Engen Volkswagen Polo Cup – Team to capitalise on good Polo start

Pepper Racing heads to Cape Town and for the second round of new era Engen Volkswagen Cup at the Killarney International Raceway’s Extreme Festival races Saturday 21 April, looking to build on a strong start at Kyalami’s season opener last month. The Johannesburg team had three of its cars in the overall top four there and it intends on doing nothing less than winning at a circuit that it has traditionally scored very well on.

“We had a great start to the new-look Polo Cup at Kyalami and we head to Killarney to go one better on our 2-3-4 last time out,” team principal Iain Pepper warned. “Last race was a great effort to get all four cars ready, but we have now had a little time to get them spot-on for one of Pepper Racing’s favourite hunting grounds in Cape Town — let’s do this!”

Tasmin Pepper gave new sponsor Electric Life a day to remember when she drove her Pepper Racing Polo GTI to second overall to win the Masters class at Kyalami and she simply can’t wait to get to Cape Town for round 2: “I always look forward to Killarney,” Tasmin confirmed. “Cape Town has always treated me well and this year I hope will be no different — the racing will be close as always and I’m ready for battle — let’s race!”

Shaun La Reservee was third and fourth in the heats en route to third for the day and second in Masters aboard his Alpine Volkswagen Pepper Racing Polo GTI and he is also pining for Killarney. “I’m really looking forward to Cape Town,” Shaun admitted. “Hopefully I’ve found a little more pace between Kyalami and Killarney, but that mountain is usually really good to us as a team! “I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us come Saturday!”

Polo Cup Rookie Keegan Campos was third and fourth on his way to fourth overall at Kyalami to end up second Junior and first rookie home on his debut in his Campos Transport Pepper Racing Polo. “Everywhere we go now is a first for us in Polo Cup, so Killarney will be an adventure for sure,” Keegan pointed out. “I had a really brilliant start at Kyalami and I love Killarney too – we will take some time to get into it but come Saturday I’ll be ready – bring it on!

Brother Jason Campos meanwhile suffered gearbox trouble in a busy afternoon en route to 13th overall aboard his Turn 1 Insurance Pepper Racing Polo at Killarney, so he’s determined to join the rest of the team up front in Cape Town. “Going into Killarney, my confidence is a bit low, “Jason admitted. “We had a tough time at Kyalami with that gearbox issue and I’m still learning complexities of front wheel drive racing, but the team did a fantastic job at Kyalami, which puts more pressure on me to do better at Killarney.”

Pepper Racing and the Engen VW Polo Cup race as part of Killarney’s full Extreme Festival race day at Killarney.