Power Series #5

Saturday 9 July 2022 from 08h00 to 18h00

VISITORS SET THE CHALLENGE AT KILLARNEY POWER SERIES

Round 5 of the 2022 Power Series presented by Wingfield Motors on Saturday 9 July sees the first visit of the Zwartkops based Pabar VW Challenge to Killarney.

This well-established Northern Regions series is open only to fourth-generation (9N) and fifth-generation (6R) Volkswagen Polo hatchbacks and the rules are tightly controlled to ensure ultra-close racing. The visitors have also invited the Class A competitors of the local Alert Engines GTi Challenge to race with them – which sounds very much like a challenge to us!

Will the superior numbers of the visiting crew (they are talking about bringing up to 30 cars to Killarney) give them the edge, or will local heroes such as Jurie ‘Umpie’ Swart and Marco Busi use home track advantage to show them the way home? You’ll just have to be there to find out.

They’re part of a full programme of races for the Thermo Fires Clubmans Saloons, the combined BEJO Trustees Fine Cars and Laude Classic Cars, the hugely powerful Pirelli V8 Masters together with Formula Supercars, the Spitfire Furniture Sports & GT cars and the Formula Libre single-seaters.

And for thrilling action on two wheels, there are the South Superbikes/Superbike Challenge/Masters/600s and the Bridgestone Super Twin Cup 650 and Super Sport 300 Motorcycles.

Midwinter means cold oxygen-rich air to make racing engines run better, and an uncertain level of grip on cold tar – going fast in these conditions is more about car control than sheer power.

Wrap up warm and join us on the covered balcony above the Joubert Pits – right outside the Joubert Pits Lounge, home of some of the finest coffee in Cape Town. Or you can warm your hands at the friendly fire on the Clubhouse balcony and enjoy delicious hot food from the Trackside Pub and Grill along with superb views of the fastest corner at Killarney, the double-apex Malmesbury Sweep.

There’s ample parking all around the circuit, so bring your cooler box, light up your skottelbraai, park next to one of our brick braais, or just pick a spot on one of our covered grandstands and make the day your own.

Pre-book at Computicket or pay at the gate; Qualifying starts at 8:00am and you get a whole day of world-class motor racing on two and four wheels for R80 for adults, R20 for scholars under 16 and free for children under 12; Western Province Motor Club members also get in free on production of their membership books at the gate.

There are outlets around the facility serving hot snacks and cold beverages – as well as children’s play areas, including the famous Kiddies’ Korner, the coolest party zone on the West Coast, which is available for hire year-round. On Race Day your kids get to use it absolutely free!

Spectators are free to move around throughout the day; grab a spot on the free shuttle service and watch the action from different vantage points. The pits are always open to spectators, so you can also see the cars and motorcycles up close.

Click here to download the WPMC Power Series SRs 9-July-2022 with permit number

Click here to download the Unofficial Practice Sat 2 July timetable

SPONSOR TRIBUTE – INTERCEPTOR

“THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WORKING’ AS INTERCEPTOR STOMPS ITS BRAND ON DAMP’S DIP
Killarney is proud to announce the signing of Interceptor workwear as the sponsor of one of the most
exciting corners at our circuit.
Interceptor is the brand name of a new range of safety footwear and accessories made by Hi-TEC, better known for
running and sports shoes, as well as some of the world’s toughest hiking boots.
As with so many top products, it all started with one person’s frustration. Frank van Wezel, a Dutch businessman
living in England, got so tired of hearing his squash partners complaining about their shoes that in 1974 he decided
to do something about it. The result was the innovative lightweight Hi-TEC squash shoe, still in production today, 20
million pairs later.
In the United States, however, squash was something you ate, so he designed a lightweight hiking boot for the
American market, and Hi-TEC was on its way to becoming a world brand.
Now the same comfort-focused technology has created a range of workboots for people who take what they do
seriously – as do racing drivers – which is why from now on Killarney’s Turn 3 will be known as Interceptor Corner.
A fast, slightly downhill right-hander, it’s actually the lowest point on the circuit, and was originally named in honour
of Charles Stanley Damp, one of the builders of the present circuit. It’s also more difficult than it looks, resulting in
some spectacular off-road excursions for racers who get it wrong!
We welcome Interceptor to the home of motorsport in the Western Cape, and to our motorsport family, and we
look forward to a long and happy association.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE – MONSTER ENERGY

Monster Energy has been a dedicated supporter of the Killarney Motor Show for many years, setting up their Gig Rig to act as a sound stage, hosting celebrity guests and donating awesome prizes for visitor competitions.

