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.