Kyalami Nine-Hour to thrill crowds this weekend

Ticket prices start at R50 for general access on Friday and R100 for Saturday

12 December 2023 - 09:28 By Motoring Reporter
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In the Nine-Hour endurance race, Lamborghinis will fight with Porsche, Mercedes and other exotic supercars for overall honours.
In the Nine-Hour endurance race, Lamborghinis will fight with Porsche, Mercedes and other exotic supercars for overall honours. 
Image: Supplied

A loud line-up of supercars will take to the track on Friday and Saturday for the Nine-Hours of Kyalami.

The Nine-Hour main race will start at noon on Saturday preceded by shorter supporting races on Friday and Saturday for the SA GT National championship, GT Supercup, Pabar VW Challenge, Lotus Challenge and Silvercup 2.0.

It is the Southern African Endurance Series’ (SAES) season finale with 13 championships going down to the wire including the prestigious SA Endurance National Championship, SA Endurance Index of Performance Championship and the SA GT National Championship.

SAES co-founders Xolile Letlaka, Izak Spies and CEO Wayne Riddell are bringing the Nine-Hours of Kyalami to Gauteng with the aim of growing the motorsport audience. Affordability is key to this objective and ticket prices start at R50 for general access on Friday and R100 for Saturday as the first step to lowering the barriers of entry to South African spectators.

Fans are allowed to park next to the circuit and bring their own braais and refreshments as it used to be in the old Nine-Hour days.

In the Nine-Hour endurance race, Lamborghinis will fight it out with Porsche, Mercedes and other exotic supercars for overall honours. 

The Into Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 entry of Xolile Letlaka, Stuart White and Mikaeel Pitamber should start as odds-on favourites, but should expect a strong challenge from title rivals, the Stradale Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 entry of Charl Arangies, Arnold Neveling and Kwanda Mokoena. Mokoena is the reigning SA Endurance Champion and joins the Stradale Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 team having competed in a few GT Open races this year.

Third in the title chase, Mike McLaughlin and co-driver Steve Clark have the fearsome Backdraft Roadster at their disposal, powered by a 7l Chevy motor. 

Hein Lategan has a long shot at the title and will have teammates Keagan Masters and Verissimo Tavares to share driving duties in the BBR Racing Porsche 911 GT3. Another team in with a chance of snatching the title is the Cape Town-based Dolphin Engineering entry of Byron Mitchell, Peter van der Spuy and Nian du Toit in the Play.co.za Juno-Nissan.

The Giannoccaro family of Ricky, Gianni and Giacomo will compete in their G&H Transport Lamborghini Gallardo, joined by Ant Blunden.

Behind the class A supercars will be a frenetic class D battle between Volkswagen, Toyota and a lone BMW.

Volkswagen Motorsport’s trio of Daniel Rowe, Jonathan Mogotsi and newly crowned Polo Cup Champion Charl Visser will be pulling out all the stops to win both the Class D and Index of Performance titles. 

Market rival Toyota has entered a pair of Gazoo Racing Toyota 86s in its quest to repeat its one-two Index victory at last year’s Cape nine-hour with a GR Yaris. Toyota GR Cup champion Setshaba Mashigo will be joined in the one car by fellow motoring journalists Chad Luckoff, Mark Jones and Denis Droppa. The second car has Toyota management Mario de Sousa, Anand Pather and Leon Theron with journalist Brendon Staniforth.

Class E, the home of Backdraft-Lexus V8 cars, has the top five in the title race separated by seven points led by defending champions Harm and Barend Pretorius (Pesty Racing).

The full entry list and programme can be found on https://saeseries.com/

Live coverage of all the races on December 15 and 16 will be broadcast on SuperSport and the SAES YouTube channel.


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