ORGANISERS OF DJ MOTORCYCLE RALLY AIMING FOR 150 ENTRANTS

The organisers of the 2012 DJ Rally for classic motorcycles are aiming to attract 150 riders for the event, which will commemorate the 99th anniversary of the staging of the first motorcycle road race from Durban to Johannesburg in 1913. The 2012 rally will take place from March 9-10.

A two-day regularity rally has been staged between Durban and Johannesburg since 1970 to commemorate this amazing annual race, which came to an end in 1936 when the authorities decreed racing on public roads as too dangerous. Next year’s event will be the 62nd running of either a race or a regularity rally between these two cities for motorcycles made before the end of 1936.

Pierre Cronje, chairman of the Classic Motorcycle Club, is once again clerk of the course of the DJ Rally, assisted by a committee consisting of members of his own club and other organisations involved with classic motorcycling. This team organises the event on behalf of the Vintage and Veteran Club.

In 1969 the late Dick Osborne, himself an avid motorcyclist, persuaded a group of fellow-enthusiasts to organise a commemorative DJ Run using the roads that made up the route of the original race, and, importantly, allowing only motorcycles old enough to have competed in the last DJ in 1936. This latter rule still applies, although changes have had to be made to the route over the years.

The format of the event changed from a “first past the winning post” road race to a competitive regularity rally where riders have to try and ride as close as possible to set average speeds. Their performances are monitored by hidden marshals placed along the route who take the time as each competitor passes a check point.

Last year’s event attracted 134 entries and 119 started from the Hillcrest Shopping Centre outside Durban, with 92 qualifying as finishers after arriving at the James Hall Museum of Transport the following day.

Some changes have had to be made to the route for the 2012 DJ Rally due to ongoing road works. Total distance will be about 650km, with a slightly longer route on the first day, from Hillcrest to the traditional overnight stop at Newcastle.

Refuelling and refreshment stops will be located in Pietermaritzburg, Mooirivier, Estcourt, Ladysmith and Dannhauser on the first day, with the second day restarting at the nGogo railway station. Second day stops will be at Volksrust, Standerton and Heidelberg before the finish in Rosettenville..

 “Organising South Africa’s premier classic motorcycle rally takes a lot of time and requires the assistance of scores of people, as well as a substantial amount of sponsorship and a large entry of riders,” said Pierre Cronje.

“I am pleased to say we already have most of the ingredients in place to make the 2011 DJ Rally truly memorable. The cherry on top will be to meet our target of at least 150 competitors, possibly with some coming from overseas as we have already had several enquiries from people living outside our borders..

Increasing costs, including permit fees to the authorities have forced an increase in the entry fee from R650 to R700, while the organisers are looking for sponsorships. They have already been promised support from Castrol, Maizeys, PPE Technologies, Newcastle Inn and Majuba Lodge.

Regulations and entry forms are available on a number of websites:  www.classicmotorcycleclub.co.za 

www.vintaqemotorcycleclub.co.za

www.djrun.co.za

More information can be obtained from Pierre Cronje at 072-513-9432 or at chairman@classicmotorcycleclub.co.za

 
 
 
  

 
AWARDS!!!
Egmont Sippel is SA’s top motoring writer once again, while Inga Hendriks scoops photography award for 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The South African Guild of Motoring Journalists’ annual Motoring Journalist of the Year and Photographer of the Year competition has this year again attracted entries from the very best in the field of motoring journalism and motoring photography. As is to be expected, it was highly competitive, with only the smallest of margins determining the winners at the end of the day.

Organised by the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists, with sponsorship by Total South Africa, the competition sets out to recognise the high quality work the Guild’s journalists and photographers deliver on an annual basis.

Today, winners in several categories were announced at an awards ceremony held at the Protea Hotel Balalaika in Sandton, including the prestigious Motoring Journalist of the Year and Photographer of the Year titles, for which each winner receives a R10 000 cash prize and trophies.

Egmont Sippel, formerly of the Media24 group and currently with Action Publications, was once again judged to be South Africa’s top guild motoring writer, delivering his trademark top quality work in a number of different categories.”One should not attempt to define a gift,” noted the judges. “One is either inexplicably gifted or you’re not. Egmont Sippel is a gifted writer. Why? He combines attributed that rescue him from mundane wordplay. He loves words, metaphor and myth, and projects this love onto a field he clearly enjoys.”

Independent photographer, Inga Hendriks, scored her second consecutive win as Photographer of the Year in this prestigious competition. “This photographer’s keen eye, wonderful understanding of light and attention to detail, which is consistently displayed on all her work, gave her the edge to come out ahead of a fiercely competitive group of outstanding photograpgers,” noted the judges.

Roger Houghton was also given a Life Time Achievement Award by the SAGMJ for his never ending work in the field of motoring journalism. As a PR practitioner within the industry, as the industry representative on the Guild Committee for many years, and as a practicing journalist reporting on industry matters, Roger’s substantial contribution to motoring journalism over the years has impacted positively on more than one generation of South African motoring journalists.

Entries for the SAGMJ/ Total South Africa Motoring Journalist of the Year 2011 and Photographer of the Year 2011 competition will officially open on 1 December 2011, with an awards ceremony scheduled for June 2012. Information regarding amended entry criteria and entry deadlines will be communicated to all members of the Guild by 30 November 2011.

ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN GUILD OF MOTORING JOURNALISTS
Media Contacts:
Christo Valentyn - Convenor: MJOY: 082 457 2788 or christo.valentyn@gmail.com
Adell de Vos - SAGMJ Secretary: 021 855 1517 or sagmj@iafrica.co.za


THE SAGMJ/ TOTAL SA MOTORING JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR 2010 WINNERS

MOTORING, Magazines
WINNER: Ray Leathern
RUNNER-UP: Egmont Sippel
COMMENDED: Lance Branquinho

MOTORSPORT, Magazines
WINNER: Egmont Sippel
RUNNER-UP: Aaron Borrill
COMMENDED: Adrian Burford

MOTORING, Newspapers
WINNER: Egmont Sippel
RUNNER-UP: Sukasha Singh

MOTORSPORT, Newspapers
WINNER: Egmont Sippel
COMMENDED: Minesh Bhagaloo

MOTORING Internet
WINNER: Lance Branquinho
RUNNER-UP: Gordon Hall
COMMENDED: Sukasha Singh

MOTORSPORT Internet
WINNER: Lance Branquinho
RUNNER-UP: Steve Mearns

MOTORING, Television
WINNER: Hannes Visser
JOINT RUNNERS-UP: Waldo van der Waal and Lindsay Vine

MOTORSPORT, Television
WINNER: Hannes Visser
RUNNER-UP: Waldo van der Waal

MOTORING, Radio
WINNER: Roger McCleery
RUNNER-UP: Mark Smyth
COMMENDED: Ashref Ismail

MOTORSPORT, Radio
COMMENDED: Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger

MOTORING, Photography
WINNER: Inga Hendriks
RUNNER-UP: Marc Bow
COMMENDED: Seagram Pearce

MOTORSPORT, Photography
COMMENDED: Dave Ledbitter


MOTORING JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR 2010: Egmont Sippel

MOTORING PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2010: Inga Hendriks

STEVE DLAMINI AWARD 2010: Andrew Leopold
 
 
Motorheads 2012
 . 
 
 

ORGANISERS OF DJ MOTORCYCLE RALLY AIMING FOR 150 ENTRANTS

The organisers of the 2012 DJ Rally for classic motorcycles are aiming to attract 150 riders for the event, which will commemorate the 99th anniversary of the staging of the first motorcycle road race from Durban to Johannesburg in 1913. The 2012 rally will take place from March 9-10.

A two-day regularity rally has been staged between Durban and Johannesburg since 1970 to commemorate this amazing annual race, which came to an end in 1936 when the authorities decreed racing on public roads as too dangerous. Next year’s event will be the 62nd running of either a race or a regularity rally between these two cities for motorcycles made before the end of 1936.

Pierre Cronje, chairman of the Classic Motorcycle Club, is once again clerk of the course of the DJ Rally, assisted by a committee consisting of members of his own club and other organisations involved with classic motorcycling. This team organises the event on behalf of the Vintage and Veteran Club.

In 1969 the late Dick Osborne, himself an avid motorcyclist, persuaded a group of fellow-enthusiasts to organise a commemorative DJ Run using the roads that made up the route of the original race, and, importantly, allowing only motorcycles old enough to have competed in the last DJ in 1936. This latter rule still applies, although changes have had to be made to the route over the years.

The format of the event changed from a “first past the winning post” road race to a competitive regularity rally where riders have to try and ride as close as possible to set average speeds. Their performances are monitored by hidden marshals placed along the route who take the time as each competitor passes a check point.

Last year’s event attracted 134 entries and 119 started from the Hillcrest Shopping Centre outside Durban, with 92 qualifying as finishers after arriving at the James Hall Museum of Transport the following day.

Some changes have had to be made to the route for the 2012 DJ Rally due to ongoing road works. Total distance will be about 650km, with a slightly longer route on the first day, from Hillcrest to the traditional overnight stop at Newcastle.

Refuelling and refreshment stops will be located in Pietermaritzburg, Mooirivier, Estcourt, Ladysmith and Dannhauser on the first day, with the second day restarting at the nGogo railway station. Second day stops will be at Volksrust, Standerton and Heidelberg before the finish in Rosettenville..

 “Organising South Africa’s premier classic motorcycle rally takes a lot of time and requires the assistance of scores of people, as well as a substantial amount of sponsorship and a large entry of riders,” said Pierre Cronje.

“I am pleased to say we already have most of the ingredients in place to make the 2011 DJ Rally truly memorable. The cherry on top will be to meet our target of at least 150 competitors, possibly with some coming from overseas as we have already had several enquiries from people living outside our borders..

Increasing costs, including permit fees to the authorities have forced an increase in the entry fee from R650 to R700, while the organisers are looking for sponsorships. They have already been promised support from Castrol, Maizeys, PPE Technologies, Newcastle Inn and Majuba Lodge.

Regulations and entry forms are available on a number of websites:  www.classicmotorcycleclub.co.za 

www.vintaqemotorcycleclub.co.za

www.djrun.co.za

More information can be obtained from Pierre Cronje at 072-513-9432 or at chairman@classicmotorcycleclub.co.za

 
 
Dangerous Guinness World Record Attempt in Vaalwater
 
and they did it!!!
 

 

A South African team will tackle one of the Guinness World Record Book’s most dangerous entries in the Limpopo Province next Friday evening (September 23).