Each year they bring awesome acts to entertain visitors to the Show, such as the Le Riche brothers, who turn the art of trails riding into a breath-taking circus act, and the high-flying riders of the Freestyle Motocross crew, defying gravity and seemingly re-writing the laws of physics.

What is less well known is that Monster Energy are also staunch supporters of Drag Racing – in particular grass-roots Street2Strip and #RobotRacing, throwing their weight behind Killarney’s efforts to get illegal street racers off the public roads and into a safe and controlled environment.

We thank them for adding extra sparkle to the annual Killarney Motor Show and we salute Monster
Energy for their support of our road safety initiatives.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE – CITY OF CAPE TOWN:

The partnership between Killarney International Raceway and the City of Cape Town began way back in 2016 in an effort to get illegal street racers off the public roads and into a safe and manageable arena.

This initiative, now widely known as #RobotRacing, has taken on a life of its own, with racing every Wednesday night, weather and pandemics permitting. It is thanks to the support of the City that we have been able to keep the ticket price down to R70 per person, with no further charge whatsoever to compete – an offering that is rare if not unique in motorsport.

The City also supports a number of national and international events at Killarney, notably the annual World Rallycross season finale, each year since since 2017, and a round of the ROK National Karting series, as well as the annual end-of-year StreetFest, a celebration of car culture that pulls in petrolheads from all over South African and as far afield as Namibia.

By helping Killarney to host events that attract thousands of visitors, both as competitors and spectators, the City is also helping to promote Cape Town as a tourist destination, boosting every facet of the industry from accommodation to street vendors.

Nevertheless, the support we value most is when City officials such as Mayor Dan Plato, Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson and Mayoral Committee member for Safety and Security JP Smith attend these events, talking to competitors and fans down on pit lane where the action happens.

We thank the City of Cape Town for its support of Killarney and motorsport in the Western Cape, and we thank the City officials who give up their own time (and they know who they are!) to make it happen.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE – DTM Helderberg:

At the start of each main-circuit race at Killarney, the field is followed round the circuit by the chief marshal in the ‘chase vehicle’, the fire truck and the medical response vehicle, to provide the fastest possible response should there be an incident while the competitors are still closely bunched.

The chief marshal’s chase vehicle (two of them, if necessary) at main-circuit meetings is provided free of charge by DTM Helderberg, a Somerset West dealer in new and used Nissan and Datsun vehicles.

Dealer principal Wayne Wilson is not only a Killarney supporter of long standing but also an active competitor in both the Clubmans’ and Rallycross categories, along with his son Stacy.

“Our team and our family enjoy the privilege equally,” he says, “so we are fortunate to be able to enjoy these cars at Killarney.

Stacy Wilson races the aptly-named ‘Monster Maxima’, while Wayne and his crew have recently finished building a second Rallycross Maxima, which he describes as “just pure fun”.
“We are looking forward to the reigniting of the racing calendar.”

Without the support of stalwarts such as the Wilson family and DTM Helderberg, running motorsport events at Killarney would be a logistical nightmare. We thank them, we salute them and we join them in looking forward to the day when the engines roar again.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE: PENINSULA BEVERAGES

It used to be said that ‘Things go better with Coke’. Motorsport at Killarney certainly goes better with the world’s most recognisable cold drink, thanks to Western Cape distributor Peninsula Beverages.

Not only do they sponsor generous quantities of bottled water and soft drinks for the marshals, timekeepers and officials at main circuit events, they can always be counted on for the loan of the Coca Cola Gig Rig whenever an outdoor stage is needed for live music, competitions, DJs, prizegiving and announcements at major events such as H Day, the Killarney Motor Show and the Youth Day Road Safety Campaign.

They turn any event into a pop-up festive occasion with the loan of shop-fittings and fridges for the day, often at short notice and always with a smile. We thank them for their commitment to motorsport and our road safety initiatives – and for quenching our thirst on race days!

SPONSOR TRIBUTE – EMERGENCY GLASS REPAIRS:

Another new name at Killarney is that of Emergency Glass Repairs – but the man behind it is a motorsport stalwart of many years’ standing. Peet van der Walt is not only a vastly experienced racer but also the driver of the Killarney Experience Audi A8.

This very unusual track car has been completely stripped of its luxury interior, to be replaced by a roll cage and four – count them, four! – racing seats with full safety harnesses.

Its V8 engine has been tuned to deliver in the region of 320 horsepower, driving all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission (borrowed from an RS4 – there is no such thing as a manual A8) and the standard Quattro final drive.

That makes it possible for three passengers to get first-hand experience of high-speed laps in a seriously fast car. But this is not an experience you can buy – you have to be invited!

