2008 Springbok series - South Africa

[Marcus Mussa]

Back from South Africa and another wonderful Springbok series – races at Zwartkops (north of Johannesburg) and at Killarney (just outside Cape Town). Very hospitable people (no shots fired this year!), particular the single seat brigade who looked after us. Weather was dry at Zwartkops, dry for Saturday but wet on Sunday at Killarney. David Piper brought his 250 LM, which he drove at Zwartkops and his 917 which he drove at Killarney. Mario Casoni was supposed to drive the Porsche but his doctor would not let him fly. The 917 is a real Porsche – you just get in, switch it on and off it goes – no drama at all!
There were a couple of replica 917, I think built in South Africa with 6 cylinder engines – they went very well and looked exactly like the real thing. There are a lot of replicas down there, Cobra roadsters, Cobra coupes, lots of GT40’s and even a P4 Ferrari! It was a shame that Bryant (the dad) drove a very modern looking Morgan with electronics all over it, wide wheels and brakes bigger than dinner plates – I thought the series was for historic cars. Unfortunately he won the main event at Killarney, but at least Marc Devis and Jean-Michel Martin (quite a famous name in Belgium) won the combined Springbok trophy – they drove an ex-Dibley Lola T70 CAN AM spider at Zwartkops and a very nice Cobra (the real thing) at Killarney. Another favourite of mine was the McLaren Mk1 driven by Nick Whale (Richard Dodkins’ car) which finished second at Zwartkops. Devis/Martin also won a cash prize of 1000 Rand. Bryant, who obviously misread the regulations, thought he had won the prize and made a big speech at prize-giving where he generously donated the money to the marshalls – but it was not really his to donate!

Next year we hope a lot of Formula Juniors will come down as it will be the last event in the 2008 Jubilee year.
This time I drove a Merlyn Mk20 FF car – fabulous car to drive (I wish I had bought one of those back in 1970 instead of my wretched Pringett Mistrale!). We were told we had to run on road tyres (to original FF regulations) or at least on 204 compound FJ Dunlops. Luckily my team threw a set of very worn Avons into the container just in case, and as it turned out all the locals had new Avons. My tyres were worn to the cord by the end of the two meetings but all went well and I managed to win at Killarney. I was miles off the pace at Zwartkops (it seems the main jets need to be changed there due to the altitude!). I had a big tussle with Alan Baillie’s F1 Cooper in the second Killarney race in the rain – we finished the last 200 yards on the grass, side by side! Mike Knight finished 3rd in that race in the ex-Gillies Lotus 20/22.
All the best
Marcus

Here are some photos I took, not much this year. I expect Hieronymous(Marius) took a lot more.

[John Turner]

Thank you for te report Marcus. Seems an odd meeting with such a variety of ancient, modern and replicas! Maybe it's a numbers game; getting enough entries to fill the grids.

[Marcus Mussa]

It must be really confusing for the spectators. There were 3 Porsche 917's racing, the leading one was one of the replicas, ahead of David Piper's real thing. Also Alan Baillie brought over his recently restored Lotus 23B for Brian Lambert, which the commentator repeatedly called a "23 replica"! AB had a few words with him! While this was going on the race leader was a 23 replica (in the program as an APM Lotus 23B, but the same commentator thought it was the real thing) with seemingly a BDA engine and hand-grooved slicks.

I suppose that replicas and specials have always been a feature of racing in South Africa, due to its long isolation.

There were also bikes (demonstration, but they were not hanging around) including Mick Grant, Jim Redman and Paddy Driver!

And in the cars, crowd favourite, Sarel van der Merwe, driving a Galaxie (just pipped to the line in one of the races by Tim Bowles from the UK with a Camaro).

Robin Longdon brought DAD10, but broke his engine at Killarney.

[TCBRacing]

Hi there

But at least my Camaro is a genuine Historic racer with wet sump GM everything and all in the original places!
We were running diddy little Yokohamas 225/60/15 with treads not slicks.

Does anyone have any photos of the race-- it was quite an event, and I was probably lucky to get by him (again).

For info my name is Tim Boles-- and I am secretary of the Classic Camaro Club UK, see www.classiccamaroclubuk.com for info.

The question of the legality and age of the cars competing in this event has always been a fairly hot potato. Sarel is vehemently opposed to moderns mixing with genuine historics-- that 944 in the last race was bannned before it had completed a lap-- Sarel made a real fuss (correctly in my opinion- the 944 was a 1992 car!).

Still we had some fantastic racing-- and if anyone has some good photos of the race in the thunderstaorm I would be very grateful.

regards
Tim
for TCB Racing

[Marcus Mussa]

Hi Tim
There are photos of all the races on this link.
All the best
Marcus

www.circuitchaser.com

and results on http://www.historicracing.co.za/index.php

[TCBRacing]

Originally Posted by Marcus Mussa

Hi Tim
There are photos of all the races on this link.
All the best
Marcus

www.circuitchaser.com

and results on http://www.historicracing.co.za/index.php

Many thanks

I thought I had looked at these-- but will have another search!

regards
Tim

[zahistorics]

Hi,

I came across this thread serching for something else.. which explains my 'late arrival'

Some pics I took at the Z meeting are here:
http://zahistorics.info/forum/viewto...f=17&t=80#p136

and here:
http://zahistorics.info/forum/viewto...=81&p=137#p137

All manner of cars from proper historics to replicas.

John