 

The entry is Riding a Motorcycle through a Fire Tunnel, with the current world record distance of 68.49 metres held by Indian Superbike racer Shabir Ahluwalla. The South African team of Enrico Schoeman and Andre’ de Kock will attempt to ride a Kawasaki powered Australian Sidecar through a fire tunnel of 85 metres.

 

The attempt will be hosted by the town of Vaalwater, with the venue’s main road closed for the occasion. The run will form part of the town’s annual Game Festival.

 

“The Game Festival is extremely important for Vaalwater, and we try to present visitors with interesting events,” said Festival Coordinator Retha van der Merwe. “Things hardly get more interesting than a fire tunnel attempt,” she added.

 

The attempt will take place at 7.30pm on Friday, with the main road into Vaalwater circumvented from about 5pm.

 

The Game Festival also prides itself on an annual music concert, and this weekend’s event will be no different. A packed bill will include performances by Watershed, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Nadine, Rickie Faber, Snotkop & Suzanne, Lianie May and Romanz.

 

Other activities will include a Waterberg Mountain Bike Challenge, an African Bow Hunting Challenge, 4x4 Extreme Driving, Strongman Shows, plus a Biker Rally.

 

To find out more, visit the www.waterberggamefestival.co.za website, or call Retha van der Merwe on 082 773 3579.

 

Vaal-1: An attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for Riding a Motorcycle through a Fire Tunnel should be a highlight of the weekend's Waterberg Game Festival in Vaalwater, Limpopo Province.

 

Vaal-2: The Kawasaki-powered Austrlian Sidecar to be used by the intrepid record chasers.

 

Vaal-3: Record crew Andre'de Kock (left) and Enrico Schoeman.
 
10th Flamingo's Langebaan Gymkhana 9 July
 

Witzenberg Motorklub                                                       Kuite aces Flamingo’s                                        09 July 2011

Jacques “Kuite” du Plessis and Walter van Dyk drove their du Plessis Auto class C Toyota Conquest RSi 1600 to a brilliant overall victory in the 10th Flamingo’s Langebaan. They also posted the outright fastest time of the day and earned the title as the Most Spectacular Driver of the Day to make this their most successful event to date.

The mighty Dynotech class G VW Golf GTi Turbo 2.0 of defending champion, Izak van Zyl, and Danye Louw had to be content with second place whilst Fanie du Toit and Kobus Wilson Jnr managed to creep into third spot on their fourth and final run with the rapid class A Mazda Rustler LDV 2.0 16v.

Positions four to seven finished on the same second with Günther and Louise Appelgryn fourth in their Eikestad Plastic Repairs class B VW Golf MkI 1800, 0.07 seconds ahead of the orange Eikestad Plastic Repairs class A VW Golf MkI 2.0 of Leon Engelbrecht and Marius Swart. Swopping seats the same car also finished sixth and in seventh spot it was The Sarge – Jacques Otto and Emile Blanché in their class B Toyota Conquest 1800.

Brent Laurings and Duncan Andrews were simply brilliant in their class A Opel Kadett GTE 2.0 and eighth place overall did not reflect the brilliance behind the wheel. Morné Roux and Monica Robbertse maintained their top ten record with another superb ninth spot in the Mette’s Auto Electrical class A Mazda 323 EGi 2.0 16v. The top ten completed by a determined Jan van der Vyver and Herman Mathee in their class D VW Golf Chico 1.4i.

Anton Smit and Gavin Parsons claimed the class F victory in the Toyota 1600 powered Nissan LDV with a superb 12th overall to boot whilst Nashrene Schloss celebrated her return to the sport with another victory in the all ladies category in her rebuilt Toyota Corolla Sprinter Twin Cam 1800. Louis Appelgryn the navigator.

Johann Zulch and Tania Vermaak dominated class E in their Ceres Toyota supported E30 BMW 325iM. Best newcomer driver was Heinrich Geldenhuys in 24th spot with his class B VW Golf MkI 1800 and best newcomer navigator was Altus prins in 25th in the class C VW Golf MkI 1600.

Marshal of the Day went to Luigi Corna who together with Schalk van der Merwe did a sterling job as the Judges of Fact on a course which required intense concentration and 24 checkpoints. Magda Visser and Jolanda van Zyl earned the dreaded Boo-Boo of the Day award when they tried to climb the tyre wall in the Cape Fire & Aircon VW Golf Chico 1.4i.

 

Spectators were treated to some spectacular driving and the yellow 328i BMW shared by Danye Louw and Izak van Zyl had the crowd on their feet as it traded slides with the neat M3 of Gawie Smit and Jacques van der Westhuizen.

 

The next event in the series is scheduled for 6 August 2011 at the Municipal Testing Ground in Piketberg.

Patrick Vermaak

083 701 8116

 
 
Electric Grand Prix Coming To South Africa!
 
The Formulec World Series: South Africa - 2012
 
Press Release: 5th May, 2011 
http://www.formulec.co.zahttp://www.facebook.com/Formulechttp://twitter.com/Formulec 
Pretoria: The future of motor racing has arrived! In 2012, The Formulec World Series officially begins – the fully electric Formula 3 format-based motor-sport series will accelerate into South Africa during the 10 race season to be held on 5 continents. Eco Promotions, a highly experienced local events company, has secured the rights as promoter to host South Africa's first ever electric formula racing event. 
 
"Formulec represents the cutting edge of future motor racing technology, highlighting radical new trends in motorsport while bringing them to South Africa on the African leg of this international event." says Paul Bisogno, Managing Director: ECO Promotions and  Official Spokesperson for Formulec SA, "The event will take on a festival atmosphere, drawing interest from all companies involved in renewable energy and sustainable transportation, the event will also be used as a showcase for other eco motor-sport events and technologies, showing South Africa's capabilities and commitment to these new technologies."
 
To secure a location for the South African inaugural event, Eco Promotions is in the process of evaluating various SA cities and sites for an exciting October 2012 street race. The successful hosting of this event is set to put South Africa at the forefront of renewable energy technology innovations, setting the standard for a new era of sustainability and environmental respect in motor-sport championships on the African continent. The chosen city will have the opportunity to host the public, open air carnival that will concentrate on green energy and eco solutions – allowing all those in the industry a platform to showcase their technology, and affording the general public the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity.
 
Formulec's car - the EF01, is a truly awesome single-seater capable of challenging its Formula 3 fossil fuel vehicles counterparts without compromise. The technology installed in the racing car is already accessible and widely commercialised, offering new opportunities within the SA automotive market. Owing to the nature of the EF01, Formulec is the only Formula series which really makes sense as a street race due to the extremely low noise levels produced by the vehicles – this means that the public can view a world class racing event on the streets their own city. The ability of Formulec to be a non-circuit race allows its races to be held as a public events, opening up endless opportunities
 
The EF01 will be the exclusive vehicle for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons, allowing selected top-class international drivers to measure their skills behind the wheel of a highperformance car on race tracks around the world. The vision for the 2014 season and beyond is for the ‘Formulec World Championship’ to be created for car manufacturers and industrialists who have developed their own electric single-seater racers to enter the Championship. This constitutes a long term opportunity for auto manufacturers to showcase technological innovations on an international platform both globally and within the South African market.
 
Technological innovations have become a new platform for manufacturers to compete. Besides the highly innovative software and hardware increasingly found in vehicles, sustainably powered vehicles have been seen with increasing frequency from most auto-manufacturers, heralding a new era in the motoring industry. Formulec represents the world of motor-sport on this front, with the bid by Formulec SA enjoying the support of both Motorsport South Africa and the AA (Automobile Association) of SA.
 
A Closer Look At The Car:
 
Social responsibility and the environment aside, the EF01 is a seriously aggressive and exciting vehicle. A technological masterpiece, the EF01 has a top speed of over 250km/h and will zip from 0 – 100km/h in a meagre 3 seconds. It has been tested on the Bugatti track in Le Mans by Alexandre Premat, and has proved that, for racing, the ‘renewable energy’ label no longer refers to a theoretical, scientific dream. The EF01 heralds a new era in racing, and is the fastest electric single-seater race car in the world.
 
"This car will revive the contribution that motor-sport has traditionally made to the mainstream automotive industry, we will see rapid advances in motor battery technology and will lead the way for exciting developments in electric vehicle technologies." says Winstone Jordaan, Technical Director: ECO Promotions and Official Spokesperson for Formulec SA.
 
Designed and created in France by Formulec’s highly skilled technical management team in partnership with engineering specialist SEGULA Matra Technologies and the automotive branch of SEGULA Technologies, the company’s first high performance fully electric single-seater has proved to be a top-performer with very high potential, ever since its first test run on 15th September 2010.
 
The EF01 has been deployed for the 2011 International Motor Racing season calendar as an opening showcase at a number of events in a promotional tour. And on occasion the EF01 is poised to go head-to-head with its combustion engine counter parts in dramatic challenges.
 
Real World Benefits:
 
As many people know, the Formula 1 series has long been a source of great technological advancement and innovation. Within the pressure system of a highly competitive sport, science has accelerated at a tremendous speed, and the resulting innovations have been making their way into every day vehicles since Formula racing first began.
 
Automakers have begun the process of phasing out fossil fuel engines, with concerns about the climate at an all time high and as the planet's oil reservers start to run dry, the focus is now on sustainable transportation solutions - in particular electric vehicles. Just as with the F1 series, Formulec is a highly competitive racing series that will drive the evolution of innovations which will ultimately become essential components of everyday electric cars.
 
 
Presented by Eco Promotions:
 
Through strategically aligned enterprise development programes Eco Promotions identifies and supports innovative companies in the technology arena with particular interests in energy and automotive development. Additionally various events and activities are hosted to identify prospective companies as well as to create a promotional stage for sustainable technology and renewable energy.
Motor racing has always been the technical platform from which to showcase the most innovative vehicle related technologies. Formulec intends to become the sporting development platform for car manufacturers and energy industrialists who seek to showcase the development and advancement in performance of electrical vehicles.
And Eco Promotions is making sure that South Africa has front row seats!
Public Publishable Contacts:
 
Paul Bisogno info@formulec.co.za / 072.630.8193 / www.formulec.co.za
 
Media Contacts:
 
• Paul Bisogno - Managing Director: ECO Promotions and  Official Spokesperson for Formulec SA media@formulec.co.za  072.630.8193
 • Winstone Jordaan - Technical Director: ECO Promotions and Official Spokesperson for Formulec SA media@formulec.co.za 083.284.7747
 • Anzet du Plessis - Contributing Journalist
 •. Nicholas Szymanowski - media@formulec.co.za
 
 
 
BEAUTIES AND THE NATAL BEAST

The all new Total women’s team of Stephanie Hugo and Angela Shields tackle one of the most challenging rallies of their careers so far next weekend on the Total Tour Natal. It will be their first outing together on a rally, although they did compete in the equally challenging Rallystar Rallysprint in an S1600 Toyota RunX and came third.

