Round 6 of the 2025 GR Cup took place at the iconic Killarney International Raceway in Cape Town this past weekend (12–13 September), and the action on track did not disappoint. Known for its high-speed layout, Killarney brought drama, intensity and razor-thin margins — particularly in the GR Cup Media Challenge and Dealer Challenge, where the smallest missteps proved costly.
Despite earlier forecasts hinting at changeable conditions, the weather was superb all weekend. Clear skies and consistent grip levels made for ideal racing conditions, allowing drivers to fully exploit the limits of their machines on one of South Africa’s most iconic circuits.
As always, the weekend comprised three categories: the GR Cup Media Challenge, featuring six of South Africa’s top motoring journalists; the GR Cup Dealer Challenge, fielding a mix of Toyota GR Yaris and GR Corolla machinery from dealers around the country; and the GR 86 Development Academy, where rising young stars continue to hone their craft in the Toyota GR86.
GR CUP MEDIA CHALLENGE
The weekend belonged to Kyle Kock (CAR Magazine), who was in superb form from the outset. He posted a blistering qualifying lap of 1:24.739 to secure pole, narrowly ahead of Nabil Abdool (SuperSport) (+0.404s), with Phuti Mpyane (TimesLive) and Lawrence Minnie (AutoTrader) following in close succession. Charl Bosch (Citizen) and Willem van de Putte (IOL) completed the six-strong field.
Kock was delighted to deliver a standout performance at his home race:
“It was a weekend of many firsts… a culmination of a lot of hard work and special preparation. I managed the pace well in Race 1 and built a solid lead to take the win. It was incredible to do it in front of my family and friends.”
In Race 1, Kock translated his pole into a commanding class win, while Abdool recovered from a start-line setback to claim second in class.
“Apollo (his car) hit the limiter and cut power with a delayed shift,” explained Abdool. “It cost me three positions at the start, but I clawed back to finish 2nd in class.”
Race 2 saw more fireworks. Abdool made a strong start and fought through the field, executing a decisive pass on Devon Scott (Dealer Challenge) down the back straight.
“We set the fastest lap of the race and closed the gap to Kyle, but he held firm. It was a formidable drive from him,” said Abdool. “But the big news — we’ve clinched the 2025 GR Cup Media Challenge title!”
Abdool’s second place was enough to secure the championship with one round to spare. Kock made it two from two for the weekend with another assured drive to victory in Race 2, while Mpyane once again completed the podium.
GR CUP DEALER CHALLENGE
The Dealer Challenge featured another massive field, with eight drivers lining up in a mix of GR Corolla and manual GR Yaris machinery. Mario de Sousa again proved why he’s leading the title chase, setting the pace in qualifying with a lap time of 1:24.692. He was followed by Devon Scott (+0.395s) and Wener Venter (+0.689s).
De Sousa held off a fast-charging Scott in Race 1, edging a close battle by just 0.3 seconds:
“It was really close and exciting,” he said. “Devon tried to have a go a few times, but I managed to hold him off. What a race!”
In Race 2, the tables turned as Scott took control early on:
“I followed Kyle through at the start and passed Mario in Turn 1. I overheated the tyres trying to stay ahead, and at the end, I made a small mistake that allowed Mario to close in,” Scott explained. “In the end, I lost the combined win for the day by just 0.011s.”
De Sousa and Scott’s duel was the highlight of the Dealer Challenge this weekend, with Wener Venter taking third place in both races, followed by strong drives from Theo Brits, Rudi Boonzaaier, Tiaan Combrink, and Werner Horn.
With Scott confirming that he won’t be attending the final round, De Sousa has effectively wrapped up the 2025 Dealer Challenge title.
GR 86 DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY
In the GR 86 Development Academy, Jason Coetzee was untouchable all weekend, though a jump start in the second heat saw him relegated to fourth place. He stormed to pole position with a time of 1:25.022 and controlled both races from the front. Kent Swartz was consistently second-best, finishing just over a second behind Coetzee in both outings, but was promoted to race winner after Coetzee’s mistake in the second heat.
Calvin Dias, making a guest appearance at this round, slotted into second in Race 2 and fourth in Race 1, sandwiching a solid performance from Khanya Ngwenya, who took third in Race 1 but did not start Race 2.
Vatiswa Mokhonoana continued to show grit and progress, completing both races despite the challenges.
With his commanding results, Coetzee retains the lead in the GR 86 Development Academy championship, with Swartz and Ngwenya still in contention heading into the final round.
With just one round remaining, all eyes now shift to Zwartkops Raceway for the GR Cup season finale. Scheduled for the weekend of 24 and 25 October, this curtain-closer will determine the final order in the season standings. Stay tuned for what promises to be a dramatic end to a thrilling season of one-make racing from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa Acknowledges Its Sponsors
Toyota enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with Toyota Financial Services, Garmin, Dunlop, Ferodo and Kinto.
Published by: Karabo Sethusha
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