What Extreme Festival Round 3 Preview
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 23 May 2026
Community South Africa National
National Extreme Festival races in Pretoria this weekend
The 2026 National Championship circuit motor racing Extreme Festival returns home to Zwartkops for its third round on Saturday 23 May. Featuring the Dunlop Extreme Supercars which rejoin the National action this weekend, the day’s highlights also include two explosive South African Touring Cars and SupaCup races, the Astron Energy Polo Cup, Investchem MSA4 single seaters and in the SunBet ZX10 Masters motorcycles backed by the Volkswagen Rookie and Gazoo Toyota Cup series.
Spectacular as ever, expect home hero Jonathan du Toit’s wailing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO’s battle with Vaal racer Charl Arangies’ thunderous Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO to steal the Dunlop Extreme Supercars show. A most interesting addition is Karah Hill in one of three Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evos. Miss Hill benefits a significant amount of Polo and SupaCup experience and could well spring a pleasant surprise on Saturday. Marius Jackson and Gianni Giannoccaro drive the other Audis while Giannoccaro kin Jimmy drives a Nissan GT-R, and Ricky and Ant Blunden two more Lamborghini Huracans.
Julian van der Watt’s Volkswagen Golf GTI leads the South African Touring Cars march to Pretoria from two most impressive young rookies in teammate KC Ensor-Smith and Jason Coetzee’s Toyota Corolla, Andre Schofield’s BMW 128ti and troubled reigning champion Michael van Rooyen’s Corolla. Late starters, triple champion, and Robert Wolk’s Golf GTI and last race winner Keegan Campos’ BMW add significant allure as they attempt to come from behind too.
Zwartkops hero Rory Atkinson knows those twists and turns like the back of his hands as the rookie returns home at the top of the SATC SupaCup log. He however has Jason Loosemore looming large in his mirrors following his National Hot Rod win last week, while Tyler Robinson returns from a most impressive outing in the German SupaCup. Judd Bertholdt has shown great speed of late and he’s another major factor and never ignore Nikki Vostanis, Niko Zafiris, Mo Wally, or Davide Franco.
Another Zwartkops hero, Hannes Scheepers arrives home unbeaten in the Astron Energy Polo Cup. He has the full attention of Roshaan Goodman and compatriot Charl Smalberger, who have shared out the second places so far. Rookie Mauro Da Luz, Shiren Rajpaul and Pierluigi Muzzulini have all shown good pace in the opening races too and don’t ignore Jayden Goosen who won on debut at Zwartkops late last year. Polo Masters top three, Wayne Masters, Derick Smalberger and John Kruger also need no introduction at Zwartkops, so it’s just a matter of choosing who to shout loudest for.
Former British Formula 4 ace Aqil Alibhai turned the Investchem MSA4 chase on its head last time out and arrives at Zwartkops with a small advantage over Cape Town opening round double winner Mikel Bezuidenhout. All Durbanite Shrien Naidoo needs to win is a little good luck, while Karabo Malemela, Luigi Bidoli and Kent Swartz are all ready to impress. Don’t ignore MSA4’s lady drivers either. Anastasia Gerasis, Gianna Pascoal and Simphiwe Mohlalo are always ready to hand one to the lads.
Damion Purificati may have made the SunBet ZX10 Masters his own in 2026 with Keith Agliotti, Hein McMahon, Trevor Westman, James Barson, Henk Kruger, Ad van Dalen, and the rest in chase. But all of them have the additional challenge of double champion Clint Seller finally back from his recent hiatus. Can Seller fight back from four races behind on Purificati’s recent form? Time will tell…
The Volkswagen Rookie Cup also returns to Extreme Festival duty after a race away and that’s a case of catch Luke Hill, who has won three of the four races so far. Sebastian Dias was the other winner, while Jack Moore, Keyaan Dwomoh, Sebastian Venkov, Anwar April, and Max Corbett are all still chasing that elusive victory. GR86 Rookie trio Connor Weston, Emma Dowling and Kobus Reynecke are the kids to beat in the Gazoo Toyota Rookie Cup, while Devon Scott is in charge of the GR Yaris Dealer cup and Nabil Abdool is the man to beat in the GR Corolla Media Cup.
Always a spectacle, South Africa’s top drivers, and riders flat out in the country’s finest racing machinery around the tight and twisty confines of the Pretoria Raceway is most difficult to beat. The action starts mid-morning Saturday. See you at Zwartkops!
Issued on behalf of Extreme Festival
Photography by: Abri de Bruin and Colin Windell
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