The Rallystar trained crew will however have a completely different animal to face  when they take on the Natal event, the first round of the new restructured South African Rally Championship. They will find themselves in the company of altogether ten S1600 entrants including some of the old hands in the class like Craig Trott in a Team Total RunX.

Then there is also Gugu Zulu in the as yet untested BP VW Racing Polo Vivo and Rockey Reynecke who competed in N4 for many years.. Tjaart Conradie in a Toyota Auris will also make life difficult for the two rally beauties to keep up with the pace in s1600.

The Natal Rally is not just the season opener, but it will put the cars of all the competitors through a stiff test especially since it is an event where competitors have to respect the technically demanding roads. 

“One of the most difficult aspects of this rally is to read the changing road-surfaces correctly all the time. The conditions change continuously and you have to be very aware of where you are on the road. The first three even five competitors will find a lack of grip due to the loose top-surface and the drier the conditions, the harder it will be to allow enough manoeuvring space in and especially out of corners. 

One other sting in the Natal tail is the sudden change of direction combined with sudden climbs or drops in the road. If the driver does not keep a perfect balance for moments like those it may easily mean the end of the rally for him or her? 

The Total Tour requires one single important thing – total concentration! This unfortunately is what many drivers in our series lack simply due to a shortage of time and money for serious practice,” said Leon Botha owner of Rallystar and sport manager/trainer of Stefanie and Angela.

Asked about her feelings before the rally Stefanie, who originates from Namibia,  said, “I have to say that the nerves are truly twitching and although Leon tells me to take it easy I can not help but clinching fists just thinking of what lays ahead. This will be our first run together and my instructions are to keep it together and get as much mileage as possible behind us. 

I have never driven in Natal and that in its own is a challenge if what I hear is true! We will however do our best for our sponsor Total who is also the event sponsor!”  

The Total Tour Natal Rally marks the official start of the 2011 South African Rally Championship and takes place in the Amanzimtoti and Scottburgh areas of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast on March 25 and 26.

 
16 March 2011

Sasol powers Ford Fiestas in 2011 South African Rally Championship

South African petro-chemicals group Sasol announced its sponsorship of the Ford Rally team that will participate in this year’s South African National Rally Championship and the FIA African Rally Championship.

Team Sasol consists of two class S2000 Ford Fiesta rally cars. Poised to power the teams forward, are drivers Jon Williams and Mark Cronje, with their respective co-drivers Robin Houghton and Cobus Vrey.

"We’re delighted to participate in the South African National Rally Championship. This year marks the 20th year whereby Sasol is the title sponsor of the Sasol Rally, which is the second leg of the African Rally championship", says Alan Cameron, managing director, Sasol Oil.

Manufactured in the United Kingdom by Ford International’s motorsport division, M-Sport, the 2 Ford Fiestas are brand new rally cars built to the highest specification utilizing state-of-the-art technology.

The Ford Fiesta’s 2.0 normally aspirated 16 valve engine produces about 280HP and transfers the power via a sophisticated 6 speed sequential gearbox permanently to all 4 wheels. The unitary chassis construction, composite side panels, structurally engineered roll cage, suspension and braking, all work together to underwrite the predictability and safety integrity of this engineering marvel.

Sasol is also proud to sponsor a high performance team which has an impressive track record both in South Africa and internationally. "We are hoping through these relationships, motorsport in SA will reach new frontiers." commented Cameron.

The new Team Sasol rally cars will serve as a "real-time laboratory" where Sasol Techno Oil and Sasol Turbo Fuels™ Plus are put to the ultimate test in a very stringent environment. In collaboration with the University of Cape Town, Sasol invests extensively in fuels research and development. This is evident through its state of the art test centre facility situated in Muizenberg, Cape Town. The output and knowledge gained from this research plays a significant role in fuelling the Motorsport industry in South Africa.

 
CONVINCING WIN IN DJ CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE RALLY

Martin Davis, riding a 1930 Sunbeam, scored a convincing win in the annual two-day DJ Rally for classic motorcycles that took place between Durban and Johannesburg last Friday and Saturday (March 11-12). He had an overall error of 192 sec. at the average speed time controls to finish 53 sec. ahead of last year’s winner, Kevin Robertson (1936 Velocette)

Third place was filled by the 1934 Sunbeam Lion and sidecar combination of Adrian Hollis and his son Gerald, who were 6 sec. behind Robertson, with Mike Ward (1935 Velocette) a further 3 sec. in arrears. The first four finishers are all members of the Vintage Motorcycle Club.

All the competing motorcycles in the DJ Rally, which is the major event of the year for classic motorcyclists in SA, have to be 1936 or earlier models so they would have been eligible for the last road race between Durban and Johannesburg, held in 1936.  The first of these popular races between the two cities was staged in 1913 and in 1936 the authorities decreed that racing on public roads was too dangerous, so this year’s rally marked the 98th year since the first race was staged.

 In 1969 the late Dick Osborne, himself an avid motorcyclist, persuaded a group of fellow-enthusiasts to organise a commemorative DJ Rally using the roads that made up the route of the original race. The first DJ commemorative rally took place in 1970 and it has been staged every year since then except for 1974 when the authorities refused permission due to the fuel shortage

The format of the event has changed from a “first past the winning post” road race to a competitive regularity rally where riders have to try and ride as close as possible to set average speeds. Their performances are monitored by hidden marshals placed along the route who take the time as each competitor passes a check point

This year’s finishing record of 92 motorcycles from 119 starters, out of an initial entry of 134, was surprisingly high considering the hot weather, age of the motorcycles  and the arduous nature of the route, which is particularly hilly on the first day, when the riders travelled from Hillcrest Corner, near Durban, to the overnight stop in Newcastle.

By contrast when the event was held as a road race at the height of its popularity it was contested by as many as 500 competitors!

The only major incident during the 2011 rally was a burned out 1926 AJS motorcycle which caught fire when the engine backfired near Heidelberg on the second day. Rider John Allison was unharmed.

Edwin White was more fortunate as he was able to extinguish a blaze that started when the overfull tank of his BSA “Round Tank” dripped onto the spark plug.

The oldest man in the 2011 DJ, Stewart Cunninghame, who is 89 years old, put up an excellent performance on his 1930 Norton to finish in 10th position.

The expected battle between Simon Fourie, editor of BIKE SA magazine, and superbike rider Clinton Pienaar, editor of Superbike magazine, did not materialise. Fourie was taken to hospital with kidney stones two days before the start, while Pienaar only rode the first day as he had to instruct at a superbike track day on the Saturday.

Ralph Pitchford, who was recently voted 2010 Motorsportsman of the Year by the SA Guild of Motoring Writers for his exploits over the years in the Dakar Rally, finished 11th overall on a 1926 Triumph after a tough first day when his low powered machine battled in the hilly terrain.

Although the DJ Rally is a Vintage and Veteran Club event, it was organised by a team from a number of organisations. Clerk of the Course Pierre Cronje, who is also chairman of the Classic Motorcycle Club, said he was very happy with the way the event ran and there were no protests.

The first 10 finishers were:

1.     Martin Davis (1930 Sunbeam)                             VMC               192 sec.

2.     Kevin Robertson (1936 Velocette)                        VMC               245

3.     Adrian/Gerald Hollis (1935 Sunbeam S/C)           VMC               251

4.     Mike Ward (1935 Velocette)                                 VMC               254

5.     Hans Klein (1929 Arial)                                         CVMC            263

6.     Ric Lewis (1929 Sunbeam)                                   VVC               300

7.     Wayne Bagley (1933 BSA)                                    CMCN             367

8.     Gavin Walton (1936 AJS)                                      CMC              375

9.     Kevin Walton (1931 BSA)                                      CMC              385

10. Stewart Cunninghame (1930 Norton)                    VVC               435

 

·        Sponsors of this year’s DJ Rally include Maizey’s Plastics, Bike SA, Classic Motorcycle Club Gauteng, Nevsway Conveyor Supplies, African Electroplating, CeeBee Debt Management Services, UltraRecon, Consolidated Auctioneers, Castrol, Anderson Engineering, Wynns, PPE Technologies, Randburg Mint, Turnkey Hydraulics, Newcastle Inn and Amajuba Lodge.

 

 
Car of the Year WINNER:
 
BMW's 530d and VW's Polo 1.6 TDI Share Top Spot in 2011 SA Car of the Year Competition
 
History was made tonight when BMW's 530d and VW's Polo 1.6 TDI were announced as joint winners of the WesBank / South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) Car of the Year competition for 2011.
 
After a comprehensive voting process of all the full members and jury of the SAGMJ, and two full days of vigorous testing, and a final point allocation by the jury, the two cars could not be split on points, and thus both were awarded this prestigious accolade.
 
BMW’s 530d and Volkswagen’s Polo 1.6 TDI Share Top Spot at Revamped Car of the Year Competition
 
 
South Africa’s most prestigious event, the WesBank / South African Guild of Motoring Journalists Car of the Year competition was given a substantial update and refreshed for 2011.
 
And almost as if going along perfectly to a script of change, the more modern and completely transparent European Car of the Year (COTY) based scoring system, produced a tie for the first time in the competition’s 26 year history, with both BMW’s 530d and Volkswagen’s Polo 1.6 TDI scoring the exact same number of points and sharing top spot this year.
 
This historic announcement was made by the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) at a WesBank sponsored gala banquet, attended by the who’s who of the South African motoring industry, at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, on Tuesday 8 March.
 
As in the past the announcement of the winner still only comes after a stringent process of voting and physical testing of eligible cars, leisure vehicles, which now includes double cab bakkies that were launched locally into the SA market during the past year.
 
All the testing took place at the world renowned Gerotek vehicle test facility outside Pretoria once again, thus keeping the South African COTY competition unique because of the extensive evaluation opportunity given to the country’s top full time motoring journalists, which make up the COTY Jury, before these same judges can allocate their points to the finalists.
 
But the big difference this year though was that instead of making use of a complex and undisclosed judging and scoring system, the SAGMJ Jury members were given 25 points in total to allocate to no more than five of the finalists and no less than three as is done in Europe.
 
With all the scores and the judge’s comments being open for scrutiny from the moment the winners were announced, and with no more than ten points at a time being allowed to be allocated to any one vehicle by a judge, it was always going to be a close race, and the final audited scores showed this to be the case.
 
