South African historic car racing returned to its traditional home on Saturday 27 July with about 240 competitors entertaining a large crowd at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria.
Round 4 of the 2013 Historic Tour produced large and varied fields, brilliant competition and ultra close racing. Top billing belonged to the Pre-66 Legend of the Nine Hour Production Car contingent, with 11 V8 engined vehicles leading a 21-car entry list.
Rally ace Leeroy Poulter (Ford Thunderbolt) took control shortly after the start of Race 1, leading Franco Scribante (Ford Mustang), Jaki Scheckter (Ford Galaxie), Jonathan du Toit (Chevrolet Nova) and Mark du Toit (Chevrolet Biscayne) to the finish.
There was drama on the first lap of Race 2 as Charl Arrangies spun his Chevelle on the Table Top, causing Du Toit and Poulter to take evasive action.
Scribante's Mustang emerged from the dust cloud in the lead, and he held off a succession of challenges Scheckter's Galaxie to come home half a second ahead of Scheckter, with Du Toit, MJ Maerien (Ford Fairlane), Mark du Toit (Chevrolet Bel-Air) and Poulter rounding out the top six.
SPORTS AND GT CARS
Matching the big saloon cars for spectacle were the Pre-66 Le Mans Sports and GT Cars. Race 1 saw Mark du Toit leading from flag to flag in his Lola T70 Spyder, closely shadowed by Franco Scribante (Ford GT40), Ross Lazarus (Ford GT40) and Peter Lindenberg (Ford Daytona).
Race 2 saw a brilliant dice between Du Toit and Scribante, with Du Toit eventually beating the GT40 to the line by four hundredths of a second.
Dino Scribante (Ford GT40), Lazarus, Olivier Dalais (Ford GT40) and Warren Lombard (Cobra) filled the rest of the top six places.
Carel Pienaar (Chevrolet Camaro) won both the Pre-74 International Sports Prototype races, with Jonathan du Toit (Ecosse) and Peter Jenkins (Porsche 911 RSR) swapping second and third places.
LITTLE GIANTS
Colin Ellison (Alfa Giulietta), Keith van Heerden (Jaguar D-Type), Cameron MacLeod (MGA), Steven Kernick (MGB), Dugald MacLeod (Cortina GT), Peter Colllings (Mini Cooper S) and Marc Miller (Alfa Romeo) took the respective overall class honours in the Pre-66 Little Giants category.
The Marque Cars category went to Stuart Grant's Mercedes-Benz, ahead of Dugald MacLeod (Ford Cortina GT), Paul Manegold (Alfa Giulia Sprint), Kola de Klerk (Nissan 300ZX), Peter Maclldowie (MGB GT) and Thomas Falkiner (Mercedes-Benz).
The day's overall Formula Ford Kent laurels went to Andrew Horn (Royale), ahead of Graham Vos (Reynard), Dalan Holton (Van Diemen), Keegan Ward (Swift), Ben van der Westhuizen (Royale) and Mathew Nash (Van Diemen).
Class wins in the Pre-77 Saloon Car category went to Willie Hepburn (Opel Rekord), Andre Diederichs (Chevrolet Camaro), Seef Fourie (Datsun 140Z), Theo van Vuuren (BMW 2002), Don Bruins (Mazda 323), Mossie Mostert (Datsun GX Coupe) and Wayne Lotter (Ford Escort).
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