Porsche squabble

Historic Carrera RSRs set for Free State battle

Historic Racing South Africa heads to the Phakisa Freeway in the Free State mining town of Welkom on Saturday 10 April, where the big attraction will be a half-dozen Porsche 911 RSRs fighting for overall glory. Historic Racing’s other attraction, the back-to-front handicap Charlies SuperSpar Pursuit series is meanwhile set to thrill as always.
 
The gang of Porsche 911 RSRs includes Andre van der Merwe, Stefan Snyders’ Steton car, Richard de Roos, George Avvakoumides’ Liqui Moly version, Peter Bailey, Stefan Puschavez and Rui Campos, as well as Steve Pickering’s Porsche 916. And never discount PE visitor Rudolf de Vos’ spectacular Pre-80 Class B Basil van Rooyen replica ‘Little Chevy Can Am, should he make the trip.
 
Behind them, wailing rotary Pre-80 Saloons Class C frontrunners, Deon van Vuuren’s Hoosier Mazda R100 and Johann Smith’s Mazda Capella will be at it again, with Class D frontrunners Alan Green’s three-wheeling Ford Escort, Andre ten Napel’s TNMC Scirocco, Johann Barnard’s Fuchs Ford Capri, Rene van Rensburg’s Ford Escort and Stuart Konig’s Scirocco hot at their heels. 
 
Neil Lobb’s Fiat 131 and Tony Lundin’s Silver Guard Datsun 1200 GX shared the Class E wins last time out, so Riaan and Jaco Roux’s Class E Addfin Sciroccos will be out for revenge. Class F winner Sean Hepburn’s Hi-Q Midrand Datsun 1200 Deluxe has Mike MacGregor and Cor Kraamwinkel’s BMW 2002s and Ian Kilburn’s E Datsun GX Coupe to deal with.  And Jan Jacobs’ Class G Olifantsfontein Alfa Sprint will be looking for some competition from the likes of Riaan de Ru’s Ford Prefect.
 
The Charlies SuperSpar Pursuit series is run on handicap, which means that each car blasts out of pit lane at a time that will theoretically see all cars cross the line together by the time the chequered flag flies. So they start spread out and inevitably all end up in a mad bunch as fast cars try to pass the slow ones to win. Race too fast, beat your handicap limit and you are out, too slow and you are beat. And it’s always spectacular on that final tour!
 
Expanded to three classes this year with the new Modified Fines, where first race winner in Werner Hartzenberg’s Porsche 916 will have the likes of Wynand du Plessis Sr.’s Porsche 944 S2, Mike Thompson’s Ford Capri, Jose Vasques’ Mercedes-Benz W114, Lauren van Aarle and her Ford Escort, Clive Winterstein’s Porsche 356 and Willem van Niekerk in a Marauder to deal with. And never discount Henk de Klerk’s Datsun 280ZX.
 
Rob Clark is the standard streetcar Fines man to beat in his Sarel van der Merwe tribute Citroen GS 1220 Club, among an eclectic grid that includes everything from Bert van Aarle’s Mazda MX5, Richard Tudor-Owen in his Mercedes-Benz 190E. And then there’s the racecar Trophy class, where Riaan Roux’s, Scirocco, Stan Stacey’s Alfa Romeo GTV 2.5, Tihan van Rooyen’s Porsche 924 and Shane Forget’s Toyota SR5 Coupe are always quick.
 
Lockdown restrictions sadly still apply, so no spectators are allowed at Phakisa on Saturday.