The WesBank / SAGMJ COTY competition is about automotive excellence and the winning vehicle must score highly in its own class, not against each other as is often thought, across a variety of categories including those which reflect value for money, safety, dynamics, technology and aesthetics to name but a few.
 
And this year’s competition winners have proved just that, as both vehicles, although separated by more than R400 000 in sticker price, were clearly well ahead of their peers in their already mentioned relevant classes, and ultimately could not be separated by a single point at the end of a long and thorough process.
 
Final Result
 

  1. BMW 530d 91 Points

  1. VW Polo 1.6 TDI 77 kW Comfortline 91 Points

  1. Ford Figo 1.4 Ambiente 77 Points
  2. Hyundai Sonata 2.4 GLS Exec 76 Points
  3. Kia Sportage 2.0 VGT AWD AT 63 Points
  4. Citroen DS3 THP 150 Sport 59 Points
  5. Hyundai ix35 2.0 CRDI GLS AWD AT 48 Points
  6. Opel Astra 1.4T Enjoy Plus 39 Points
  7. Honda CR-Z 1.5i V-Tec 21 Points
  8. VW Amarok 2.0 BiTDI 4x2 Double Cab 10 Points

 
The COTY competition is sponsored by WesBank, with support sponsorship from Total South Africa and Hollard Insurance.
 
Notes to editors:
  • The SAGMJ has run the South African Car of the Year competition since 1986
  • WesBank has sponsored the competition since inception
  • Previous winners:
 
1986 Toyota Corolla Twin Cam 1987 Mercedes Benz 260
1988 BMW 735i 1989 Toyota Corolla GLi Executive
1990 BMW 525i 1991 Opel Monza 160 GSi
1992 Nissan Maxima 300 SE 1993 BMW 316i
1994 Opel Kadett 140 1995 Opel Astra 160iS
1996 Audi A4 1.8 1997 BMW 528i
1998 Ford Fiesta Fun 1999 Alfa Romeo 156 T-Spark
2000 Renault Clio 1.4 RT 2001 BMW 320d
2002 Audi A4 1.9 TDI 2003 VW Polo TDI
2004 Renault Megane 1.9 dCi 2005 Volvo S40 2.4i
2006 Audi A3 Sportback 2.0T 2007 Honda Civic 1.8VXi Sedan
2008 Mazda2 1.5 Individual 2009 Honda Accord 2.4 Executive
2010 VW Golf 6 1.4 TSI
 
MICRO's go MACRO
 

Micro Car Club of South Africa

       Run to How Far Can You Go?

  Sunday 20 March

 

A challenge of 150km is on the cards and will you rise to the occasion?! Note the Monday is still a public holiday and thus there is no excuse for not attending!

 

As you all know by now (refer to the newsletter of January/February 2011) the Colenso meet has been cancelled, as the facilities have increased their price and the standard of the rooms and service has dropped.

 

    We know that you were all looking forward to partake in this event and ask you to now please support the club’s latest proposal.

 

    We will all meet at Wulf & Doris’s place on Sunday the 20th March at 9:00AM for departure at 9:30AM sharp.

 

    The route will take us on the Lanseria Road – out towards Hartebeespoort Dam -  i.e. through Broederstroom, we will turn left before the rise to the dam and towards Hekpoort. This road will take us to Maropeng. Depending on the delays/stoppages incurred we may turn toward Magaliesburg or head for Ruimsig, where Lothar will have booked a space for the cars and a lunch at 12:30PM at the Ocean Basket in the shopping centre on the corner of Hendrik Potgieter and Peter Rd. There is no special menu or pricing for us, thus individual choices as well as individual payments will apply.

 

     At 14:00PM we will leave for Lothar’s home where we will partake in some tea/coffee and cake. At about 15:30 to 16:00 we will depart back to Wulf’s Place for loading and the trip home.

    Please make a special effort to attend, as we only had 4 micro cars at our first meet in 2011.

 

    Please confirm your attendance with Wulf: 079 5079488 or Lothar 082 9005678 by latest Friday, 11th March for reservations with the restaurant.

 

    Things to remember – fill up your cars as the trip is about 150 km. Money for the lunch.”  

 

 
 
BIG FIELD FOR CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE RALLY FROM DURBAN TO JOHANNESBURG

Ralph Pitchford, who was recently voted SA Motorsportsman of the Year for 2010 after his many successes on the Dakar Rally, will again be competing in the DJ Rally. He will ride a 1926 P-Type Triumph 500 in this year’s event, which starts in Hillcrest, near Durban, on Friday morning.
 
More than 130 classic motorcycles, all made before 1938, are expected to start the 2011 DJ Rally from Hillcrest Corner Centre, Main Road, Hillcrest, near Durban on Friday (March 11). The event will end on Saturday afternoon at the James Hall Museum of Transport, Rosettenvile Road, Johannesburg.

Although this is a Vintage and Veteran Club event, it is organised by a team from a number of organisations. Clerk of the Course Pierre Cronje, who is also chairman of the Classic Motorcycle Club, said he is very happy with the response to this year’s event. Last year there were 124 entries and 117 starters for the 40th running of this commemorative rally.

The first leg of the event takes the competitors to Newcastle for an overnight stop. There is now a change in the restart the next morning in that it will take place 30km outside Newcastle, on the road to Volksrust, due to road works. The total route is almost 700km.

All the competing motorcycles have to be 1937 or earlier models so they would have been eligible for the last road race between Durban and Johannesburg, held in 1936.  The first race had been staged in 1913 and in 1936 the authorities decreed that racing on public roads was too dangerous, so this year’s rally marks the 98th year since the first race was staged.

 In 1969 the late Dick Osborne, himself an avid motorcyclist, persuaded a group of fellow-enthusiasts to organise a commemorative DJ Rally using the roads that made up the route of the original race. The first DJ commemorative rally took place in 1970 and it has been staged every year since then except for 1974 when the authorities refused permission due to the fuel shortage

The format of the event has changed from a “first past the winning post” road race to a competitive regularity rally where riders have to try and ride as close as possible to set average speeds. Their performances are monitored by hidden marshals placed along the route who take the time as each competitor passes a check point.

Cronje and his organising team have been hard at work for several months already planning this premier event on the local classic motorcycle calendar

 “The oldest motorcycle entered is a 1909 500cc Humber Pedalcycle to be ridden by Hans Coertse. Stuart Anderson will ride a similar 1911 Humber, making it two machines in the field that are 100 years old.

“There will be a blend of youth and experience, as entrants include 89-year-old Stewart Cunninghame and local Superbike racing star Clinton Pienaar who rode a 1000cc Honda at last year’s Isle of Man TT races.

“Pienaar, who is also the editor of Superbike magazine, will ride an Ariel Red Hunter on his first DJ Rally where he will be up against the editor of Bike SA, Simon Fourie, who will again ride his 1935 BMW R12 750 and is a regular entrant on the “DJ”.  

“Cunninghame will have the competition number 100 on his 1930 Norton International as we were unable to allocate No. 89 to signify his age,” explained Cronje. “Stewart Cunninghame’s son, Allan will be riding in the DJ Rally for the first time. He will be mounted on a 1935 Velocette 350.”

Another family group entered in the 2011 event is father Gerald Hollis (1935 Sunbeam 95L), son Adrian and passenger Jackie Turnbull (1935 Sunbeam Lion sidecar combination), daughter Valerie Corlett (1928 BSA Flat Tank) and son-in- law Mark Corlett (1936 BSA Q7).

The three Pitchford brothers, Harold (1926 AJS 350), David (1936 BSA 250) and Ralph of Dakar Rally fame (1926 Triumph 500) are all entered again.

The second oldest rider, Peter Dahl, who is also 89, will have Poekie Darlow in the sidecar of his 1922 Royal Enfield combination as his regular passenger, his wife. Laura, passed away last year.

This year, for the first time, the Classic Motorcycle Club has more entries than the Vintage Motorcycle Club with 34 and 33 competitors respectively. This long-running event is run under the auspices of the Vintage and Veteran Club of SA.

·        For more information see the website www.djrun.co.za, which contains the full entry list, or contact Pierre Cronje on 072-513-9432.

·        Sponsors of this year’s DJ Rally include Maizey’s Plastics, Bike SA, Classic Motorcycle Club Gauteng, Nevsway Conveyor Supplies, African Electroplating, CeeBee Debt Management Services, UltraRecon, Consolidated Auctioneers, Castrol, Anderson Engineering, Wynns, PPE Technologies, Randburg Mint, Turnkey Hydraulics, Newcastle Inn and Amajuba Lodge.

 

CONGRATULATIONS to Talitha and Nick for winning the SIDE-CAR prize! 
I'm so proud of you Cuz!
 
 

  Just outside Aliwal and our 3rd fuel stop (607kms); driving behind Ryno’s Wolseley, I had a ringside seat to witness our first casualty – a spectacular front wheel blow-out that instantly destroyed a previously perfect looking Dunlop tyre. Ryno held on well to bring his car to a safe stop – fortunately the mag was undamaged - and we performed a fairly rapid tyre change that enabled us to get on our way again.

 

 Another pause a short while later was to wait for Scott, who ran out of fuel (thought he could make Barkly East!), while he unhitched his jerry can of fuel from the roof rack.

While waiting for Scott we saw this strange sight of a mega rain storm approaching down the road towards us and a large herd of cows in the adjacent field stampeding en masse away from the storm – only to be caught by the rain and stopping equally as quickly to suffer the inevitable consequences!

The rain continued and reached a crescendo in Barkly East with the town deluged…and my Cooper leaking like a sieve – fortunately not succumbing to the standard Mini problem of a wet distributor that tends to bring things to a sudden halt!

 

We arrived at our comfortable overnight stop at the Mountain Shadow Hotel on Barkly Pass (766kms) were Stuart took the opportunity of tinkering with the mixture settings on his 1071 S powered Traveller.

 

Day 2 dawned bright and sunny and a mental note was made to call for a “photo opportunity” after breakfast. Not to be however, as the mist came down and spoiled any effort at capturing the grandiose mountain scenery.

 

Apart from my generator packing up a few minutes after departure that necessitated travelling on my battery charge alone until reaching George the next day, the uneventful day’s route took us through Elliot (fuel), Dordrecht, Queenstown (fuel), Grahamstown (lunch & fuel) and finally arriving at P.E. at 17h30 after a day’s run of 530kms (cumulatively about 1224kms). Special thanks must go to Protea Hotels for fixing a very special rate for us at the 4 star Marine Hotel on the PE beachfront – a lovely hotel with an excellent breakfast.

