZN F1600 pilot Shrien Naidoo, and a few African continent drivers  to deal with. And it’s Jozi’s Kegan Martin, Georgia Lenaerts, Gianna Pascoal, Luke Hill, Spice Mailula and Rafael Da Silva up against Cape high school stars Keagan Martin, Jordon Wadeley, Luke Hill, Seb Dias, Keagan Beaumont, Nick Lennox, Sebastiano Human and James Nash in Junior Max.

Brodi Dowling comes to the Cape with an under-13 Mini Max point to prove alongside Reef compatriots Ronaldo Koen, who won at the last  Killarney regional, Durelle Goodman, Tshepang Shisinwana, Rafael De Sousa, and Callum du Toit. They first need to deal with hometown drivers Michael Danks, Aiden Beaumont and Ruan Lewis. Local under-11 Micro Max lads Liam Wharton, Michael O'Mahoney and Jayden van der Merwe will have a strong travelling party including Matthew Shuttleworth, Adriaan Steyn, Luke du Toit and Luhan de Wet to keep them busy. 

Last but not least, the baby Bambinos will see Jozi visitors Seb Shuttleworth, Alonzo De Oliveira, Aston Verheul, and Kiaan Pillay out to prove a point against local knowledge. Radhi Harris, Yaqeen Gamieldien, Caleb Lingeveldt and Ebrahim Khalpey will use that to their best advantage! Most classes also include drivers from Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Angola, and other African countries to add to the intrigue. All of which means Killarney is the place to be for explosive Rotax Max National karting action all day Saturday. Failing that, log on to www.kart.co.za for live timing and streaming.