WINTER MAGIC AT KILLARNEY – LIME PROPERTY MANAGEMENT POWER SERIES 5

Winter solstice (21 June 2025) dished up incredible international motorsport with Marc Marquez taking his 93 MotoGP victory on his #93 Ducati on the Mugello circuit, almost within walking distance of the Italian manufacturer base.

The ADAC Ravenol 53rd Race at the Nürburgring Nordshleife 24 Hour dished up it’s normal extreme weather conditions and South Africa proudly represented by Jordan Pepper (27 Red Bull LamborghiniHuracan GT3 Evo 2), David Perel (45 Kondo Racing Ferrari 296 GT3) and overall winner Kelvin van der Linde (now a 3×24 Hour winner) driving the and the #98 Rowe Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo across the line after 141 laps of the 22.835km Nordschleife in front of 180 000 spectators. The 911 Grello Manthey Porsche actually finishing ahead of the BMW on circuit but a time penalty (1min40 seconds Kevin Estré) dropped it to second.

And then it was time for the 103rd Broadmoor Pike Peak International Hillcilimb, the Race to the Clouds quite literally sees competitors start from a height roughly the top of Table Mountain (1440m), negotiate 156 turns covering 19.9km before finishing their run at 4302m. Competitors negotiate sections known as the Brown Bush corner, the Ragged Edge, the Devil’s Playground and the Bottomless Pit. Since 2012possib an all asphalt surface but possibly a bigger challenge is the fact that at the top of the mountain oxygen effectiveness drops to just 12.3%.

In Memorium
19530723 Johan Evertse 20250608 The original FWD Rally Master
1989 International Castrol Rally Winner
William Westbrooke Bruton “Willy” Learmonth
1977 WP FF Champion – Team Effort Lola T440
Adriaan Barend “A3” Human
1978 SA V8 Oval Champion (CHD) – Helderberg Ginat Valiant Mopar Slant 6

Celebrating
Jess Huggett 28 June 1955
In South African terms not a great many, if any, can claim to have actively participated in motorsport as a driver for a continuous 60 calender years. Starting in Micro Midgets (Formula M) at the tender age of 10years old Jess Huggett celebrated his 70th birthday on Saturday 28 June 2025 by driving his normally aspirated VW Jetta 2.0 in the Thermo Fires Clubman Saloons and in so doing retained his unbroken record of having raced every year for sixty years.

The humble 10x SA and 17x CHD Oval Drivers Champion have won championships in multiple categories including the Opel Supercars, WP Clubman Saloons and even Class B of the SATC Championship and was honoured with the prestigious Motorsport South Africa Golden Helmet Award in recognition of your outstanding contribution to South African motorsport.

Sarel Daniel van der Merwe and that Golf
Without a doubt the best known name in South African motorsport is Sarel van der Merwe. Incredibly successful, incredibly controversial his biography Sarel & I certainly the perfect summary of his career and includes one particular picture that gave rise to his presence at Killarney on Saturday 28 June 2025.

When the Southern Sun Volkswagen Golf A2 GTi Synchro 2.0 failed in fourteen rallies it singularly surpassed the 13 retirements Sarel had suffered in his total career leading to the infamous sticker on the rear of the car at the NGK Rally which stated that “I would rather play Golf, than drive one”. Subsequently his “passion” for the Golf was sealed with a picture naming it as the “The world’s Kakkest Golf”. In defence of the Golf Sarel did win the Castrol Rally in the very same car.

The Golf became the weapon of choice for Jerry Bailey and Brian Hoskins in the Western Province Rally Championship before Shaun Jones and Billy Thorpe utilised it in WP rallying.

Now, 34 years later, the Southern Sun Volkswagen Golf A2 GTi Synchro 2.0 returned after a complete rebuild and Sarel van der Merwe got to complete two laps around Killarney in celebration of his rather unique relationship with his most “hated” rally car.

BMW CCCT Series
Nian du Toit returned in the awesome 20 NDT Racing BME E36 Turbo chasing 1min10 times and promptly broke the gearbox on the warm up lap.

