Category: Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit

BMW Car Club Gauteng members are a big-hearted, compassionate group of people.

They have a knack of combining good clean fun on a race track with a worthy cause- such as raising money towards anti Rhino poaching or raising money needed for brain cancer treatment for one of their own members.

At Kyalami on 18 April at the Bridgestone Track Challenge, they will be at it again.

The organisers together with Savspeed have paired up with the Active Education Foundation to bring some cheer and financial relief to a large group of children that are taken care of by the uMephi project.  The project has established homes around Gauteng that take care of traumatized children from all races between the ages of 0-18 years.

The children have been removed from their homes because of physical and or sexual abuse, neglect and abandonment. House parents run each of these homes as substitute parents that take care on average of 10 children in each home.

Naturally this creates a financial need but over and above this, a need for these children to feel valued, cared for and given experiences to keep them positive and determined to make something of their lives regardless of their traumatic past.

To this end, the organisers are offering hot laps in the race cars that compete in the popular Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series as well as some other exotic road and race machinery. You will be strapped in as a passenger in these Bavarian monsters and treated to 3 laps of the international circuit for just R200.

All funds raised will go towards the uMpehi project. The public are welcome to join in the fun and can register for their hot laps on the day at the Bridgestone/BMW Car Club Gauteng hospitality area in pit 3.

During the day, the organisers will be giving about 40 of these kids a ride in various BMW road and race cars to give them an experience they will never forget. Sometimes in life all you need is the sincere smile of a child who has only known pain and heartache to remind you of what is important.

Aside from the humanitarian efforts, the Bridgestone Track Challenge events are a real treat for any petrol head. Drivers from the Track Challenge Championship and Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series will be going flat out to mark their name in history.

This is the last open event to be run on the current Kyalami layout before the track is closed for extensive alterations.

Alberante BMW will be on hand displaying the latest and greatest from the BMW M stable; you will be able to purchase BMW Lifestyle and BMW Car Club Gauteng clothing and accessories; take a lap around the track in a BMW 335i or M135i for just R100 or just watch the BMW Heritage Parade at 13:00.

Gates open at 8 AM, admission to the venue is free of charge and you refresh yourself with an array of food and drink options in the catering area.

There are many other attractions in the pit area which are worth checking out along with a few surprises the organisers have under their hat.