Dominant Audis head to Killarney for Sasol GTC Series

Can anyone stop Michael Stephen? That’s the question most race fans will be asking in the build-up to Killarney’s Extreme Festival raceday this Saturday 24 September, because Port Elizabeth driver Stephen has led every lap of the first five new Sasol Global Touring Car races so far and for all intents and purposes, he intends keeping it that way at perhaps the biggest motorsport extravaganza to hit the Cape in the past few seasons.

Three Sasol GTC races for these new rear-wheel drive turbo two-litre race cars to perform headline what promises to be a rather different, full, varied and explosive raceday for Cape fans, with none of the regular Cape series racing. Instead the entire field will be made up of series that normally race in the national and Northern Regions series.

Judging by his results so far, Michael Stephen in his Engen Xtreme Audi A3 GTC has to be the favourite. Don’t ever think his rivals do not want to stop him though – a troupe of rivals is intent to unsettle Michael, including Engen Audi teammate Simon Moss, Sasol BMW duo Gennaro Bonafede and Hennie Groenewald, Johan Fourie  in a similar EPS Couriers car, factory Volkswagen Jetta pair Mathew Hodges and Graeme Nathan and with a little luck, Michael van Rooyen will have his brand new Rustenburg Steel BMW ready in time.

GTC Production, the class for 200kW front wheel drive cars will see Volkswagen Motorsport’s Daniel Rowe and Mandla Mdakane’s Golf GTIs  scrapping with Charl Smalberger (VW Genuine Parts Golf GTi) Golf GT, Shaun Duminy (Ford Focus ST) and a rare local entry; Niaaz Modack in a Chevy Cruze.

Admission is R90 per adult and R40 for children between the ages of 12 and 16. Kids under the age of 12 will go in for free.

This story was first published by Michele Lupini on www.motorsportmedia.co.za