The son of Kosie Swanepoel was to have made his competitive debut on the main circuit but it was decided that Sebastian Swanepoel would sit out as the team only had semi-slick tyres available and rain was expected. The third generation Swanepoel set to follow in the footsteps of the late Koos Swanepoel (1964 SA Production Car Saloon Champion) and father, Kosie Swanepoel, in the 111 KSD BMW E36 2.8 formerly campaigned in the Western Province Rally Championship where Sebastian navigated for Kosie.

A number of new combinations made up for the absence of some of the regulars and it was Dexter Bruce that utilised the opportunity to take overall victory after two heats in his 143D MYH Motorsport BMW M with Marco Retter second in the 50 Progress Precision Engineering BMW E36 328i and Anand Naidu third in his 18C SA Autotech Racing BMW M3.
James king fourth in the 7E Kings Auto Body Shop BMW E46 followed by Ernest Page in the 19E CRA Racing BMW E36 328i and Dillon Joubert in the 444E Powder Coating World BMW E46 330i. Kosie Swanpoel showed that he had not lost his touch in seventh with the 111F KSD BMW E36 328i.

Nian du Toit simply dominated the shortened heat two in the truly impressive 20A NDT Racing BMW E36 Turbo and this combination will take some beating in any category going forward. Classes E and F providing most of the action on the day.

Le Joubert 100km Sport & GT Cars
Trimmed down from 31 laps to 21 laps and just eleven starters it was Charl Visser that dominated from lights to flag in his new 33A Charl Engineering Porsche GT3 silver dream racer. Charl had never driven this car before but looked comfortable from the start to simply cruise into the distance with only Dawie Joubert remaining on the same lap in his 18B Le Joubert Racing Lotus-VW Exige 2.0.

Yanni Hatzi nabbed third spot on the line in his much improved 28C Nissan S14 Turbo with Tristan de Nobrega fourth in his 70C Racing Spirit BMW M3. Eric Salomon fifth in the classic 23C Elf S 06 and in sixth place it was Brett Swanevelder in the consistent 74D Weskus Drukkers Nissan 350Z.

API Property Group GTi Challenge
Nathan Victor returned to dominate class A in his 71A VW Polo R6 with Oliver Hintenaus second overall for the day in his 76A Coastal Engineering Suplies VW Polo R6 and third overall going to Zac Laden in his 64B Incledon VW polo Sedan with Weylin Volschenk fourth in the 52B IMC-SA VW Polo R6. Daniël Sandenberg fifth in his 49B VW Polo R6 and the top six completed by Mohammed T. Khalfey in the 14B Mad Performance VW Polo R6.

Mark Fontini winning class C in the 31C Goch & Cooper VW Golf MkI 1.8 with Ross Schroder second in his 16C API Property Group VW Golf MkI 1.8 and Daniël Munna third in his 33C API Property Group VW Golf MkI 1.8. Flash Finneran fourth in the 25C Blokkoin VW Golf MkI 1.8, Adriano Ferroli fifth in his 4 Ferroli Performance Centre VW Golf MkI 1.8 and the top six completed by Connor Joubert in his 53C Powder Coating World VW Golf MkI 1.8.

Kaltron Supercars
Glen Phillips returned to dominate the ten car grid in his 33 Pro Oil SA Opel Supercar with Nashrené Schloss taking second overall in her 24 Lime Propery Management Opel Supercar and in third spot it was Robin de Vos in the 36 Lime Property Management Opel Supercar. Craig Hume fourth overall in his 21 Lime Property Management Opel Supercar.

Kyle Hallick spun himself down to fifth spot in the 31 Pro Oil SA Opel Supercar and in sixth spot it was Brad Fenner in the 9 Pro Oils SA Opel Supercar. Andrew Moffitt not able to repeat his first heat second place in the 39 Greymo Construction Opel Supercar, dropping to eighth overall.

Bejo Trustees Formula Libre
Giving the nine strong Fprmula vee crowd a sporting chance to complet the full ten laps of each heat had Dee-Jay Booysen start from the back of the field in his dominant 20S Dico Reynard FVW.

Richard Carr looked impressive enroute to second overall in his 49 ERA Racing Rhema 2 with Kelly Fletcher staying close in third with the 22 Dolphin Racing Forza and in fourth it was Dexter Bruce in the 15 Eloff Transformers FVee. The latter still the winner of the understeering championship. Fifth went to Eudrich Huysamen in his 44 Chilli Racing team FVee and the top six completed by Benjack Phillips in the 17 Classic Car Centre Lantis.

