We held our breath. We shook our heads. We feared the worst. What would the future of Kyalami hold, and would there be any future at all. Thankfully we and all other motoring enthusiasts can rest assured that our spiritual home is safe. To pay homage, we plan to have our biggest Kyalami Track Day yet!
Cedar Isle Auto is on board for the third year running as day sponsors for the event. They have become loyal and passionate supporters of the club and its activities and are looking forward to spoiling their customers with a day at the track.
This is the penultimate round of the BMW CCG Time Trial Championship before the finale in October. Ryan Herd (BMW 1 Series M Coupe) and Oscar De’Oliveira (BMW Z4M Coupe) are separated by a mere 2 points at the top of the leader board. Not far behind by a point is Varish Ganpath who will debut his brand spanking new BMW M4 Coupe. Who will top the time sheets in these evenly matched machines?
[singlepic id=193514 w=320 h=240 float=center]
The popular BMW CCG Club Racing Series is now into the second half of the season, with leaders in all 4 classes battling for the overall title. Class A will be fought between Kris Budnik (E46 M3 GT), Gianni Giannoccaro (E46 M3 CSL GT), Mishal Sing (E92 M3) and at last we will see the Savspeed F30 335i we have waited so patiently for. Will this be enough to jolt ‘Boris the Animal’ out of the ADF Motorsport garage for a duel? Or will G&H Transport hand over the keys to the 135i aka ‘Il Monstro’ to Lee Thompson to battle the legendary BMW tuner from Edenvale?
Class B battles between Carlo Garbini (E46 M3), Ricky Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR) and Manny Ribeiro (E36 325i Turbo) will resume, with a possible new steed in the hands of Ribeiro from the MBS Carriers Racing Team. Class C has been dominated this year by Dino Fameliaris (E36 M3) leaving Justin Robertson (E36 328i) and newcomer Hein Strohm (E36 M3 GTR) to play catch up. Hein is getting quicker with each meeting so may just pull an upset on the crowd favourites.
[singlepic id=193410 w=320 h=240 float=center]
Class D as always will be the pick of the scraps to watch. Just 5 points separate the top 5 in this class, with Mike Wentzel (2002 Turbo) leading the pack. The giant-killing 2002 from the seventies has a good turn of pace at Kyalami which will be hard to match, but puts Wentzel in danger of breaking out of his class and handing hard-earned points over to the chasing pack of Bruce Turner (E36 328i), Shane Grobler (E36 328i), Johan Dreyer (E46 330i) and Mike Salt (E36 323i).
Between the racing and time trial shootouts, visitors to the pits will be able to browse a wide selection of BMW Lifestyle and Accessory products on sale courtesy of Cedar Isle Auto. Club clothing, magazines and other collectibles will be on offer in the pits too. For just R100, our professional racing drivers will take you for hot laps around the circuit in the Bridgestone Hot Lap Vehicle, or you can grab a bite to eat and some refreshments in the pits. There is plenty for the enthusiast to enjoy.
Should you wish to partake in the activities on track, please visit www.bmwcarclub.co.za for more information and details of how to enter.
The fourth round of the 2014 BMW CCG Club Racing Series saw this popular racing formula return to a cold and windy Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday 9 August, this time joining the popular Extreme Festival Roadshow. An impressive thirty seven car field turned out in force, which included a number of new and old faces. Once again the fast paced action on the track certainly heated things up.
True to form Kris Budnik (E46 M3 GT) promptly put his car on pole position ahead of Lee Thompson (E46 M3 Ti GTR) and the rest of the field. Carlo Garbini (E46 M3) claimed the top spot in class B with Dino Fameliaris (E36 M3) claiming pole position in class C. Daniel Koekemoer (E36 M3) put in a great effort to put his car on the front row in class D.
Race 1
Thompson impressed in Thouca Mechanicos’ car…
The rolling start for the first race saw the impressive field charge across the start line in a cloud of dust and exhaust fumes. Invitational driver Mike McLoughlin (Backdraft Roadster) blasted through from the second row of the grid to grab the lead with an impressive move around the outside of turn one! Unfortunately he was found to have jumped the start and was given a 30 second penalty. He was closely followed by Thompson, Budnik and the rest of the determined field.
