What National Extreme Festival Finals Preview
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 25 October 2025
Community South Africa National
Atkinson, Karodia in fight for Astron Energy Polo Cup Finals
The 2025 Astron Energy Polo Cup goes right down to the wire at the National Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday 25 October. Rory Atkinson takes a slender three-point lead into the Pretoria finale over Mo Karodia, while Volkswagen Rookie Judd Bertholdt and Ethan Coetzee remain in, albeit distant mathematical contention. The Astron Energy Polo Cup Masters title also goes down to Zwartkops, although Wayne Masters pretty well has one hand on that title.
Atkinson won a heat in the opening round in his Industry Petroleum Polo Cup, but he came on strong in the second half of the season with four more heat wins in three rounds. Karodia’s Fast 5 Motorsport LTR car on the other hand, won four times in the first seven races, but he has struggled at times since to allow his championship rival to close in. Berthold has not won a Polo cup race yet, but consistent strong results and podiums see him tied for third with double winner Coetzee’s ECR LTR Polo.
They are by no means out of the woods either. Hannes Scheepers took his maiden Astron Energy Polo Cup victory last time out aboard his Dainfern Dental Polo GTI. And AF Fans Team Red lass Tyler Robinson has also won a race and both of them are close enough to take advantage of any trouble ahead to wrest a late title podium.
Behind them, top ten quartet, rookie Durban drivers Dubcorp lad Shrien Rajpaul and his rookie compatriot Dhivyen Naidoo’s Production X car, Team Red lad Roshaan Goodman, and Charl Smalberger’s Sabertek entry are all ready to upset the applecart. Bevin Masters started late but has steadily improved in his CPS Warehouse car, and also keep an eye on Team Red rookie Milan, Nirav Singh, and Pierluigi Muzzulini too.
Wayne Masters has had a pretty tidy season and looks good to wrap up a second Astron Energy Polo Masters title on the trot in his Performance Master Polo. He’s not quite champion yet and a solid run in the opening heat should wrap it up, but Derick Smalberger and his Sabertek Polo and Habot Oils man John Kruger are however still both within striking distance to steal a shock title. Mike Barbaglia has also proven a Polo Masters factor of late in his PABAR car with Gavin Ross’ Norbrake machine and Elio Muzulini’s FSS entry also in the mix.
So it’s all eyes on Zwartkops Raceway where the 2025 Astron Energy Polo Cup will come to a likely explosive head at the National Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola finale in Pretoria, Saturday 25 October. See you there!
*Volkswagen Motorsport salutes its Polo Cup partners, naming rights sponsor Astron Energy, Dunlop, Pabar and Ferodo.
Issued on behalf of Volkswagen Motorsport
Photography by Abri de Bruin & Colin Windell
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