Pretoria - The 2017 edition of Zwartkops Raceway’s annual Passion for Speed circuit racing extravaganza is set for action this weekend, with practice sessions scheduled for tomorrow and racing planned for both Saturday and Sunday.
This year’s event has attracted more then 300 entries, and 34 of those will come from overseas competitors.
Heading up the show will be races for around 15 V8-powered Legends Saloon Cars, with the top entry that of motorsport maestro Sarel van der Merwe in a Ford Galaxie. He will face challenges from Hennie Groenewald (Plymouth Fury), Leeroy Poulter (Black Widow Chevy BelAir), Mark du Toit (Chevrolet Biscayne), Willie Hepburn (Studebaker Golden Hawk), Jonathan du Toit (Chevrolet Nova) and Paulo Cavalieri, Ferdi van Niekerk and Holland’s Michiel Campagne all in Ford Galaxies.
The quickest lap times could come from the International Sports Racing Club, which will celebrate 20 years of coming to South Africa. Entries here include a Can-Am tribute car, international Chevrons, McLarens, and Porsche 917s.
The South African Tourist Trophy for Pre-1966/68 cars will see McLarens, Lolas, Ford GT40s, Daytonas, Cobras and Ginettas taking to the tarmac. The under 2-litre class of the Pre-1966 Saloon cars will produce battles between Minis, Alfa Romeos, Lotus Cortinas, Volvos and BMWs.
Races for Pre-1966/68 Production Sports and GT racing cars, will see TVRs, Morgans, E-Type Jaguars and six Austin Healeys. The Pre-1984 Historic Production car races are expected to draw over 60 entries with leading cars like Chevy Camaros, Ford Mustangs, Volvos, Alfa Romeos, Volkswagen Sciroccos and Renault Gordinis.
Historic Pre-1974 single-seater races will see a BRM and ex-works Cooper Climax on track, plus more modern Wings and Slicks cars from the Formula Atlantic era. In the Pre-1966 Little Giants races there will be GSM Darts, a Mini Marcos, a Volvo P1800, Mini Coopers, MGAs, MGBs, Alfa Giuliettas, a Marcos, Anglias, Cortinas and a Renault Dauphine in action.
The Pablo Clark Ferrari Challenge will boast an amazing array of Prancing Horse entries, headed by the Ferrari 430 of Jaki Scheckter. There will also be races for G&H Extreme Supercars, with the entry list boasting Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, BMWs and many more very fast machines.
As always, the event will include much more than just motorsport, with a flea market, live entertainment, a Kiddies’ Corner, and free access to the pits for everybody.
For more information, call the Zwartkops Raceway on 012-384-2299 or 082-390-6016, or log on to
for more details.
Tickets are available at the gate but are cheaper if pre-booked through Computicket. Prices range from R100 for single day to R200 for the whole weekend. Kids under 12 get in free.