Extreme Festival Preview – Killarney International Raceway, Cape Town

The racing is just the tip of the iceberg at Saturday 9 September’s Killarney Extreme Festival races, but Cape Town’s faithful will still have much to cheer for on track, with Julian van der Watt and Johan Fourie among the several Kaapenaars expected excel at home. It’s a big weekend for van der Watt who basically just needs to finish well to clinch the SA National Investchem Formula 1600 title on home soil, with the likes of Cameron O’Connor, Brad Beningfield Dean venter and another Capey, Joshua Dolinschek snapping at his heels.

Fourie is after his first Sasol Global Touring Car win of the year in his privately entered EPS Couriers BMW and he’d love to put one over championship fighters Michael Stephen (Engen Xtrene Audi) and Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW) at his home track. The Engen Volkswagen Cup should see Devin Robertson the man to beat, but Juan Gerber, Jeff Kruger, Clinton Bezuidenhout, Tasmin Pepper and Shaun La Reservee will be among the many trying to stop him.

But the crowd favourite has to be the G & H Extreme Supercars where local stars Marcel Angel (Ferrari 458), Dawie Joubert (Lotus Honda) and Johan Engelbrecht (Jogajogga Porashe 911 GT2 will have to deal with visiting Vaalies the likes of Ferrari trio Charl Arangies and Craig Jarvis Jonathan du Toit and Franco Scribante’s Porsche.

Fans can get up close and personal with all those and other race cars and drivers at Killarney’s extensive 12h30 Fan Walk with the Extreme Supercars and Volkswagen Cup on the KFM Straight and the Global Touring Cars on the Main straight, where you can grab a selfie with your favourite driver in the Killarney frame, while Jayé Keyz performs around the circuit on the back of a Monster Truck.

A big screen will keep race fans posted with action around the rack and there are live timing screens at various track venues, but there’s far more than just racing to keep you happy at Killarney this Saturday, with the likes of a big jump airbag, an inflatable parachute rocket, kiddies bumper cars, pedal karts and dart soccer to entertain. There’s also public karting on the Kart Track, where the clubhouse is open.

Add four different bands performing at the Coke Gig Rig behind the clubhouse, wine tasting and craft beer, a lunchtime snake show, the latest cars and the Monster Truck on display and several vendors selling merchandise and food around the circuit, while both the new pits lounge and clubhouse will have good food and drinks on sale, TVs showing sport including Springbok rugby, live music.

Both the lounge and clubhouse also have kiddies corners with jungle gyms, jumping castles, trampolines rides and face painting, sand pits and child minder supervision to allow fans to watch the racing while at the same time being entertained and keeping an eye on the TV displays.

Get to Killarney early for easiest parking the best selection of new spectator vantage points — the first of the 14 races is due to get under way after final qualifying at 10h45. Admission is R100 for adults and R40 for scholars under 16 with under 12s free.