Durban - KwaZulu-Natal’s Lance Brophy is ready to take on the top spinners in South African at the innovative Red Bull Shay’ iMoto event on Saturday, September 19.
Brophy will gather along with nine other of the best spinners from across the country behind closed doors at a top-secret location to showcase his spinning skills and stunts.
The innovative spinning event stream live on www.redbullshayimoto.com and iol.co.za.
This is the second year the innovative event is taking place, but the first time the Kokstad resident will compete.
“Coming from KZN it is very special to just be here and in an event of this stature and surrounded by spinners of this calibre. It is an opportunity very few people get, so I’m very blessed to be here,” he said.
Run under strict Covid-19 protocols, the event will have no live audience at the venue and has a restricted number of crew. Fans will be able to support via www.redbullshayimoto.com.
The first round will see Brophy and rest of the spinners, including the likes of defending champ Vernon “Veejaro” Hendricks taking on a course set out for them.
The live event takes place on Saturday where they will be judged by a panel of legendary local spinners that include Jeff James, Magesh, and Shehiem Bell.
Being a newcomer, Brophy knows he has his work cut out for him, but he’s confident.
“I looked at last year’s track and expected the track to be similar, with a few twists thrown in,” he said, after seeing the secret track for the first time.
“That is exactly what happened, it is a bit slippery but we just have to adapt and go with the flow.”
Brophy will be going with the flow in his custom BMW E30 (box shape).
“It’s got a 2.8 power plant in and is known as XXX - Extra Strong. We built it from scratch with stiff suspension. It is a very unique car especially with the sound of it.”
Affectionately known as a ‘Gusheshe’ the BMW E30 is an icon in the South African Spinning scene.
According to Vic Pardal – who is an integral part of the event team and who will once again MC the event – Spinning is deeply rooted in South African culture and has been happening for over 30 years.
“Traditionally it was used as a celebration of life at people’s funerals and for certain other celebrations and purposes which were beyond the law,” he says, explaining that while it remains loud and raw it remains true to its roots, spinning has evolved a lot over the past three decades and emerged from its sometimes shadowy connotations to the mainstream motoring scene.
“Spinning is very different from drifting,” Pardal added, particularly in the crowd support way.
“Spinning is the art of controlling chaos while creating entertainment just like theatre while drifting is a motorsport, governed by a strict set of rules and formats,” he said.
“As long as there has been rear-wheel drive cars in South Africa, people have been spinning cars. But spinning is very different today to what someone’s uncle or grandfather was doing years ago in a, let’s say recreation centre parking lot.”
While it may not be respected as a Motorsport to some, to the spinning community it has become their pride and joy.
“It is a culture and a movement… And yet, it is the only ‘motorsport; that covers all races, faces and different shoelaces,” said Pardal.
“It is the only motorsport that is accessible for everyone in this country.”
Fans can watch their favourites compete for the overall title on the live stream on Saturday 19 September 2020, at 7pm on redbullshayimoto.com and iol.co.za.
The Mercury