Typical guests include young people with life-threatening illnesses or from disadvantaged backgrounds, winners of competitions in aid of charity and people who have distinguished themselves by service to their communities.

The cost of these laps – fuel, tyres and maintenance of this demanding beast – is borne by Peet van der Walt, who also makes the Audi available as a pace car when needed. We salute you, and we thank you!

SPONSOR TRIBUTE – SUZUKI SOUTH:

Even the four-wheeled petrolheads say the South Motorcycles Superbike races are among the most exciting at the Power Series regional events, with state-of-the-art litre class machines lapping at close to 1min 10secs and reaching speeds of more than 270km/h on the straights.

And remember, these are lightly modified production street-bikes, unlike the multi-million rand purpose-built endurance racers that are the only cars capable of quicker laps at Killarney.

Suzuki South was founded in 1980 by former motorcycle drag racer Nibs Cragg, whose son Rob went on to become a multiple Western Province superbike champion in the first years of the new millennium – and still races in the Masters Class of the category.

Today it is part of the South Motorcycles group under the general managership of Justin Horne

They currently offer new and used Suzuki, Kawasaki, SYM, Aeon, Kiden, Zontes and Mondial motorcycles, scooters and quads, as well as a wide range of accessories, parts and merchandise. Finance can be arranged if required, and they will either trade in your old bike or put it on their showroom floor on a commission basis.

In addition, their service department is fully equipped, up to and including on-site dyno testing, for servicing, tyre fitment, repairs (including insurance jobs) upgrades and modifications to current and classic motorcycles, scooters and quads.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE – AFRiTECH:

One of the most important ‘behind the scenes’ sponsors at Killarney International Raceway is Afritech Equipment Solutions, the provider of the mobile generators you’ll see standing at key points around the complex on race days.

These make it possible to continue racing, serving food and drinks, broadcasting commentary and providing emergency medical services during power outages and load shedding.

Although a relatively young company, Afritech’s key management and staff can boast with more than 100 years of accumulated experience in the equipment sales and rental industry.

They supply diesel powered generators up to 1 Megawatt, welders, compressors, lighting plants, pumps, inverter welders, electric and pneumatic power tools, cutting equipment and even spanners to power generation, petrochemical, pipeline and solar power projects as well as steel, paper and pulp mills and many other industrial projects.

We honour Afritech for their commitment to motorsport, for always making sure we have standby generators on site for every race day, even when load shedding has put severe pressure on their availability. Without them, race days would come to a sudden stop every time the power goes down.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE: BEJO TRUSTEES

One of the more unusual category sponsors of Killarney’s regional Power Series is Bejo Trustees, who have joined us in 2020 as sponsors of Fine Cars, which run together with the Pre-1980 and Pre-1990 Classics.

Bejo Trustees specialise in the drafting and execution of Wills, the administration of deceased estates and trusts, not only for private clients but also for corporates such as legal and accounting firms.

Wills are drawn up after detailed interviews to establish the client’s specific needs and wishes; this includes reviews, whether annual or as required by the client.

When the time comes to execute the will, Bejo Trustees provide a full service from reporting the estate to the Master of the High Court to receipt of the Master’s “Filing Slip” – and everything in between, including the administration of testamentary trusts from inception to cessation.

Fine Car racing is open to road-going saloons and production sports-cars introduced before 31 December 1994 and which have been out of production for at least 10 years. It’s the category with probably the most variety in terms of manufacturers and models currently racing at Killarney.

They encourage marques car clubs such as Alfa, Ford, MG, BMW, the Porsche club (who have made a big impact on our membership) and others to participate in the series.

The rules are simple: The original manufacturer’s engine, gearbox and other running parts must be retained, although engines may be modified and suspension lowered. The cars must run on DOT-approved road tyres and interior trim must be complete and as close as possible to original.

Roll cages and four or five-point racing harnesses are, however, compulsory.

Up to the 2010 season, races were run on a staggered start basis with the slowest cars starting first. Since then however, race winners have been decided on an Index of Performance basis.

Grid positions are decided by qualifying in the usual way; after a massed standing start, the index for each driver is calculated by averaging all his lap times as a percentage of his fastest lap time in the race – and the driver closest to 100 percent is the winner on index, regardless of where he actually finishes on the road.

It sounds complicated, but it produces very close results and the annual Fine Car championship is usually decided by the very last race of the season.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE: DRIZIT ENVIRONMENTAL

Among the unsung sponsors who are vital to making motorsport at Killarney possible is Drizit Environmental, who supply the oil absorbent material that mops up the mess when one of the racing vehicles becomes incontinent.