 

Before going out for something to eat that evening I took the time to strip my genny in the car park of the hotel. I hoped it could just be the brushes that needed replacing…but they were OK and I put the whole lot back again before it got too dark.

 

Day 3. We found a tyre place in Walmer to have Ryno’s tyre removed from the pressed steel rim spare onto the original mag rim before we fuelled and set off for Plettenburg Bay.

Burt van der Walt, a Miniac from George with his very fancy Orange big bore fuel injected Traveller, arranged to meet us at Plett and kindly escort us for the last leg into George

After a short side trip to visit Anthony Roff in the Wilderness to see his collection of cars (including two lovely Mini Marcos’s) and motoring memorabilia, we finally arrived at our George Hotel - again a Protea Group lodging that provided a brilliantly priced “show special”. After a quick visit to the local “Spur” to nourish the inner man, it was off to bed in preparation for the 15th “George Old Car Show” the next day.

 

Day 4 dawned bright and sunny with an early start with breakfast and a quick brush-up of our cars before our show day check-in at 08h00. When we got to the PW Botha College, the venue for the event, we found that we had to join a substantial queue of exhibitor’s cars waiting to be let into the area.

 

All Minis (there where a surprising number from George and the Eastern Cape) were parked together as a group and the 3 sports fields were already brimming with cars on display with the p.a system announcing that they hoped to be hosting about 1000 cars that day!

 

 

An amazing show and quite different from what we normally are used to here “up north”. With a theme of “Fins and Fashion” and with the emphasis on Veteran and Vintage cars, there were very few if any, of the glitzy Ferraris and the like and just an interesting collection of very old and not so old vehicles of up to about 1980 vintage.

What sets the show apart is perhaps the fact that all marques participate in a “Parade” at set times during the day. Spectators can see and hear the cars from the comfort of the shady banks around the field with commentary provided by Car Club fundi’s or just the drivers. MOCSA was shown the courtesy of being asked to lead the Mini Parade and our elected “commentator” was Scott Rainier in his white Mini. Things got off to a bad start for him when he drove straight past the guy with the mike and had to make an embarrassing reverse trip to get to the mike! This obviously caused a bit of confusion with the result that he forgot most of his “lines” when it came to talking about the “Tour Mini Miglia”! Not to worry Scott, we can’t all be radio celebs – just stick to fixing and racing Mini’s!

 

Those of us who elected to take up the Protea Hotels “show offer”, had the additional benefit of admission to their VIP Marquee at the show where ample supplies of things cold and frosty were dispensed during the day.

 

I mentioned earlier that I had travelled to George with a non-functioning generator. Not relishing the thought of the long trip back and having to swop batteries with the guys as mine ran flat, I passed a message forward on the way down to our George Mini friend, Burt, to the effect that if he could find some spares or even a second hand genny, it would be hugely appreciated. Well before the show was over I was introduced to Errol Thurtle – who has started a business in George called “Mini Man”. Errol had stripped his Mini of the generator the night before and converted the car to an alternator in order to get to the show.  His genny was presented to me with the insistence that no money change hands and that “I could possibly do the same for him sometime”! 

My faith in mankind restored and with grateful thanks to Errol, I fitted the genny in the car park of the hotel the same afternoon. The small problem found of my positive earth wired car not liking the polarity of the genny, that came from a more commonly wired negative earth Mini, was sorted when Stuart suggested we simply turn my battery around and, hey presto, we were set to go!

 

The Show organisers had also arranged an evening of Oval Track racing for those interested. It had been years since the days of seeing this type of racing at Wembley in Joburg so Stuart, Sonya, Scott, Joe, Burt and myself took ourselves off for an evenings entertainment. The star of the evening was an 11-year-old taking on the “big Guys” with a Mini…and doing very well!

 

Sunday 13th Feb, Day 5, 07h45.  Departed George for the trip home after we all fuelled-up.  The weather was good and we hit Graaf Reinet for a lunch stop (285kms) having travelled via Uniondale. After lunch it was a relatively short hop of about 200kms via Middelburg to our night-stop at Colesburg where we all shared a very comfortable B&B house called “The Herb Garden”. We even had our own swimming pool – which was immediately put into good use after the long, hot day!

 

Day 6, our last day, was going to be a relatively long one (642kms via Trompsburg, Bloem and Kroonstad) so we decided to leave early without breakfast and have “something on the way” if we needed to.

 

We were told by our Colesburg Innkeeper that we should try to find the time for the short detour to take in the Gariep Dam that was at its highest in history (119% full). A fantastic sight when we got there but unfortunately we couldn’t find a photo opportunity site that would include our Mini’s as all the surrounding walls were too high and the little cars were obscured.

 

Continuing on our way, all things went well until just outside Bloem were Scott’s grumbling rear wheel bearing finally decided to destroy itself rather spectacularly! After calling for back-up from our Bloem Mini contact, Bertus Combrinck, Ryno saved the day when he produced two brand new bearings from the depths of his spares box that allowed us to cancel the resident back-up. Stuart, Scott and Joe then proceeded to get “down and dirty” and a roadside bearing job was completed in under an hour.  We enjoyed a very late Brunch at the Bloem fuel stop.

 

 

Pressing on, we covered the next 219kms to the Kroonstad fuel stop easily where we said our farewells to Scott and Joe who were going to peel off later to return Joe to his home in Vereeniging.

 

Although we had to cope with the two unplanned time-consuming stops during the course of the day, we were surprised to find that the Joburg “rush hour” traffic was not too bad as we hooted and waved our farewells as we all peeled off onto our separate home routes, Denise and I getting home at 17h10 after 2683kms.

 

Judging by the usual smiles, hoots and waves of fellow road users that we experienced on our travels every day, I remember commenting to the guys over a meal that the Mini is obviously a “Happy Car”. It certainly appeared to be so.

 

Would we do it again? I think we all had “Mini withdrawal symptoms” in the days following our return and I think the unanimous answer would be …YOU BET!

 

 

Tertius van Zyl

 
Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre Charity Karting Day
On Sunday Zwartkops Karting Track hosted this year’s annual charity kart race hosted by Clare Vale’s Gatorback RAM racing team. There was action aplenty as 12 teams took part in the event. The race was run over 2 hours and there was even a red flag period after an incident on track. There were teams entered from Renault SA, Renault RO, Renault Benoni, Locost, Barloworld City Johannesburg, Gatorback RAM, WesBank, the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre (sponsored by Top Class Automotive and Max Challenge karting), NetApp, Newport Juices, a Celebrity team (sponsored by The Truckman) and Aucor. The racing was close and competitive and in the end the top three teams were covered by a lap! 

We had wonderful support from, celebrity team with Christina Storm, David Rees, Renelle Naidoo and Brian Baloyi joining the day’s events and racing in the karting race. We even had Jim McFarlane from SupaDrift taking his 350Z on track and giving the crowd a spectacular drifting demonstration! Playstation were on hand to entertain the crowd with consoles in the pit area.

 There was a lot of fun in aid of a wonderful cause, and Byron, the Centre’s ambassador Cheetah was on hand later to greet the children and competitors. We were lucky enough to have Roger McCleery as our MC for the prize giving where prizes sponsored by Gatorback RAM and Speed and Sound Magazine were awarded. The drivers were fueled by Red Bull and Newport Juices on the day and in the end the top three teams were:

 1st- Renault SA, headed by their MD Xavier Gobille.

2nd – Renault Benoni.

3rd – Barloworld City Johannesburg. 

The event managed to raise over R22,000.00 for the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre and definitely raised awareness of the wonderful work that the people at the Centre do. 

For more information on the the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre please visit www.dewildt.co.za

 
2011 SA Classic TT Revival Series - Clive Strugnell
 
 The South African Classic TT Revival Series was started four years ago when Mick Grant, who was Barry Sheene’s main rival in English motorcycle racing in the mid 70’s, put together a small group of riders from the UK to come out to SA to take part in the annual “David Piper Day” at Zwartkops. From a modest start with five bikes and three riders in 2007, the UK contingent has grown to a party
of 18 bikes and riders this year.
Along the way the event has changed from a small parade of classic racing bikes as a support event for the Zwartkops Classic Sports car event to a full blown series over three week-ends around the country. The series itself has become the “SA Classic TT Revival Series” and consists of three rounds, starting in East London on the 22nd January, moving to Zwartkops a week later and ending at Killarney Race track on the 5th and 6th February. At Zwartkops the classic racebikes have Sunday dedicated to them, and is billed as the “Day of the Champion” It has become traditional for many past South African, and in the case of Jim Redman, World, Champions, to turn out and parade in front of an ever increasing crowd.
In addition to high speed “parades” (what racer can resist the thrill of riding as fast as possible, especially with the sight of a rival just in front and the sound of another just behind?) the past two years have seen the growth of a full blown race series for these classic bikes and riders. This year the overall winner of the racing series was 7 times Isle of Man TT winner, Mick Grant, on a 28-year old factory Suzuki RG500 race bikes. It was 27years, almost to the day of Grant’s last win, the prestigious Macau Grand Prix, just before retiring, on the same bike.
The riders who joined Mick’s entourage from the UK include fellow Isle of Man TT winner and past British Superbike Champion Bill Simpson, top British Championship rider Tony “Elvis” Salt, fastest lady rider ever at the TT, Maria Costello, to several very enthusiastic English and Scottish Club riders like Stephen Walker, Robbie Burns, Bry Bayes and Alan Walker.
The bikes ranged from three factory Suzuki XR69 F1 bikes (fore-runner of the World Superbike Championship), three factory Suzuki RG 500 Grand Prix bikes, a gaggle of Honda Britain factory Hondas, a World Championship winning Honda 250 GP bike (ridden very well by Honda SA President Yoshiaki Nakamura) to the crowd favourite, a F750 Championship MV Agusta.
Not to be outdone, a fabulous array of local classic racers, like the immaculate collection of British racebikes owned by Ian Groat, many GP Yamaha’s, several Ducati’s and a wonderful selection of Honda’s, Kawasaki’s and other exotica, joined in the fray. Most of these belong to the South African Historic Motorcycle Group, who are one of the main organisers of the Zwartkops event.Plans are already well under way for the 2012 event, which promises to be even better, with entries from Europe as well as Britain signing up for the annual escape to the Sun from the winter chill of the Northern Hemishpere.
INTERESTING CLASSIC BIKE VISITORS
The chairman of the Classic Motorcycle Club, Pierre Cronje, and his wife Gwyneth, recently hosted two very interesting touring motorcyclists from Norway who are on their way around the world on motorcycles that are more than 70 years old.

