What Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola Round 5 Report
Where East London Grand Prix Circuit
When Saturday 19 July 2025
Community South Africa National
National Festival dishes up Extreme conditions, racing
The spiritual home of South African motor racing dished up more than just a few curve balls and surprises at the weather-beaten East London Grand Prix Circuit’s Extreme Festival powered by Coca-Cola on Saturday. Fraught action thrilled Border race fans across the board as the South African Touring Cars and SupaCup, Investchem MSA4, Astron Energy Polo Cup and the Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup dodged dramatic conditions that were deemed too risky to run the SunBet ZX10 Motorcycles.
In no holds barred South African Touring Cars, championship leader Michael van Rooyen dusted himself off from a tough opening heat to place one hand on the title with the reverse grid second heat victory. It was also a good day for Julian van der Watt, who took his maiden win of the season off pole position in that opening race in a Volkswagen Golf GTI 1-2 ahead of teammate Jagger Robertson, Nathi Msimanga’s Toyota, BMW man Andy Schofield and van Rooyen after Keegan Campos’ BMW stopped at the final turn.
Van Rooyen benefited Toyota teamwork to open a sizeable lead early in the second race, but van der Watt delivered a stirring drive to close right down to Michael as Julian jumped up to second in the title chase. Schofield was delighted to take a South African Touring Car career best third from Variawa after Msimanga and Robertson were delayed when they tangled in the Complex.
There was a huge SATC SupaCup title twist on the eve of the race when MSA excluded contender Jonathan Mogotsi and Jason Loosemore from the previous race at Zwartkops on a fuel indiscretion. Mogotsi put his disappointment behind him to take both race wins from Tate Bishop, who calmly followed his closest title rival home to second in both races. Bishop had to dispose of Loosemore in the second race, while third in the opening race, impressive Zimbabwean Dylan Pragji beat Loosemore to third for the day.
Investchem MSA4 similarly brushed off the conditions to star on its second-ever round at the spiritual home of South African single seater racing. After beating Jim Clark’s Lotus 25 Climax 1964 SA Grand Prix pole time in the at the same East London racetrack, Mikel Bezuidenhout started first, only to be overhauled by KC Ensor-Smith for the win. Squabbling Shrien Naidoo was third from Karabo Malemela. Ensor-Smith fought back from fourth to take the second race restarted after another startline pile-up, from Naidoo Bezuidenhout and Malemela. Rick Morris took Formula Ford Kent honours.
In another turn-up for the books, former champion Bradly Liebenberg made a winning return to Astron Energy Polo Cup with victory in the only race of the day. Log leader Mo Karodia consolidated his advantage with second from VW Rookie Judd Bertholdt, who bounced back to third. The race was restarted after Judd had to be extracted from a dam of rainwater after contact with brother Bjorn, but Judd was back to steal third from title rival Rory Atkinson. Masters champion Wayne Masters meantime crept closer to a second title with another win. The delayed second race was canned as darkness fell.
GR86 rookie Jason Coetzee took the only Gazoo Toyota Racing Cup win while Nabil Abdool topped the GR Yaris media race and dealer driver Devon Scott was the first GR Corolla home. The second race was cancelled, one better than the SunBet ZX10 Masters motorcycles after the bikers opted not to race in the tricky conditions. That, after Clinton Seller continued his domination with another easy pole position over top Class C man Jayson Lamb and Class B leader Hein McMahon.
The national Extreme Festival powered by Coca-Cola will be hoping for perfect Cape Town spring conditions for its penultimate next round at the Killarney International Raceway on Saturday 13 September. Investchem MSA will however race again before that, at the WesBank Festival of Speed at Kyalami at the end of August.
Issued on behalf of Extreme Festival
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