Our competitors do their best to avoid them but oil spills on the circuit are inevitable, especially after a big crash or an engine blow-up.

The raw cement traditionally used to soak up spilt oil so that it can be swept off the track surface is very effective but is distinctly unfriendly to the environment and to the marshals who have to sweep it off the circuit amid clouds of choking dust – and of course, it can’t be used on a wet track, for obvious seasons.

Drizit organic oil absorbent, however, is non-toxic, lightweight, super absorbent (it will absorb up to 14 times its own weight of oil) and water-repellent, which prevents it from leaching into the ground and allows it to be used on wet surfaces.

In CSIR testing it has been shown to be fume-suppressant and not subject to spontaneous combustion.

Drizit Environmental was formed in 1975 to manufacture and market a range of pollution control products that help South Africa’s industrial and manufacturing sectors maintain a safe and healthy working environment.

They also offer a 24-hour hazardous materials clean-up response service for oil spills, acid spills and chemical spills, as wells as specialised clean-up services such as asbestos removal, bioremediation, oil skimmers, separators and tank cleaning, as well transfers of hazardous materials.

We thank them for not only making it possible to clean up oil spills on the circuit quickly and safely, but also helping Killarney International Raceway to become a more environmentally friendly corporate citizen.

Look out for Drizit Environmental director Greg Parton’s blue Lamborghini in the Sports & GT Class on race days.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE: CHEAPER CARS

The GTi Challenge at Killarney welcomes a new sponsor for 2020 in the shape of Cheaper Cars, a dealer in entry-level used cars in the R10 000 – R250 000 bracket.

The GTi Challenge is an entry-level category based on Volkswagen cars with four-cylinder engines up to two litres in capacity, divided into classes based on power output. It’s also the most affordable way of getting into main-circuit racing, making the sponsor’s name a clever play on words as well.

Cheaper Cars is an independent operation, run by a dedicated team of just four – Herman Lazarus: Owner, Gert du Plessis: Manager, Anita Lazarus: Admin and Brandon Swamlow: Recon Manager – assuring you of personal service at all times.

The company has been in business for more than eight years and is a member of the Independent Dealers Association. They buy and sell used cars, and can arrange finance through most major financial institutions.

We welcome Cheaper Cars to the Killarney family as a Section Sponsor in the hope that ours will be a long and happy partnership.

CLUBMANS CLASS SPONSOR TRIBUTE: MIKE’S PLACE

For more than 30 years the Clubmans category of regional racing at Killarney has been encouraging motorsport enthusiasts to “run what you brung” – it’s open to almost any production-based car irrespective of make or model.

The class in which each car/driver combination competes is determined not by engine type or capacity or even power output, but by lap times. Thus even the drivers of slower cars always have somebody to race with and trophies to race for, while talented new entrants will ‘break out’ of the lower classes as their lap times improve until they find themselves racing against the big dogs of the section in Class A.

All of which delivers exciting, highly competitive racing for drivers and spectators alike, helping to make this the biggest class in the regional Power Series – and makes it a perfect fit for Mike’s Place as section sponsor.

Cape Town’s premier supplier of quality imported engines and gearboxes opened its doors to the public in August 1999 as Gearbox, Diff and Engine wholesalers, focused mainly on supplying gearboxes.

It soon became apparent, however, that there was a big demand for low-mileage used engines, and the business was re-invented as Mike’s Place – named for the owner – offering a wide range of second-hand engines and transmissions for Japanese, Korean, European and even American cars.

They now have a fitment centre, a gearbox and differential rebuilding workshop and a large warehouse where imported engines and gearboxes are available direct to the public.

Not surprisingly, a large number of their sales are to performance enthusiasts, for whom installing a high-performance engine from the same manufacturer is a more cost-effective way of upgrading their wheels than trying to wring more power out of the original engine in their car.

To cater to this market Mike’s Place now also supplies bolt-on turbochargers, intercoolers, throttle bodies and wastegates, along with nitrous oxide kits and high-performance fuel injectors.

As the company has become more performance orientated, Mike’s Place has also become more deeply involved in motorsport, sponsoring a number of competitors and, more prominently, the Mike’s Place Clubmans Championship at Killarney.

We thank you for your continued support of grass-roots racing at its best, and for your support of our competitors in so many more ways than just sponsorship.

KILLARNEY SPONSOR TRIBUTE: THE PORSCHE CLUB

Many of Killarney’s motorsport fans think the start/finish straight is the Porsche Straight, but in fact it’s named Porsche Club Straight, since it is sponsored not by Porsche South Africa or any of its dealers, but by a group of genuine motorsport enthusiasts – the members of the Porsche Club of Cape Town.

