The National Extreme Festival moves to East London this weekend and promises to be an action-packed affair at the iconic Grand Prix Circuit for the start of the second half of the season.
CompCare VW PoloCup local hero Jeandre Marais is in 12th place in the championship, yet is quietly confident of a good showing on Saturday
“I’m both nervous and excited to be taking on the long fast straights and sweeping turns,” Marais said.
“After some testing with the new engine, we put down some solid times and improved on the best time we did at the last national at Scribante. We know we have the right equipment to tackle the fastest guys and girls in the country.
“Going into the weekend you have to have the mindset that you can do it, keep it flat through Potters yet still be cautious when overtaking so as not to endanger yourself or fellow competitors, because in this class you give it 110% at all times to be competitive.”
After snatching four race wins so far this season in the Compcare PoloCup Series, Charl Visser from Cape Town is the championship leader, enjoying a 33-point lead over Dawie van der Merwe. The battle for third place is a close-knit affair with Capetonians Giordano Lupini and Nathan Victor as well as Gauteng resident Anthony Pretorius all separated by only three points.
In the Global Touring Car Championship, Saood Variawa’s 13-point lead over Robert Wolk could be in jeopardy as Wolk is getting his season campaign back on track.
Julian van der Watt, having made a welcome return to racing after his horrific injuries suffered at the start of the season, will be hoping for a great weekend as he comes to grips with the new BMW M128ti GTC. The last GTC win that BMW had was in East London two years ago with Lee Thompson behind the wheel.
In the Global Touring Cars SupaCup class, Brad Liebenberg and Keegan Campos both have four race wins in hand and lead proceedings with Jonathan Mogotsi and Arnold Neveling chasing them down with consistent podium finishes.
The Investchem Formula 1600 single-seaters should see another dominant performance from championship leader Troy Dolinshek as he has won six of the eight races this season. His closest rival is fellow Capetonian Jason Coetzee, with Gerard Geldenhuys and Nicholas van Weely all very much in the hunt for second place in the championship.
In the G&H Transport Extreme Supercars Gianni Giannoccaro will be hoping to upset the applecart with his Nissan GTR as he goes up against the Lamborghini Huracans of Jonathan du Toit and Ricky Giannoccaro as well as the beautifully turned out Porsche 997 of Franco Scribante.
Hometown hero Jayson Lamb will enjoy racing his motorcycle on his home track and will be hoping to stretch his lead in Sunbet ZX 10 Masters Cup against Graeme van Breda, Hein McMahon, Trevor Westman, Klint Munton and another homeboy in Travis Naude.
The Gazoo Racing SA Cup class is split into two sections with racing drivers in the Toyota Yaris’s and motorsport journalists racing the Yaris 86s. Saáad Variawa has set the pace so far this season with Karah Hill pushing him all the way.
Tickets are available at the gate and racing action starts at 10.15am with a scheduled finish at 5pm.
Potters in action
East London awaits Marais, PoloCup
Jayson Lamb will hope to stretch his lead in Sunbet ZX 10 Masters Cup
Image: ASHLEY SMITH
The National Extreme Festival moves to East London this weekend and promises to be an action-packed affair at the iconic Grand Prix Circuit for the start of the second half of the season.
CompCare VW PoloCup local hero Jeandre Marais is in 12th place in the championship, yet is quietly confident of a good showing on Saturday
“I’m both nervous and excited to be taking on the long fast straights and sweeping turns,” Marais said.
“After some testing with the new engine, we put down some solid times and improved on the best time we did at the last national at Scribante. We know we have the right equipment to tackle the fastest guys and girls in the country.
“Going into the weekend you have to have the mindset that you can do it, keep it flat through Potters yet still be cautious when overtaking so as not to endanger yourself or fellow competitors, because in this class you give it 110% at all times to be competitive.”
After snatching four race wins so far this season in the Compcare PoloCup Series, Charl Visser from Cape Town is the championship leader, enjoying a 33-point lead over Dawie van der Merwe. The battle for third place is a close-knit affair with Capetonians Giordano Lupini and Nathan Victor as well as Gauteng resident Anthony Pretorius all separated by only three points.
In the Global Touring Car Championship, Saood Variawa’s 13-point lead over Robert Wolk could be in jeopardy as Wolk is getting his season campaign back on track.
Julian van der Watt, having made a welcome return to racing after his horrific injuries suffered at the start of the season, will be hoping for a great weekend as he comes to grips with the new BMW M128ti GTC. The last GTC win that BMW had was in East London two years ago with Lee Thompson behind the wheel.
In the Global Touring Cars SupaCup class, Brad Liebenberg and Keegan Campos both have four race wins in hand and lead proceedings with Jonathan Mogotsi and Arnold Neveling chasing them down with consistent podium finishes.
The Investchem Formula 1600 single-seaters should see another dominant performance from championship leader Troy Dolinshek as he has won six of the eight races this season. His closest rival is fellow Capetonian Jason Coetzee, with Gerard Geldenhuys and Nicholas van Weely all very much in the hunt for second place in the championship.
In the G&H Transport Extreme Supercars Gianni Giannoccaro will be hoping to upset the applecart with his Nissan GTR as he goes up against the Lamborghini Huracans of Jonathan du Toit and Ricky Giannoccaro as well as the beautifully turned out Porsche 997 of Franco Scribante.
Hometown hero Jayson Lamb will enjoy racing his motorcycle on his home track and will be hoping to stretch his lead in Sunbet ZX 10 Masters Cup against Graeme van Breda, Hein McMahon, Trevor Westman, Klint Munton and another homeboy in Travis Naude.
The Gazoo Racing SA Cup class is split into two sections with racing drivers in the Toyota Yaris’s and motorsport journalists racing the Yaris 86s. Saáad Variawa has set the pace so far this season with Karah Hill pushing him all the way.
Tickets are available at the gate and racing action starts at 10.15am with a scheduled finish at 5pm.
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