The two, Klaus Ulvestad and Tormod Amlien have been friends for more than 11 years, fuelled by a common interest in old military vehicles and motorcycles. The motorcycles they chose to ride in this epic journey are an unusual brand, being Danish Nimbus machines with longitudinal four-cylinder engines of 750cc and shaft drive to the rear wheel.

In contrast to most motorcycles in the world there are no chains in either engine or transmission of the Nimbus. The gear-driven overhead camshaft is enclosed, but the valve rockers are exposed and are not lubricated as oil would attract dust and cause wear! Engine output is in the region of 15 kW and the distinctive exhaust note gave it the nickname of Bumblebee.

The blue 1937 model and red 1938 version being used on this global adventure are fitted with custom-built four-speed gearboxes (three-speed gearboxes are standard for the Nimbus). The frames are fairly unique, being made of plates riveted together for ease of repair. There is no rear suspension and only rudimentary front struts.

Both machines are linked to rather basic, box-type sidecars to carry luggage and spare parts as this is a trip without any travelling assistance.

The company that made the Nimbus, Fisker and Nielsen of Copenhagen, was established by an electrical engineer in 1918 with domestic appliances its main source of income. In fact, it still exists and makes Nilfisk vacuum cleaners.

About 12 000 Nimbus motorcycles were manufactured between 1919 and 1960 and they remain valuable collectors’ items, with about 4 000 still running in Denmark alone and about another 4 000 of them spread around the world, with high interest in Germany and the United States.

The two intrepid Nimbus riders left Norway in April 2009 and had covered 55 000km by the time they reached Benoni. This was not the first time that Tormod has undertaken a trip of this nature, having ridden with a friend from Norway to Singapore on Nimbus combinations in 2006.

Tormod and Klaus’s route to South Africa – all without the benefit of a global positioning system, such as a Garmin or Tom Tom – had taken them down the Baltic coast to Latvia, Lithuania, the Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Next on the itinerary were Mongolia and Siberia on the way to Vladivostok before going to Korea when they took a ship to the United States.

They travelled the length of the US and through much of South America before ending up in Brazil, from where they shipped the combinations to Durban.

Major engine repairs were required by Klaus’s mount, including replacing a cracked cylinder block. Both machines had undergone extensive overhauls near New York before the South African repairs. (They say replacement parts for the Nimbus are fairly readily available if one knows the right channels).

Their route home is taking them through Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt and then along the Mediterranean coast road to Libya and Tunisia. From there they plan to take a ship to Spain and then continue to Denmark via France and Germany.

They expect to get home before the end of January, having travelled a total distanced of 70 000km. (They ride up to 700km a day, running at speeds of 80-85km/h).

They are self-contained in terms of tents and sleeping bags, but often end up staying with motorcycle enthusiasts in the countries they travel through, as was the casein Durban and Benoni.

Problems, other than the cracked cylinder block, have been fairly minor, including broken spokes, cracked frames, gearbox repairs and ignition malfunctions.

The two Norwegians were very chatty and ardent motoring enthusiasts. For instance, Klaus owns six WW2 motorcycles – 2 Zundapps (one with a sidecar), two BMWs (one with a sidecar), a Norton 16H and BSA M33 as well as a Jeep, VW Kubelwagen, an ambulance and a truck also of WW2 vintage.

The visitors had an enjoyable time in South Africa and met many like-minded classic motorcycle enthusiasts. As a sign of their appreciation they honoured CMC chairman Pierre Cronje with a special commemorative pennant, which they do not give away easily.

One can follow the travels of the Norwegian adventurers on www.kccd.no which is derived from King Croesus Contempt for Death trip 2009. The other name for this daunting global trip is The Dumb Way Round.

 

 
“QUEEN OF BIKERS” TO RACE IN ZWARTKOPS INTERNATIONAL EVENT

 

Pretoria – Maria Costello, one of the fastest female riders in the world, has confirmed her participation in the tenth Zwartkops International event to be held early in 2011.

 

Maria is not only the first woman to stand on the podium at the renowned Isle of Man TT event, but also holds the fastest time for a female racer at the same course. In 2004 she posted the fastest time for a woman ever, in the Isle of Man TT Production 1000 race, and in 2005 she finished third in the Manx GP on a Honda RVF400.

 

She will compete in the SA Classic Tourist Trophy in the International events at the fast East London circuit on January 22nd, at Zwartkops Raceway on January 30th, and in the Killarney event in Cape Town on February 6th. The petite blonde has a very good chance of winning the series and will be riding a classic bike (make and model to be confirmed).

 

Maria is a well known after dinner speaker and has recently written a book, “Maria Costello: Queen of Bikers” about her life. She was also recently awarded an MBE for her services to motorcycling.

 
*Maria's book will be available at Zwartkops at the event at the end of January 

Clare Vale – for MSA Women in Motorsport Panel.

 
NEW!

BUSH PILOTS by Roy Watson

can now also be ordered from us

at R 180 each, plus R30 pack & post or same-day courier to Jo'burg / Pretoria and Durban

LIMITED STOCK AVAILABLE!

 

 NOTE ALL CLASSIC VEHICLE OWNERS:

“ANY MOTOR VEHICLE THAT IS NOT REGISTERED WITH THE COMPUTERISED (NATIS) REGISTRATION PAPERS BY 31/12/2010 WILL BE DEEMED TO BE UNLICENSED.”

This statement has been issued by the NDOT who tell SAMCA it will be enforced. This means that the old hand written log books or pink papers will no longer be valid as proof of ownership, resulting in a paper trail nightmare to re-register, or in the case of LHD vehicles, even worse, as they will be deemed illegal. 

We were told that there is a R90 charge to transfer to the new papers, with Randburg being the best geared Traffic Inspectorate in Gauteng. From personal experience in KZN there was no charge levied, however I did have to complete an affidavit to vouch that the vehicle was in fact what was stated in the old log book.

- Citroen Club
PLEASE ALSO NOTE: we have heard that the rates differ dramatically from place to place - Midrand's charge is R 80 per car, whereas I've been told some areas charge R 200, R 300 or oven R 800 per car. Some places do your papers instantly, others say it will take a week. I have also heard that some places ask for a new RW certificate...        HM
 
____________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project includes the introduction of an Open Road Toll (ORT) system which will be implemented along Johannesburg’s highways. The ORT will be operated via electronic toll collection points which will read motor vehicles that have been fitted with a transponder in the number plates.

This will allow images of a motorist’s number plate to be captured electronically as a vehicle passes through the toll with the toll fees being debited off the motorist’s account.

The tolls will be operational by April 2011 with toll points (gantries) placed approximately every 10 kilometres along most of Gauteng’s existing freeway network, with a total of 42 gantries on the Gauteng e-tolling network.

The highway tolls are estimated to cost a motorist 50 cents per kilometre with a proposed discounted fee applicable for frequent users; however this is still to be confirmed. By calculating the approximate distance travelled on the tolled portion of the highway for a day journey to and from work, the following information below provides an estimate of toll fees a motorist could incur.

 

* Tolled Freeway Distance as measured on Google Earth
** Calculation = distance x estimated cost per km x 2 (round trip)
*** Calculation =Roundtrip cost of tolls x 20 days

Source: Bradford McCormack
 
 
PLEASE NOTE:
COTY (Car of the Year) 2011 banquet has been changed to 8 March 2011
 
A touch of Italian glamour at Kyalami round of International Superstars Series
 
Italian racing driver Michela Cerruti and her black and pink Team Romeo Ferraris Mercedes C63 AMG will bring a touch of glamour to Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Midrand when she competes in the final round of the International Superstars Series for V8 production cars on November 27 and 28.

Cerruti, a 23-year-old blonde from Milan and team-mate to Max Pigoli, is the only woman competing in Superseries and makes her first appearance in South Africa with 15 other drivers. She is the daughter of the famous Italian sports car driver Aldo Cerruti, who won the first Italian Renault 5 Cup in the 1970s and last year shared a monster 360 hp Romeo Ferraris Fiat 500 Abarth with his daughter and Mario Ferraris in the Six Hours of Vallelunga.

Her 500 hp Mercedes carries the name of her father’s company ab medica, a global leader in state-of-the-art medical technologies and which has established Italy as the European centre of excellence for advanced minimal invasive surgery and robotic surgery.
She was born in Rome and started racing in 2008, when she competed in the Italian Touring Car Endurance Series (CITE) in an Alfa Romeo 147. In 2009 she finished seventh in the same championship at the wheel of a powerful Fiat 500 Abarth 3.0 and also made her debut in the Trofeo 500 Abarth. She also found time to take a degree in psychology and now works as PR for team Romeo Ferraris.

“I started to race because my father passed on to me his strong passion for racing cars. I read an article about Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first woman who raced in Formula 1, and I was very impressed. I thought if she was to able to do that, I wanted to, too! Racing in the Superstars Series with drivers like Gianni Morbidelli and Johnny Herbert is a fantastic experience for me. My team mate, Max Pigoli, has helped me a lot.”

Maria Teresa de Filippis, who was born in Naples, drove a works Maserati 250F in the 1958 Belgian, Portuguese and Italian Grands Prix. Now 84, she is vice president of the International Club of Former F1 Grand Prix Drivers.
The International Superstars Series returns to Kyalami thanks to Blue IQ and the Gauteng provincial government and, in a bumper weekend for motor racing fans, combines with the final round of the WesBank Super Series of South African national championships. This includes races for Bridgestone Production Cars, WesBank V8 Supercars, Engen Volkswagen Cup, Formula Volkswagen and Interfile Supersport and Superbikes.

Tickets are available at Computicket outlets countrywide or at www.computicket.com and also at the Kyalami main entrance on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of race weekend. Gates open at 07.00.
For more information please go to www.go-gp.org or www.kyalamiracing.co.za
 
The planning is already well advanced for the 2011 DJ Rally and here is the first information on next year’s event

  

Pierre Cronje, the clerk of the course for the 2011 DJ Rally, displays the recently re-discovered Castrol Rose Bowl that will be presented to the overall winner of next year’s Durban-Johannesburg regularity rally, to be staged from March 11-12. The handsome trophy is displayed on Keith Walton’s 19312 BSA 500 Sloper, which has completed 29 DJ Rallies, winning in 1982 when George Corlett was the rider. The current owner has competed six of these commemorative events on this 80-year-old motorcycle that was a classic of its day. 

