Killarney International Raceway – International historic racing coming to the Cape
Cape Town race fans can look forward to classic racing as red hot as the regular searing February temperatures when the second round of the annual Passion for Speed historic racing double header visits the Killarney International Raceway Saturday 3 February, where a full program will see international classic racers taking on South Africa’s finest in a pure festival of speed.
Highlighted by races for Le Mans type Sports & GT cars, a large grid of historic saloon cars and international single seaters, backed up by celebrity and all-comers races, the program also packs in international classic superbike and classic bike races.
For many, the highlight of the weekend will be the international sportscars, where an overseas contingent including Dutch drivers Kling and Persson in a pair of Ford GT40s, British visitors Donald Duncan’s McLaren M1 and Chris O’Neill and Richard Wilson’s Jaguar E Types, among others, will go up against SA’s best including the Porsche-mounted Campos family, dad Rui in an incredible 917 and sons Jason and Keegan in a pair of 911 RSRs. Add Ross Lazarus and Oliver Dalais in a pair of Ford GT 40s and a fleet of Shelby Daytona Coupes in the hands of Peter Lindenberg, Ferdi van Niekerk Senior and Djurk Venter, all out to show who’s the boss and it should prove a proper cracker…
The classic saloon cars should prove another humdinger, with Dutch Ford drivers Campagne in a Mustang and van Maarschalkerwaart’s Galaxie out against none other than Supervan Sarel vd Merwe aboard another monster Ford Galaxie, Paige Lindenberg’s Ford Fairlaine, her dad Peter in another Mustang and Pretoria brothers, Mark and Jono du Toit’s Chevrolets to name a few. They will take on Cape Town’s finest including Vance Kearney’s Ford Capri Perana V8, Trevor Momberg in an indecently fast V6 version, Franco Donadio’s obscene Ford Escort Mk. 1 and Oriental wildcards Dave Kopke’s Mazda R100 and Charles Arton in a Datsun 240Z.
They will all have to keep an eye on their mirrors for rapid Alfa Romeo GTA duo, Dave Alhadeff and Ferdi van Niekerk Junior, Ewald Weiland’s Alfa Romeo GTV 6 and Trevor Hutchings’ VW Scirocco, while Erik Mouton in his big V8 Chevy de Ville, Derick Truscott, Geoff Bihl and Piet Matthee’s Porsche 944s, Eric van der Merwe in a Porsche 924 Turbo, Dion Valentine’s Mini and Steve Bekker’s Opel Kadett will add variety.
Also expect a battle of the brands as an armada of Alfa Romeos including the returning Mike Napoli’s Sud, Coenie Matthee in a Berlina, Niel Mouton’s Giulia and Leon van Linden’s GT Junior aided and abetted by Benjack Phillips’ Fiat 131 Abarth take on Datsun SSS duo Ian Richards and YB Bedien. Never underestimate the Ford contingent however, with the Blue Oval represented by the Anglia platoon of Derek Wilsnagh, Jonathan Gunn, Tony Kent, Peter Aston and Gerrit and Jaco van Zyl; Wayne Lotter, Herman de Kock and Johan Pretorius’ Escorts, Jared Thomson in a 3-litre Cortina and Jaco Lambert’s Granada.
The cognoscenti will not be disappointed either, with a broad field of international and South African historic single-seaters racing at Killarney on Saturday, including a smattering of significant old F1 cars. British visitors Andrew Wareing’s BRM P261, Richard Wilson in a Lotus 27 and Jim Timms’ Cooper T59 are of great interest, while Pat Dunseith will drive Peter de Klerk’s homegrown 1962 Alfa Special that beat them all back in the day. Allan Bailie’s Lotus 24 is meanwhile the same car raced by Jack Brabham in the ’64 world championship before local legend Syd van der Vyfer brought it in to race here.
Other intriguing old single seaters include South African ‘50s Les Miller MG specials, Heyns Stead in a spider and Roger Lewis in Hedgehog, a variety of Titan, van Diemen, Lotus, Dulon, Merlyn and Alexis, among other Formula Fords, plus a collection of Lotus racers and a few more obscure cars the likes of Lewis Baker’s Mallock Mk6B and Clive Winterstein in an Elva Porsche.
A Pre 66 class will see a varied field of MGAs and MGBs racing Porsches and Lotus and even a big Ford Fairlane, while the Allcomers race will see Killarney favourites Danie van Niekerk, Faizel Coetzee, Nieyaaz Modack and Armien Levy’s BMWs up against VW men Francois van Tonder and Ammaar Coetzee and Steve Bekker’s Opel. Killarney will confirm details on the celebrity race in due course.
Motorcycle fans also have lots to look forward to in Classic bike and International Classic TT Motorcycle races. That appears to be a bit of a Suzuki benefit with Noel Haarhoff, Kurt Behm and Mike Alborough aboard GSXR1100s, Iain Pinkerton and Mike McSkimming’s GSXR1000s and Adrian Gibbon on a GSXR 750, never mind Gary Edwards, Fergal McAdam, Dave Carroll, Roberto Janse van Rensburg and Deon du Toit in a small army of Katana 1100s, Leon van den Berg Yoshimura Suzuki 1100 and Robert Burns’ XR69. They will still have to deal with Timothy Romans glorious sounding Honda CBX1000B and Etienne Louw on a Yamaha FZR1000 among others.
There certainly will be something for everyone at Killarney’s Passion For Speed Saturday 3 February, with plenty trackside entertainment for the entire family, good food and refreshments freely available. Killarney International Raceway is situated on Potsdam Road across the way from Killarney Gardens near Milnerton in Cape Town and tickets are available at Computicket or at the gate on race day. Be sure to pack plenty sun protection because the racing will be even hotter than that regular February heatwave! See you at Killarney.
