Engen Volkswagen Cup –

Pepper Racing heads to Zwartkops’ Friday 16 June Youth Day Extreme Festival races with one mission in mind and that’s to bounce back following a dreadful previous Engen Volkswagen Cup meeting in East London last month. The team was beset with issues that spoiled what promised to be another great performance at the Border region racetrack, but it is determined to make amends in Pretoria.

“I’m really looking forward to Zwartkops, the racing there is always hard, very close and super tight,” Alpine Volkswagen Pepper Racing Polo pilot Shaun La Réserveé explained. “I’m hoping to score a few more points than we did in East London to get my championship back on track — we had a good test last week and the car was great — what better way to bounce back through a full house this weekend?”

In spite of missing three of the six races so far after the Kyalami races clashed with his wedding then, and his car broke forcing him to miss the second East London heat, Durbanite Shaun heads to Zwartkops in a handy fifth overall in the championship and fourth in the Masters title, but well in the title hunt. “We need a little luck now, so hopefully Zwartkops will be that step in the right direction — bring it on!”

Tasmin Pepper is likewise looking for a step up following a dreadful last race weekend: “The team has worked hard to get my Campos Transport/Alpine Motors Pepper Racing Polo sorted,” Tasmin confirmed. The Edenvale lass is a Zwartkops expert and she can’t wait to get her teeth into a proper race weekend after that East London disappointment: “Testing went well… I’m really looking forward to racing at Zwartkops again!”

Pepper Racing’s Junior Team is also excited to race at Zwartkops. “I’m looking forward to a great weekend,” 16-year old SMD Pepper Racing Polo driver Daniel Duminy reported in the lead up to the race at what is in essence the Ballito lad’s home track. “We had good pace at our test session at Zwartkops — my car felt great and I just hope I have good luck so I can give back to the team.”

Zwartkops is however a trip into the unknown for Pepper Racing’s second Junior driver as Franschhoek 16-year old Giordano Lupini heads to the Pretoria circuit for the first time this week. “I can’t wait to tackle another new track,” Polo Cup rookie Giordano admitted. “I really hope luck goes our way.”

“We’ve been competing here since the beginning and the last race at East London was our worst ever day in the Engen Volkswagen Cup since the series started 22 years ago,” team principal Iain Pepper concluded. “We’ve now put that behind us and we’re ready to turn it all around at Zwartkops — good luck to all four drivers — let’s do this.”

Remember that Zwartkops’ Engen Volkswagen Cup races happen on Youth Day Friday 16 June and the action starts early with the first race at 10h15 and race 2 scheduled for 13h10.