Ten groups racing the open-topped rumbling Lexus V8-powered Backdraft Roadsters are driving excessive within the battle for the coveted Index of Performance Championship whereas the general factors desk options seven Backdraft groups within the prime 10. Adding to the stress to ship robust outcomes is the Class E title which can even be resolved on the Cape Motorsport Festival.
Index of Performance Championship weekend
The SA Endurance Championship finale is set to be a title-deciding thriller fought out over 9 hours on the Killarney International Raceway in Cape Town as half of the Southern African Endurance Series Cape Motorsport Festival on 9th and 10th December.
Against the backdrop of South Africa’s largest motorsport music competition, Team Pesty Racing’s Harm/Barend Pretorius shall be out to defend their slender six level lead by repeating their Index victory final day out at Aldo Scribante whereas additionally preventing off their rivals for the Class E crown which in addition they lead by 9 factors.
Hot on Team Pesty’s heels is Benjamin Morgenrood (Ben Morgenrood Ford and Mazda) who shall be helped by his brother Crisjan, who missed the Scribante double header as a result of exams and plummeted to 11th within the standings. Father Ben, a doyen of SA Motorsport missed the opening spherical and lies 9th on the factors desk. The Morgenrood trio will do all the pieces of their energy to assist Benjamin take one or each of the titles up for grabs.
Colin Ellison is third within the Index standings – seven factors adrift of Morgenrood – having raced his black and gold Titan Historic F1 Racing Backdraft to an Index victory in East London. Ellison is alone in his battle having raced with a number of co-drivers through the season. He has, nevertheless, elected to sit down out the 9-Hour.
Team Qhubani’s Baphumze Rubuluza/Fikile Holomisa has been a mannequin of consistency till spherical six which noticed their first non-finish in over a 12 months. Their third place on Index in spherical 5 has been their finest outcome thus far, and they are going to be joined by Xolela Njumbunxa for this event. They are 37 factors off the lead however with 100 accessible, something can nonetheless occur.
Rejoining the fray is the PPLE and Adapt entry of Philip Meyer, Mark Harvey and Dean Wolson with their absolutely re-furbished Backdraft. The trio gained the Index of efficiency in spherical two and could possibly be a darkish horse this time round of their Panda-liveried machine.
An attention-grabbing entry is the #33 automobile to be pushed by Italians Gianmaria Gabbiani, Alberto Huober and Mags Govender. Gabbiani has raced go-karts, single-seaters, touring vehicles and inventory vehicles and gained a Class One World Powerboat Championship and scored two Endurance Powerboat World Championships. Huober is a traditional automobile restorer and seller and has additionally raced powerboats.
Other key gamers within the Class E and Index of efficiency title chase embody the trio of Trevor Graham, a veteran rally and endurance racer teamed with Mark Owen and Richard van Heerde.
Four drivers make up the #8 Backdraft entry headed by former Off-Road Class D Champion Manfred Schroeder, Meredith Wills, Michael Gaines and KZN regional racer Reg Sutton who needs to be chased by Joburg newcomers Malcolm and Mpostine Bhengu.
The Index of Performance has been gained 4 instances by Backdraft Roadster groups within the previous six rounds. It just isn’t a foregone conclusion {that a} Backdraft entry will win the Index of Performance Championship however the battle for the title shall be breath-taking to observe.
Tickets for the SAES Cape Motorsport Festival can be found at https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/Event.aspx?itemid=1521171144
For extra data on Backdraft Racing ( https://backdraftracing.co.za/ ) contact Brian Martin at +27 82 455 3737 or brian@backdraftracing.co.za
Posted by MotorPress
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