01 Apr ADRIAN PHEIFFER – 90 NOT OUT!
Adrian Pheiffer, the first chairman of the Western Province Motor Club and for many years its public relations and media liaison officer, twice Western Province champion driver, SAGMJ Motoring Journalist of the year in 1992, author, raconteur and all-round doyen of racing at Killarney, celebrated his 90th birthday on Wednesday 24 March in the observation room that’s been so appropriately named after him, on the third floor of the circuit’s control tower.
He was joined by a small group of family, friends and media colleagues, as well as the circuit staff, for a ‘little get-together for an hour or so’ that lasted well into the afternoon, with Adrian sharing memories of the first two Cape Grands Prix in 1960 and 1962, the huge Motor Show at Goodwood Showground that saved the circuit from bankruptcy and closure in 1965, and the biggest racing event (in more ways than one!) ever held at Killarney, the Continental Truck Racing Circus of December 1999.
Toasts were proposed, hair-raising stunts recalled (“You’d never get a permit for that today!” was one comment) and Adrian was kept busy autographing posters and copies of his book “Killarney, 50 Golden Racing Years 1960 to 2010”, cementing his status as a genuine Killarney celebrity.
And his parting shot?
“See you next year!”
