Kyalami gears up for nine hours of racing

The Kyalami 9 Hour will make a welcome return to motorsport in November after a 37-year absence.

The event forms part of the 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge (IntGTC) Powered by Pirelli, which includes the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, California 8 Hours, Total 24 Hours of Spa and Suzuka 10 Hours.

The international motorsport event takes place at Kyalami on November 22-23, and will be family-oriented with live music, DJs, food stalls, and a childrens’ zone.

SRO Motorsports founder and CEO Stéphane Ratel says the addition of Kyalami to the other prestigious races on the calendar is “a dream come true”.

“I’ve spent years trying to get this African leg of the series off the ground. To finally have it all locked in is a massive achievement and one that I am absolutely delighted about having an African part of this championship means that we are now across five continents,” Ratel says.

While the Intercontinental GT Challenge is reserved for FIA GT3 specification supercars, many of its events — including the Kyalami 9 Hour — also feature local championships and cars competing for class honours simultaneously.

They will share the track with IntGTC’s eight full-season manufacturers: Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes-AMG, Nissan and Porsche, plus SA’s international GT stars Kelvin van der Linde and Jordan Pepper, who are both battling for outright victory.

The Kyalami 9 Hour dates back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s. It was hotly contested by classic Porsche racers such as the 550 Spider, 908, 917 and 956, as well as the Ferrari 250 GTO and 512M. Back then champions such as Jacky Ickx, Jochen Mass and David Piper raced to victory.

“Kyalami has always been the stage for iconic motorsport events, and to have the Kyalami 9 Hour return here is truly special,” says Kyalami owner Toby Venter. “It also adds a wonderful international event to the calendar that local families can come and enjoy.”

Tickets are priced from R200 and can be bought from www.kyalami9hour.com.