Duane Galloway (Nissan Skyline R32) ruined his chances when he ran wide through turn four on the second lap. A determined Budnik grabbed second position on the same lap and set about chasing the race leader.
With the leading trio off into the distance, the battle behind them was closer than ever. Ricky Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR) had his hands full keeping Kishoor Pitamber (E90 i) and Garbini at bay. Jonathan Araujo (E36 328i Turbo) was being kept honest by Brian Penney (Nissan 350Z) and a low flying Fameliaris. Gianni Giannoccaro (E46 M3 CSL GTR) was unfortunate to retire to the pits with gearbox gremlins on lap four. Araujo also saw his challenge end three laps later when he slowed with turbo issues.
Fameliaris did some low flying to claim the class C victory in both heats…
The battle at the front of the field looked to be sewn up, but McLoughlin made an uncharacteristic mistake and spun out after locking up the brakes heading into turn eight on the penultimate lap of the race. Budnik managed to keep Thompson at bay to claim the Overall and class A victory, while Pitamber crossed the line to take a respectable third position. Ricky Giannoccaro took the class B honours ahead of Garbini and a motivated Penney, driving in honour of his son Dale who is recovering from major brain surgery.
Fameliaris picked up where he left off at the previous event as he claimed a narrow victory in class C ahead of Desmond Bloem (E36 325i) and Warren Dodd (E36 325i). The class D brat pack saw some really close and competitive racing once again with Mike Wentzel (2002 Turbo) repeating his impressive performance from the previous event to claim the top honours. Mike Salt (E36 323i) took a well placed second position with Shane Grobler (E36 328i) taking a comfortable third.
Race 1 Class Results
Class A
Class B
Kris Budnik – Best lap: 1:05.072
Lee Thompson – Best lap: 1:06.765
Kishoor Pitamber – Best lap: 1:08.608
Ricky Giannoccaro – Best lap: 1:08.042
Carlo Garbini – Best lap: 1:08.494
Brian Penney – Best lap: 1:10.775
Class C
Class D
Dino Fameliaris – Best lap: 1:11.135
Desmond Bloem – Best lap: 1:10.925
Warren Dodd – Best lap: 1:11.255
Mike Wentzel – Best lap: 1:15.070
Mike Salt – Best lap: 1:14.806
Shane Grobler – Best lap: 1:14.5823
Race 2
Giannoccaro drove brilliantly to win the second race…
A reverse grid for the second heat would certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons. The large field stormed through the first few corners and it was Gianni Giannoccaro who emerged in the lead through turn three with Thompson, Pitamber and the two Backdraft Cobra’s of Tony Martin and McLoughlin in tow. The experienced Martin saw his chances come to nought though when he spun out in turn two on the third lap. Penney slowed on the very same lap with an intermittent misfire putting paid to his chances of another good result.
Budnik was on the comeback trail and slotted into fourth position behind the leading trio by lap four. Fifth placed Pitamber had his hands full as Garbini, Fameliaris, Mike Grobler (E90 330i) and Justin Robertson (E36 328i) were all fighting for the same piece of tarmac. After a lacklustre first race Manny Ribeiro (E36 328i Turbo) was scything his way through the field and soon joined the party, relegating both Grobler and Robertson to ninth and tenth positions respectively. He then shot past Fameliaris on the sixth lap to claim seventh and was gifted sixth position two laps later when Pitamber retired with mechanical gremlins.
The battle at the sharp end of the field was closer than ever with Giannoccaro having the race of his life as he held the experienced Thompson behind him. Budnik finally got past McLoughlin on the penultimate lap and tried in vain to reel in the leaders.
When the chequered flag dropped it was Giannoccaro who claimed a well deserved Overall and class A victory ahead of Thompson, with Budnik having to be content with third position. Garbini didn’t put a foot wrong and cruised home to take a comfortable class B victory ahead of Ribeiro. A tight class C battle saw Fameliaris take the double as Robertson was chased all the way to the line by a determined Lee Jones (E39 M5). Wentzel showed the rest of the class D field that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks as he took yet another victory in his historic racer. Johan Dreyer (E46 330i) claimed second position, with young karter Jordan Sherratt (Mini Cooper S) taking an impressive third in his first main circuit tin top event.
Sherrat’s transition from karting to tin tops was impressive…