 
 
2011 Bursar applications are open and prospective SAGMJ bursars will be interviewed on 1 and 2 December 2010.

Requirements:
  • A background or qualification in professional writing / journalism
  • Fluent in English written and spoken
  • Computer literate
  • A keen interest in all things automotive
  • A willingness to participate in a variety of organisations on a grass roots level
  • A strong sense of honesty and integrity
  • Accommodation in Greater Johannesburg area
  • A code B or EB driver's licence
  • Own transport and ability to travel

      If you know someone who may be suitable, please ask them to email the following to Adell de Vos at sagmj@iafrica.co. za by close of business on 19 November 2010:
      • a motivating letter / cover letter
      • a short CV
      • a recent ID photo
      • a copy of your driver's licence
      • a minimum of three references


      Kind regards
      Mark Smyth
      SAGMJ Committee

      South African Guild of Motoring Journalists
      Tel: 021 855 1517
      Fax: 086 689 1261
      Email : sagmj@iafrica.com
       
      2011 WesBank / SAGMJ Car Of The Year Finalists

      A vote consisting of the full members and a jury made up of 26 selected members of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) have chosen the following ten finalists to partake in the 2011 WesBank / SAGMJ Car of the Year competition to compete for honours in the country’s premier motoring event.
      • BMW 5 Series 530d
      • Citroen DS3 1.6 THP Sport
      • Ford Figo 1.4 Ambiente
      • Honda CR-Z 1.5 i-VTEC Hybrid
      • Hyundai iX35 2.0 CRDi GLS Automatic AWD
      • Hyundai Sonata 2.4 GLS Automatic Exec
      • Kia Sportage 2.0 VGT Diesel AWD Auto
      • Opel Astra 1.4T Enjoy Plus
      • Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 BiTDI 4x2 Double Cab
      • Volkswagen Polo 1.6 Comfortline TDI 77kW

        The winner of the 2011 WesBank / SAGMJ Car the Year will be revealed in March 2011.
       
      Guild Members Shine In Total Economy Run

      The official South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) entrants in the Total Economy Run – travel and environmental journalist Geoff Dalglish and radio presenter Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger – enjoyed a spectacular debut in Africa’s premier featherfoot competition run in the Free State between September 9 and 11.

      Both Capetonians were at the wheel of Citroens – a 1,4-litre C3 turbodiesel and 1-litre petrol-powered C1 minicar.

      Geoff, an Economy Run rookie, was partnered by Hendri du Plessis, a Pretoria transport manager, and recorded the second lowest overall fuel consumption and emerged as runner-up in the category for small-engined diesel vehicles, while Jeanette and veteran Pretoria navigator, Riette Wannenburg, were an impressive second in class, achieving the third best performance by a petrol car.

      Geoff insisted: “I was thrilled to have been chosen to represent the Guild and delighted that the Citroen C3 was not only great fun to drive, but super-efficient!”

      He added: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could take the praiseworthy featherfoot concept of the Total Economy Run and make it a 365-day-a-year way of life in which we all attempt to tread lightly upon the Earth at all times while reducing our use of precious resources (including energy and water) while minimising harmful emissions and all forms of pollution.

      “Our current way of life is not sustainable and we need to love and respect this beautiful planet which is our only home and under severe threat.”

      Jeanette, a Radio Tygerberg presenter and busy mother of two, was delighted with her debut performance and sung the praises of the funky, fuel-sipping C1.

      “The Total Economy Run is making me rethink the way I go about my driving and my life,” Jeanette said.

      Other commendable performances by Guild members included the best overall performance by a petrol vehicle in the hands of multiple class winners Wynter Murdoch and Leon Schnell in a dinky Daihatsu Charade.

      Pritesh Ruthun and Reuben van Niekerk also scored a class victory for Daihatsu, this time in a Terios 4x4.

      Entries were up significantly from last year with hopes that there will be even greater support for the 2011 event.
       
      1st Cape Gate Brackenfell Gymkhana

      Witzenberg Motorklub                                             WBMK 03/2010                         5 June 2010
      Izak van Zyl and Danye Louw made it three in a row with the Dynotech class G VW Golf MkII 2.0 Turbo when they won the inaugural Cape Gate Brackenfell Gymkhana on Saturday 5 June 2010. It was no walkover victory though, as Fanie du Toit and Kobus Wilson Jnr produced an absolute gem of a final run in their well sorted Propshaft & CV Joint Services Worcester class A Mazda Rustler LDV 2.0 16v to finish just 0.05 seconds down on combined times. André Dreyer and Patrick Vermaak completing the podium positions in their Weskaap Bakwerke class A VW Golf MkII 2.0 16v.

      Jehan de Jongh and Danye Louw impressed with fourth overall in the class C winning H&H Motor Spares & Rebuilds VW Golf MkI 1600, just 0.1 seconds ahead of the awesome Powerflow Exhausts class G VW Golf MkII of Duncan Jepthas and Nashrene Schloss. The course was extremely challenging and to watch Duncan at work with the use of just one arm was inspiring to say the least. Class B winners, Günther and Louise Appelgryn, finished sixth overall after yet another immaculate display of disciplined driving in their WBMK VW Golf MkI 1800.

      Seventh going to the hard charging class C H&H Motor Spares & Rebuilds VW Golf MkI 1600 of Danye and Marcile Louw with Jehan de Jongh and Danye Louw eighth in the class B Boland Trade Centre VW Golf MkI 1800. Possibly the most loyal GTi Club competitors of all time in the gymkhana series, Brent Laurings and Duncan Andrews, finished in a superb ninth overall position in their Opel Kadett GTE 2.0 8v! Their commitment in this Opel is something to aspire to, always giving 110% in every event. Marius Swart and Leon Engelbrecht also impressive with tenth overall in their Eikestad Plastic Repairs class A VW Golf MkI 2.0. Normally these two competitors would be embroiled in their own personal war, but Marius simply dominated this time around.

      Every time Danye and Marcile Louw would appear in the class B Boland Trade Centre VW Golf MkI 1800 it would splutter and they had to accept a frustrating eleventh overall. Another team struggling with a temperamental machine was brothers, Jacques and Armand Otto, in their recently completed Toyota Conquest RSi 1800. New car niggles saw them in twelfth overall but this car clearly has great potential. Leon Engelbrecht and Marius Swart thirteenth in the Eikestad Plastic Repairs class A VW Golf MkI 2.0 with Geoff Wellstead and Günther Appelgryn fourteenth in their class B G&M Autospeed VW Golf MkI 1800. Geoff making welcome return to the WBNK series after a long absence.

      Johann and Petra Zulch dominated class E in their Van der Merwe Houtsaery E30 BMW 325iM and really looked the part as the Beemer lifted front wheels and subtle powerslides saw the combination post impressive times as they headed towards fifteenth spot overall. In the absence of Albertus Loubser it was brother, Jacobus, who piloted the Pro Bru Spares class C Toyota Conquest RSi 20v to sixteenth spot with guidance from Robin Wakeford. Lourens van Litsenborgh and Jacques du Plessis struggled to find rythm in the normally ultra quick class C Honda Civic V-Tec 1600 and settled for seventeenth.

      Herman Mathee and Jan van der Vyver were in very determined frame of mind and the little 1400 Datsun LDV were pushed as hard as it would go enroute to a class F victory and 18th overall. Ever consistent Morné Roux and Monica Robbertse, 19th in their class B VW Golf MkI 1800. Not having competed with this almost standard Golf for some time, they were impressed by the standard of competition present on the day. This car normally a top ten contender. Marius Swart and Leon Engelbrecht also entered a VW Fox 1800 in class B and impressed with a fine 20th overall result.

      Ettiene Swart and Izak van Zyl again winning class D in the neatly prepared Cape Fire & AirconVW Golf Chico 1.4i, proving that this combination have now become the stars of the category. Placing a 1.4i in 21st spot was no mean feat as the competition proved exceptionally tough. Hennie Odendaal and Donald Loubser 22nd in the SR Radiators clas B VW Golf MkI 1800.

      Pierre Schoeman and Morné Roux joined forces in the Strand Fitment Centre class A VW Golf GTi MkII 2.0 in 23rd spot with Francois Naudé and Ulrich Joseph 24th in their neat class A Opel Kadett GSi 2.0 16v. Changing seats they also finished 25th in the smae car with Deon and Maralize Conradie somewhat out of kilt in 26th spot with the very neat 2.3 FFR class E VW Buggy. Cahrl Carr and Richard Hough had the silver class D Opel Corsa Classic 1.4i working overtime enroute to 27th spot and they were followed closely by the Innovative Woodwork class F 1600 Toyota powered Datsun LDV of Anton Smit and new navigator, Gavin Parsons.

      Jan van der Vyver and Herman Mathee 29th in the three wheeling class D VW Golf Chico 1.4i. Danye and Marcile Louw somewhat disappointed with 30th spot in their class A Boland Trade Centre Renault Clio Sport 2.0 16v after the car developed brake problems. Dan Traut and Patrick Vermaak 31st overall in the E30 class E BMW 325i after another fun event. Nashrene Schloss and ouise Appelgryn winning class I as the first all ladies crew home in the VW Fox 1800 with the E30 KS Panelbeaters class E BMW 325i of Jacobus and Lizelle Smit 33rd overall. Nashrene Schloss and Louise Appelgryn also taking 34th spot as a class B entry in the VW Fox 1800 and they had the blue JPW Transport clas F Datsun 1400 LDV of Kobus Wilson Snr and Herman Mathee hot on their heels.

      Robin Wakeford and Morné Roux 36th in the clutchless clas C Toyota Corolla 1600 whilst Jacques du Plessis and stand in navigator, Lourens van Litsenborgh, had to accept a frustrating 37th spot in the normally very quick class C du Plessis Auto Toyota Conquest RSi 1600. A broken CV curtailing their chances of another top ten result. Though clearly never intended to be the quickest car on the day the very entertaining class F Chana 1300 LDV of Desmond Harding and Henry Köhne quickly became a firm favourite with the Brackenfell crowd and it enjoyed very vocal support every time it made an appearance on the route.

      Richard and Jacolien Hough 39th in their Hough Electrical class D Opel Corsa 1.3i after a consistent outing with newcomers, Pietie Erasmus and Mike Mathee 40th overall in their class D VW Fox 1.3. Swopping seats they also placed the same car 41st. Leon and Monique Engelbrecht proved very entertaining in 42nd spot with the first appearance of their immaculately prepared 1947 Studebaker LDV – complete with V8 Corvette power. Not only was this an extremely attractive vehicle, it even handled better that expected and led to a rather heated debate when the Most Spectacular Driver of the Day had to be announced. The Chempet Chemical Technologies award going to the Studebaker as they always stuck to the scheduled route.

