TOYOTA'S GR RACECARS DOING THE THINGS AT ALDO SCRIBANTE RACEWAY FOR THE NATIONAL EXTREME FESTIVAL
The National Extreme Festival returned to the Aldo Scribante Raceway in Gqeberha for Round 4 of the 2024 South African Touring Car Championship (SATC) this past weekend. Spectators were treated to an exhilarating display of motorsport as TGRSA competed fiercely across both the SATC and SupaCup Championships. The SATC races provided plenty of action, starting with a highly competitive qualifying session. TGRSA’s Saood Variawa put in an impressive performance, securing second place on the grid, just behind Julian Van Der Watt, despite setup problems with the rear diff on his car. Michael van Rooyen qualified in fourth after a mistake that arguably cost him pole position, while Nathi Msimanga rounded out the top five.
SATC Race 1 - Race 1 saw intense competition from the get-go. Saood Variawa, in his SATC GR Corolla, started strong, but ultimately finished third as the differential niggles again held him back. His time was 10:43.838, trailing winner Julian Van Der Watt by 6.402 seconds. Michael van Rooyen also had a strong race, securing second place with a time of 10:38.377, just 0.941 seconds behind the leader. Nathi Msimanga faced some challenges but managed to finish in fifth place, 10.490 seconds behind Van Der Watt.
SATC Race 2 - Race 2 started with a reverse grid based on the results of Race 1. This added an extra layer of strategy and excitement. Anthony Pretorius capitalised on his strong starting position, taking the win with a time of 12:44.460. Robert Wolk finished second, just 1.126 seconds behind. Michael van Rooyen and Nathi Msimanga both showed resilience, finishing in third and fourth places, 3.757 and 4.036 seconds behind the leader, respectively. Saood Variawa, still struggling to fully control his car due to the setup problem with the rear differential in his car, finished in fifth place, 6.858 seconds behind Pretorius. Van Rooyen commented on the solid preparation of his car by the team for this weekend, as could be seen by his highly competitive performances throughout the event.
SupaCup Race 2 - Race 2 saw Keegan Campos take the win, followed by Jonathan Mogotsi and Bradley Liebenberg, who secured a strong third-place finish for his new team. Sa'aad Variawa started from the back and made significant progress before being pushed off track, ultimately finishing in eighth place.
SupaCup Race 2 Results
Sa'aad Variawa reflected on his challenging weekend, noting the issues faced with the car from Thursday through Saturday. Despite the setbacks, he managed to gain valuable experience and is focused on improving the car's performance for the next race. As the season progresses, TGRSA remains focused on maintaining its competitive edge in both the SATC and SupaCup championships. The team is well-positioned for a strong finish and is determined to continue its successful campaign. "We are pleased with the performances of our drivers this weekend," said Riaan Esterhuysen, Senior Manager at TGRSA. "The team showed great resilience and determination, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the upcoming races." The National Extreme Festival now heads to the East London Grand Prix Circuit for Round 5 of the 2024 SATC Championship. This event, scheduled for the last weekend in July, promises to deliver more thrilling racing action as TGRSA continues to push the limits and aim for the top.
Take a look at the YouTube video from the live coverage of the last round of racing at the iconic Aldo Scribante racetrack down in the town we can't pronounce anymore: National Extreme Festival - Aldo Scribante | 2WheelsTV