Motorsport fans are in for a spectacular day of racing at Aldo Scribante Raceway on Saturday as the thunderous roar of V8-powered Backdraft Cobras takes centre stage during Round 4 of the Algoa Motorsport Club Regional Championship.
The popular Backdraft Racing South Africa Series joins the regional programme for a gruelling five-hour endurance race, promising an afternoon and evening of high-speed action, strategy, reliability and driver skill. The endurance contest is expected to provide one of the highlights of the local motorsport calendar, with competitors pushed to their limits as they tackle changing track conditions and fading daylight.
Local favourite Xolela Njumbuxa will once again team up with Fikile Holomisa, a pairing that has consistently proven to be among the front-runners. Not only will they be chasing overall victory but they will also have their sights firmly set on the coveted Index of Performance award that rewards both speed and consistency throughout the race.
The regional race programme itself is packed with variety and excitement. EP Modified Saloons will contest two action-packed heats, while competitors in the Wide Horizon Coastal Challenge for historic, retro and classic cars will showcase an impressive collection of machinery from motorsport’s golden eras.
Motorcycle and street car competitors will also add to a busy day of racing before attention turns to the headline endurance event.
Among the drivers returning to the circuit is Ian Oberholzer, whose return to competitive action will be warmly welcomed by local fans. Although he won’t be behind the wheel of his familiar turbocharged Volvo 850 Touring Car, he is expected to be highly competitive in a Volvo S40.
Modified saloon supporters can also look forward to another chapter in one of the region’s most entertaining rivalries.
Rane Berry’s powerful Nissan Skyline and Winston “Pikkie” Marais’s ever-improving Ford Capri have provided plenty of wheel-to-wheel excitement throughout the season, and spectators can expect more close racing and daring overtaking manoeuvres as the pair continue their battle for supremacy.
On two wheels, the fiercely contested 600cc motorcycle class is expected to deliver plenty of thrills. Ruan van Zyl, Ethan Diener, Zander Taljaard and Clinton Fourie have all demonstrated impressive pace this season and are likely to produce some of the closest racing of the day as they fight for championship points and bragging rights.
While the weather forecast doesn’t look great, race fans can expect a full day of entertainment featuring everything from classic machinery and modified saloons to superbikes and endurance racing.
Qualifying begins at 8.15am, with racing getting under way at 10.30am. The feature five-hour Backdraft endurance race is scheduled to start at 2pm and will continue into the evening.
Tickets are available at the gate at a cost of just R70 per person, while children under 12 and senior citizens over 65 enjoy free entry.
Upcoming motoring events
June 13: Dirt Oval Practice Session at Victory Raceway from 3pm to 6pm; Algoa Motorsport Club Regional Circuit Racing, Round 4, Aldo Scribante Raceway.
June 20: Dirt Oval Racing at PE Oval Track Raceway on Mission Road; Kart Racing at Algoa Kart & Motorcycle Club on Victoria Drive.
June 27: National Extreme Festival Circuit Racing at Aldo Scribante Raceway
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