Young Joshua Smit escaped unhurt from a nasty spill in his 83 S&S Racing Rhema 2 when the throttle stuck wide open during heat one.

Kaltron Fine Cars
Marius Fourie won the category on Index of Performance in his 313 VW Jetta with Sandra Bekker second in her 96 Brandtegrity BMW E46 and Natasha Tischendorff in her 285 PHB Racing VW Jetta Cli. Jakes Wallage classified as fourth in the 122 Jaguar S Type.

Thermo Fires Clubman Saloons
With just eighteen cars classified as finishers the Clubman field was certainly up to normal numbers and with Shane Smith, Stephen Heydenrych and Jess Huggett all running into problems it was Jaco Lambert who won overall in the neat 29A Lawntech VW Polo GTi 1.8 with Kyle Visser second in the mighty 337A Charl Engineering VW Polo. Zack Groenewald entertaining enroute to third overall in his neat 43A BMW E36 328i.

Dillon Joubert fourth in the 444X Powder Coating World BMW E36 330i and in fifth spot it was Graeme van Rooijen in his 149B VW Polo. The top six completed by Francois van Tonder in his 44C FOD Marketing VW Polo 6.

Pirelli V8 Masters
Sean Moore, 73G Ziegler Logistics APV 348is, had matters under control from start to finish with Mark Ridgway second in his 53 GetWorth APV 347is, and in third it was the 22 NAC Helicopters APV 347is of Alister Brown. With just eight cars starting not their greatest day.

Laude Classic Cars
Just fifteen cars really out of form for the Laude Classic category and though Michael Hitchcock took overall honours in his 67A Cross Cape Forklift Services Ford Mustang Notchback V8 it wa was Jarryd Evans that impressed most in his second placed 414B Cape Eye Laser Ford Capri V6. Winning heat two with a great drive.

Boetie van Zyl continues to improve with each outing and the mighty Springbok based 72B Ford Fairmont GT 351cc V8 ran faultlessly to third overall with the neat 89A Black Widow Racing Porsche 944 Turbo of Eric van der Merwe fourth, the 68B Cross Cape Forklift Services Ford Mustang Notchback V8 of Ferdi Mouton fifth and the mighty 77B Toyota Corolla Sprinter 1.8 of Bruce Avern-Taplin sixth.

Roy Obery bringing his beautiful 124X Porsche 924 GTP home seventh with Robert Rowe eighth in his 11C Veldt Reared BMW E30 325i and in ninth spot it was Trevor Hutchings in the 71C HSC Racing Volkswagen Golf A2 GTi. Daniël Lötter claiming tenth spot in the 146X Globe Trotter Industries Ford Escort MkII.

BATT Tech STC 650 & SSP300 MC
Nicholas Hutchings won as he pleased aboard the 72 HSC Racing Suzuki SV650 with Adrian Solomon second on the 4 Pool King Kawsaki ER650 and Elmé Mostert third on er 94 Samurai Racing Suzuki SV650.

The SSP 300 category dominated by Raymond Alexander on his 11 Rayder Cycles Kawasaki Ninja 400 with Mitch Robinson second on his 71 Mag Workshop Kawasaki Ninja 400 and in third it was Bradley Mustoe aboard his 7 CCHSA KTM RC390.
Pirelli Sealpro Winelands SBK – SBKC – 600cc MC

Slade van Niekerk took top honours on his 111 Project 60 Kawasaki ZX10R with Ronald Slamet second. Ronald completed the first heat on his own machine but then took over the 99 QuickPos Yamaha R1 of Michael du Toit for the second heat. A very sporting gesture from du Toit to keep Slamet in the hunt for the championship.

Jonny Towers third overall on his 17 Missile Motorcycles Honda CBR600 and in fourth spot it was Daniel Frost on his attractive 28 CHW Design Honda CBR1000. Ethan Diener fifth on the 3 The Mag Workshop Yamaha R6 and the top six completed by Zander Taljaard aboard his 888 Kareedouw Konstruksie Honda CBR600RR.

Summary
The much anticipated bad weather never really showed up but it certainly led to depleted fields in almost all the categories. You have to be there to achieve results so well done to those who were present.

Published by: Patrick Vermaak

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