The club is made up of Porsche enthusiasts from all walks of life and with a range of cars from the older 356 and 944s to the very latest models. Many of its members also race Porsches in the Sports and GT or Classic Car categories, and the clubhouse alongside ‘their’ straight, just after the start line, is always a hive of activity on race days.

It’s open to Porsche Club members and their families (parking is available for your Porsche inside a cordoned-off area) and guests are welcome at a nominal charge of R30 per person. The clubhouse is open on all national and regional race days with food on sale during national events and a braai fire available on regional race days.

The club also offers a number of track days, autocross events and driver training seminars throughout the year where members can drive their Porsches cars on the circuit or around the cones at their own pace.

We know of no other instance where a marque club has become a major sponsor of a racing circuit, which speaks volumes for the dedication to motorsport shown by the members of this club.

Ladies and gentlemen, we salute you and we thank you for your support over the years.

KILLARNEY SPONSOR TRIBUTE: FASTRON

Fastron, the name given to the fifth and final corner of Killarney International Raceway, is actually the brand name of a range of high performance automotive lubricating oils developed by Indonesian state-owned oil and fuel company Pertamina, and distributed in South Africa since May 2013 by Indolube, based less than an hour from the circuit in Strand.

Fastron is where the last-corner ‘kamikaze moves’ take place that so often decide the outcome of a close race at Killarney. Deeply banked, it lends itself to late braking and different lines – some more unconventional than others, and for old-school race fans who like to braai while they watch their heroes battle it out, it’s a favourite viewing spot.

The name Fastron has become embedded in Killarney legend and we thank Pertamina for their unwavering support, especially in these difficult times.

Fastron oils are endorsed by most leading manufacturers, including niche brands such as Lamborghini (Fastron Platinum Racing 10W60 was developed in association with Lamborghini Squadra Corse for the Sant’Agata works racing team) and cover a wide range of automotive, marine and industrial lubricants.

Nevertheless, the choice of Turn 5 as the place tell the Western Cape’s petrolheads about Fastron oils was no random decision – it was a farsighted strategic move: Since coming to South Africa, Pertamina has directed its motorsport-focused marketing at the drag-racing community, to some considerable effect, as in the video below.

You see, Fastron Corner is not only the final corner on the Main Circuit, it’s also the pits and a spectator area when the start/finish straight is set up for drag racing, Street2Strip or #RobotRacing.

We look forward to seeing the Fastron name there for many seasons to come.

SPONSOR TRIBUTE: WINGFIELD MOTORS

 While we’re waiting out the 21-day lock down, it’s time to spare a thought for Killarney’s awesome sponsors, who have stood steadfastly by us as the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus in South Africa put the brakes on motorsport entirely for the foreseeable future.

 And who better to start with than Wingfield Motors, sponsors of the regional Power Series and the two national-level Extreme Festivals at Killarney as well as a number of competitors, for the past eight years and counting…

 In true South African ‘maak ‘n plan’ tradition, Wingfield Motors is carrying on with business during the lock down through their online showroom and platforms. You can check out the cars for sale – more than 550 at any one time! – in their online showroom at: www.wingfieldmotors.co.za/showroom, finance applications can be processed and approvals can be obtained, ready for the deal to be finalised and your car delivered from Friday 17 April.

 The connection between the Van Niekerk family at Wingfield Motors and Killarney goes back to to May 1989, when John van Niekerk and his father ‘Uncle Johnny’ van Niekerk bought Adrian Pheiffer Motors in Goodwood from Adrian Pheiffer, the first chairman on the Western Province Motor Club.

They renamed it Wingfield Motors and four decades later there are branches in Goodwood and Kuils River, together with BESTPRICEFORMYCAR in Durbanville and Gezina, Pretoria.

Pheiffer, fellow Club stalwart Denis Joubert and ‘Uncle Johnny’ van Niekerk all raced stock cars at Goodwood; John grew up around motor racing, absorbing a lifelong passion for motorsport as if by osmosis.

 It is that passion for, and involvement in motorsport that make John van Niekerk and Wingfield Motors such valued members of the Killarney family. His support of Killarney goes much deeper than sponsorship, however; his daughter Ciara followed her grandfather’s footsteps into Oval Track racing before making her Main Circuit debut in 2018 in a Volkswagen Polo.

In 2019, driving a Wingfield Motors Volkswagen Golf, she finished third in Class E of the Mikes Place Clubmans championship, as well as third in the overall standings for Classes D, E and F – and she’s still not old enough to drive on the road!