      For tyre smoking appeal alone there was no contest when the antics of Kobus Wilson Snr and Herman Mathee had to be evaluated in the JPW Transport class E BMW 535i. Incredible to see what this car is really capable of doing to a set of rear tyres when driven with enthusiasm. Hermie de Kock and Pieter Hugo 44th in their neat Super Airbrake & Clutch class D Opel Corsa 1.3 with Monica Robbertse and Marcile Louw in 45th spot with the class I VW Golf MkI 1800. They had Jacolien Hough and Petra Zulch close behind in their Hough Electrical class D Opel Corsa 1.3i. Kobus Wilson Snr and Herman Mathee not classified as finishers in the very spectacular JPW Transport class G Datsun Skyline GTX V8.

      Dee-Jay Booysen claimed the Fastest Time of the Day and class H honours behind the wheel of his incredibly quick Honda 400cc powered Dico Formula M racer. Izak van Zyl second in his Dynotech VW Golf GTi MkII Turbo 2.0 and in third it was André Dreyer in the Weskaap Bakwerke VW Golf GTi 2.0 16v. Duncan Jepthas finishing fourth in the Powerflow Exhausts TSi 2.0 VW Golf MkII with Günther Appelgryn fifth in his VW Golf MkI 1800 and Fanie du Toit sixth in the very rapid Mazda Rustler LDV 2.0 16v.

      Brent Laurings seventh with the yellow Opel Kadett GTE 2.0 8v, Francois Naudé eighth in the black Opel Kadett GSi 2.0  and Pierre Schoeman ninth in the Strand Fitment Centre VW Golf GTi 2.0. Jan van der Vyver tenth in the 1.4i Chico and Arno Hougraadt eleventh in his 250cc powered Bohemian Tattoos Formula M racer. Unfortunately Ryno Pentz lost an argument with a solid pavement and failed to finish in his 400cc powered Dico Formula M racer.

      Leon Engelbrecht opened the proceedings with a fitting scripture reading and prayer before a group of enthusiastic rally drivers demonstrated their distinctive vehicles to the appreciative crowd. Running before the start of the event and between each of the three legs the presence of the 2009 Junior WP Rally Championship winning class S4 Winning Business Solutions / Forsdicks Tygervalley E36 BMW 325i of Thorsten Pey and Mark Palmer certainly attracted much attention. Specially remaining as it completed the recent CPMCC Vlakvlei Night Rally the car looked the part with thick mud an broken spotlights to complete the tyre smoking scene. The Teletubby still strapped to the rear spoiler!

      Harry Giliomee and Frits Blom had their neat class S3 Toyota Corolla Breadvan 1800 present whilst Mike Nathan fitted in a few very entertaining runs in the awesome Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Turbo 4x4 racer of Alexander Herbst as well as the gloriously sounding BMW M3 CSL. The class A7 Toyota Run X RSi 2.0 20v of Ettiene du Toit and Patrick Vermaak proved to be a highlight of the day as Ettiene demonstrated the amazing agility of this car to good effect with a very worried looking Anette Vermaak as navigator.

      The Dros Restaurant supported the event by hosting the prizegiving and included a special Gymkhana Hamburger and Chips on their menu for the day. In the weeks leading up to the event listeners of the Radio Tygerberg 104Fm Motorsport Fokus program actually had the opportunity to win free meal vouchers and on the day the Dros enjoyed brilliant support whilst Radio Tygerberg announcer, Neels Rabe, kept the crowd spellbound with his customary humour and wit. The Virgin Active Gymnasium sportingly made their undercover parking available as pit area to the competitors and PIC Projects provided the perimeter fencing for the day. Wayne Zwicky and Imperial Toyota Brackenfell also assisting in making this event a success.

      Start and Finish marshals as always were Dewald and Meghan Nortjé with Xandré du Toit and Paul Arendse as the Judges of Fact. Arie Stylen the ever reliable track marshal on route whilst Pit Control was once again in the capable hands of André Brinkman. A task he did so well that the Marshal of the Day Chempet Chemical Technologies award was unanimously awarded to him. Chief Marshal Neville Gleeson and Scorer, André Mitchell, reported a flawless run on the Jayen Timer with John McLinden taking care of technical support.

      Pierre van der Westhuizen the Clerk of the Course with Daniël Terblanche the MSA Steward and Tony Hardenberg as MSA Environmental Steward. Anette Vermaak the Event Secretary. A special word of thanks to Günther and Louise Appelgryn who were instrumental in making this event happen with the support of Pierre Appelgryn Jaco Matthee and Robin Wakeford.

      Cyan Fernandes was the elated winner of the WBMK Raffle, winning a drive with event winner, Izak van Zyl, in the Dynotech VW Golf 2.0 Turbo whilst the earnings were donated toward classroom renovation at the Vissershok Primary School.

      The next event on 17 July 2010 – the 5th Fairbridge Mall Brackenfell Gymkhana.

      Patrick Vermaak

      083 701 8116

      •  
      AutoPavilion, Place of cars and legends
      Specially for the World Cup.....if you are in the vicinity of PE or Uitenhage, come and see the
      exciting new exhibits at Volkswagen of SA's AutoPavilion museum. SA off-road racer Giniel de
      Villiers' Race Touareg with which he won the tough 'Dakar' rally, the last Citi Golf made in SA
      and a monster Group B Audi quattro rally car are some of the attractions.
      Volkswagen of South Africa
      PO Box 80/Algoa Rd.
      Uitenhage 6230
      Tel: +27 (0)41 994 5941 (Reception)
      Web-site:       http://www.autopavilion.co.za
       
      Annual Side Car Rally - Graskop  6 & 7 March
        
      Our trip to the annual sidecar gathering certainly started off with a bent front mudguard bang!! What happened was that the hired trailer’s two ramps turned out to be too short. The edges were elevated like IBR roof sheeting and what happened was when I rode the bike up it started skidding just after the front wheel got onto the trailer. This was because of the elevated flipped ramp catching on the sump! Then when I tried to reverse down the ramp the front mudguard bottom flange got well and truly wedged in the trailer’s u-channel where the ramps hook in. Consequently there was a lot of buckling both to the flange and to the one mounting bracket. The bike was listing at approx. 40% so the only way to get it back down was to try and remove the bumper and all the brackets, pull it forward and slowly let it down. Needless to say the sheer weight of the bike and sidecar was too much for one person. Luckily one of my steel worker colleagues came to the rescue and he is STRONG!!!

      Thank goodness for him.

      We put the bike back in the garage, loaded our puppies and luggage in the bakkie, took the trailer back and proceeded to Graskop to join the sidecar gathering without our bike. WE WERE NOT HAPPY!

      Unfortunately due to this commotion we clean forgot to take our camera with.

      We were welcomed with open arms by everyone when we got there and they all sympathized as to what had happened. We didn’t feel too bad . One guy came all the way from JHB with his sidecar on a trailer and never took it off!! Something wrong with the gearbox.

      Everyone stayed at Summit Lodge. We stayed at Panorama because of our puppies. There are other dogs there and what a jol they had.

      Saturday everyone rode to Sabie for brekkie. We joined the clan at Pilgrim’s Rest for socializing  before we headed back to Graskop for tyre throwing, slow racing,(see who can ride with the sidecar up for the longest time in a demarcated distance).

      Simon Fourie from Bike SA was there and full of fun. Really nice guy. We get on very well with him and his partner, Sharon. Also there was Tim Clarke from Cape Sidecar Adventures. We know him very well. When we visit my old man in Fish Hoek we hire a sidecar from him. We also get spares from him. Nice to see he could make it all the way from Cape Town.

      All things said we actually had a very nice weekend. At the time of writing this I have since managed to panel beat the mudguard and bracket, have it sand blasted and base cote primed, ready for final coat including pin stripe and clear coat.

      Unfortunately we have a lot of dust where we are because PPC factory is right on our back doorstep. I have consequently opted to have the final coat and pin striping to be done by the same friend that did the original pin striping and top coat of the bike and sidecar at his location which has a cleaner environment.

      We are not particularly worried about perfect cosmetics in view of the sidecars we saw! One bike had some very hap dash panel beating done to his sidecar bumper which he obviously hammered out himself. He also has a machine gun mounted on the sidecar as well as a fire extinguisher and jerry cans. What fun! P.S. The machine gun is a toy A.K. 47. This sidecar is painted military green and has swastikas and maltise crosses painted on the sides. Quite a site to see.

       

      MOTORHEADS 2011 DIARY THE BEST ONE YET!

       

      The unique Motorheads Diary just gets better and better. Now in its fourth year, the 2010 Motorheads

      Diary provides a unique service to motoring and motorsport fans throughout the country.
      It enables you to plan your motoring year with the utmost precision, while functioning as a conventional
      diary for business, household or social purposes.
       

      The brainchild of Midrand artist and motor enthusiast Heide-Marie von der Au, the fourth edition of

      Motorheads follows a format that is by now popular with many thousands of enthusiasts throughout
      the country.
       
      Motorheads 2011 is once again in handy A5 size, and provides plenty of space for notes and reminders
      on each day of the year.
       

      However car enthusiast will once again treasure the inclusion of a Fact of the Day on each of the 365

      days that make up the year 2011. And what’s possibly the most handy aspect of all, on each weekend, Motorheads lists countrywide motoring events from a wide range.
       

      For instance, a typical Motorheads weekend listing will inform you of a Formula One race, a World
      Superbike event, a classic car show in George, and a National Championship rally. Or perhaps a classic
      car race at Zwartkops.
       

      In addition to this there is all sorts of useful motoring related information, such as diagrams of race tracks throughout South Africa, a listing of every F1 and MotoGP champion in history, and a listing of all the major

      car clubs in South Africa.
       

      This year’s edition is once again peppered with interesting articles on a diverse number of motoring personalities and cars. Of particular interest is a special photographic tribute to the South African

      Grand Prix by John Foster, showing pictures of the late Jim Clark taking his last victory, as well as the likes
      of Denis Hulme driving a BRM-engined McLaren!
       

      Once again many articles have been prepared by some of the country’s top motoring journalists, including

      Clive Strugnell, Gavin Foster, Hendrik Verwoerd, Peter Burroughes, Roger Houston, John Lemon, Patrick Vermaak. Included also are top class pics by Danie van Jaarsveld of Motorpics.
       

      And still just R 140 per book!.

       
      Vacancy: marketing / sales person to assist with ad sales for Motorheads 2012 - please contact Heide-Marie
       
       
       
       
       

       

      		 

      © Copyright Motorheads. All Rights Reserved   
      Website hosted by LIT Creations