Pretoria’s Zwartkops Raceway will host its 15th annual Historic Passion For Speed Festival (formerly known as David Piper Day) this weekend, with more than 300 expected local and international entries.
One of the headline acts will be the Pre-1971 Champion of Champions Production GT Cars race, where South African Dakar star Leeroy Poulter in a Ford Fairlane will fend off the likes of Hennie Groenewald (Ford Comet), Jeffrey Kruger (Chevy Nova), Thomas Falkiner (Ford Mustang), and a fleet of Camaros driven by Mark du Toit, Stuart Grant, Lee Thompson and British driver Donald Duncan. Hollander Michiel Campagne is also on the entry list in his beautiful Corvette Grand Sport.
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Two SKF Pre-1966 Legend Production Cars heats will see Groenewald return for battle in a Plymouth Fury against Sarel van der Merwe and Paolo Cavalieri in a pair of Ford Galaxies, Mark du Toit (Chevy Biscayne), and Thomas Falkiner (Studebaker Golden Hawk). Three foreign Mustangs will also join in at the hands of Hollanders Frans van Maarschakwaard and Harm van Putten, and Swede Christian Nordahl.
A 45-minute Castrol South African Tourist Trophy race for Pre-1968 Le Mans and GT Cars will see three Lola T70 entries driven by Rui Campos, Mark/Jonathan du Toit and Mark Lauth pitted against the five Ford GT40s of Swedes Kenneth Person and Jan Kling, Brit Chris Wilson, and South Africans Oliver Dalais and Larry Wilford. Brit Donald Duncan will feature in a McLaren Mk1B, with Daytona Coupe entries to be shared by Sarel van der Merwe/Michael Briggs and Peter/Paige Lindenberg.
The event’s fastest races should be two heats for Pre-1974 Sports Racing Prototypes, where four Chevron B19s driven by Kent Abrahamsson (Sweden), Dirk Waaijenberg (Holland), and South Africans Franco Scribante and Colin Ellison will race against Sweden’s Burnt Anderson in a Lola 210, and locals Roman de Beer and Mark Lauth in Lola T70s. The biggest international field will come from Super Prix single-seater races for Pre-1963 Formula Junior cars, with 18 drivers from the UK, Norway and Sweden in 13 separate makes of car. There will also be races for Pre-1974 SA Single Seaters, with top contenders Alan Bailey in an ex-works F1 Cooper, Alex Morton in a Lotus 21, Andrew Beumont (LDS Alfa) and Eddie Perk (LDS Ford).
LITTLE GIANTS
Two Little Giants races for Pre-1968 Production and Sports Cars will comprise a field of D- and E-Type Jaguars, GSM Darts, a Mini Marcos, Mercedes-Benz Fintails, Ford Anglias and an Alfa Giulietta Sprint. The programme also includes races for Classic Production Cars, with a huge entry including the ex-Tony Viana Winfield BMW 745, Robbie Smith in a Ford Capri, various BMW 325s, a Ford Fairlane, Escorts, Datsuns, Mazdas and a VW Scirocco.
Modern races will include Ferrari and Lotus Challenges, Marque Cars Trofeo Challenge, and two G&H Transport Extreme Supercars heats, with front runners Jonathan du Toit (Ferrari 430), Lee Thompson (BMW M3), Jaki Scheckter (Ferrari 430 GT3), Charl Arangies (Lamborghini Gallardo), Anton Cronje (Subaru WRX), and Deon du Plessis (KTM X-Bow).
Classic bikes will be catered for with an SA TT motorcycle race on Saturday, and then the Suzuki Day of the champions and Isle of Man TT Classic Superbikes races on Sunday. Full weekend tickets can be bought at Computicket or at the Zwartkops office before the event for a discounted rate of R170 per adult and R100 per student, with children under 12 free. Gate tickets on Saturday are R190 per adult, R110 per student and children under 12 free. Friday or Sunday tickets are R90 per adult and R70 per student.
For more information visit www.zwartkops.co.za or call 012-384-2299.