10 Apr CAPE TOWN COWBOYS: OUR STORY
Round 1 of the Power Series didn’t quite start the way we imagined it. We originally planned to enter four drivers, but our #88 driver, Luan van Heerden, made the tough call to sit out until his car is 100% race ready. That decision alone shows the kind of discipline and long-term thinking that makes him such an asset to our team.
So, three Cowboys rolled up to the grid: Ricky Anderson, Nicholas van der Westhuizen and Joshua Smit.
From the moment qualifying began at Killarney International Raceway, we knew we had pace. Josh stuck it on pole, Ricky lined up P3, and Nick — who missed qualifying — was ready to fight through from the back.
THE DRIVERS: WHO THEY ARE & WHAT DRIVES THEM
Joshua Smit #83
Josh has been racing for nearly twelve years. He started karting after his grandfather – a former stockcar racer – put him in a go-kart and let him loose around the Tyger Valley Shopping Centre parking lot at age three. The “racing bug” bit hard, and it never let go.
He moved from karting into Formula Vee at 14 and has been developing at an incredible pace ever since. He officially joined the Cape Town Cowboys this season after previously working with the team on a guest drive.
Josh’s F1 heart lies solidly with Scuderia Ferrari and the legend himself, Michael Schumacher.
How he felt about Power Series 1:
“Honestly, this was the kind of weekend that reminds you why you race. Good pace, good energy, and the team felt like home.”
Nicholas van der Westhuizen #771
Nick has been racing for five years and comes from a family deeply rooted in motorsport. He grew up around drags, learning the ropes from his dad before his passing – which makes every race a tribute as much as a passion.
He owns a logistics company, helps lead the Formula Vee community as Vice Chairperson in Johannesburg, and has genuinely loved the camaraderie inside the Cowboys.
Nick’s favourite F1 team: Scuderia Ferrari
How he found Power Series 1:
“Even starting from the back, the pace felt good. The car felt alive. Race 2 didn’t go our way, but that’s racing — we take the lessons, not the losses.”
Ricky Anderson #96
Ricky has been around racing quite literally his entire life. His dad has raced since Ricky was seven, and racetracks have always been a second home. After finishing school in 2016, he finally stepped into the driver’s seat himself — and never looked back.
Ricky lives for open-wheel racing. Feeling the wind, hearing the raw engine note, no roof, no filters — the closest thing to racing bikes on four wheels.
F1 loyalties? Also, with Scuderia Ferrari.
How he found Power Series 1:
“Not the result I wanted, but I had the pace. Fastest lap of Race 1 proves it. I’ll take that hunger into the next round.”
Luan van Heerden #88
Currently finishing his studies in Stellenbosch, Luan started racing in high school after someone gave him a chance behind the wheel — and the “gogga” bit immediately. He grew up around boat racing, then motocross, and finally found his home in single seaters.
He knows his car inside out and refuses to race until it’s perfect — a standard that will pay off massively this season.
His favourite F1 teams? A three-way tie between Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Red Bull Racing, and Scuderia Ferrari.
POWER SERIES 1 RACE WEEKEND RECAP
Race One
Josh took the win in the V Class with a 1:24.230.
Nick fought from the back to finish P4 with a 1:26.110.
Ricky set the fastest lap of the race — 1:24.120 — before his motor let go into Turn 5. Even after his DNF, he stayed the entire weekend to help the team. That’s the spirit we race with.
Race Two
Josh again delivered a controlled, dominant drive — P1 with a 1:24.494.
Nick started P4 but had to retire after spotting smoke braking into the same corner as Ricky.
The team’s post-weekend review revealed the likely cause: both engines were rebuilt together, the carbs needed re-balancing, and unburnt fuel likely diluted the oil — thinning it enough to cause bearing failure on both motors.
Motorsport can be brutal. But it also teaches fast, and we’ve already applied the lessons
.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control – the Cape Town Cowboys were up a stump just before round 2 of the Power Series, resulting in the team not participating.
However, they are back for Power Series 3, with 3 out of 4 drivers on the grid as Luan is focusing on his studies.
THE HEART OF THE TEAM
Team Principal Riven Jurgens, who grew up at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and later fell in love with Killarney International Raceway after moving to CPT, summed up the weekend perfectly:
“What began as four drivers became three and ended with one. But what I saw was heart. Talent. Hunger. This weekend didn’t break us — it sharpened us. Power Series 3… we’re coming back smarter, faster, and stronger.”
Jenna — whose favourite “sport” has always been transport (planes, rail, boats) — never expected to land in motorsport but now can’t imagine being anywhere else. Her favourite F1 team? Williams Racing.
THE FINAL WORD
The Cowboys walked away with more knowledge, more fire, and more determination than ever.
Power Series 3… we’re ready.
The Cowboys are coming.
