You Absolute Beauty

This was the official last race of the season for classic cars and I was glad yet also in a way sad as I was just having so much fun and honestly I did not want it to end NOW. Friday's (2nd November) practice was scheduled for 11h45 and I went out and again tried my best realizing that I am now in class D for my last race of the season. To my amazement I managed a 1:32:6 on lap 5 (a class C time) and called it a day. I was astounded not so much with my own improvement but at this Datsun 1400's ability to get down to these times. Oh and believe me, I've still got PLENTY to learn with at least 3 turns still getting the better of me.

Saturday's official qualifying was at 10h00 and lo and behold at 09h00 down came the rain. Fortunately it did eventually stop at about 09h40 which allowed us to at least drive with our 'wets' on without the downpour. I am definitely not an experienced wet weather guy and much prefer the dry and only managed to post a 1:50:0 putting me 21st on the start grid out of 36 entrants and 7th in class D.

Race 1 was off at 14h00 on a rolling start with the sun shinning brightly, a dry race track and my slicks back on. With the red lights going out on the start and my rev-limiter red light coming on I was gone and already gained 3 places by turn 1 . For a while I had a nice dice with Jaco Lambert in his 1600 Escort MK1 but pulled a good gap (2.49 seconds) towards the end. I finished 14th at the finish and won class D comfortably.

Race 2 was the last event on the day at 17h00 and again I had a good rolling start holding Jaco for six laps before my brakes started fading slightly. The race times were still almost 2 seconds off pace (1:34:9) due to a strong wind blowing and track surface conditions and temperature not at there ultimate. My judgment sensed however that he would not get away from me and I eventually allowed him through in turn 1 (rather safe than sorry). Keeping right up his back bumper I stayed with him till the finish with him beating me by 0.4 seconds. Great drive Jaco.

This was still sufficient for me to take 1st overall in class D for the day due to the time difference when combined for the two heats. I had a brilliant day and a fantastic way to end the season on a high. I can't wait for the 2008 season to begin. My last race for the year will be the LUK 3 hour endurance race in Port Elizabeth on the 17th November 2007.

Thanks again to my 'Boet' Martin for preparing a real winning Datsun GX Coupe throughout this season.

Thanx CHAMP

Win Some...

Sh1t!!! I don't know where to begin with the past weekend (06/10/2007) - Ecstasy or Disappointment?

My previous Killarney race if you may recall (see Oops - Ouch - Damn) ended with some rather bent looking valves after the 1st lap of the second race. Well since then Martin repaired the damaged valves and while the head was off he made some further changes to the VE. Since then I also did the Zwartkops race (near Pretoria West) which didn't tell me too much about the changes that he made due to the higher altitude as well as it being my first time out at the Big Z. However my times achieved at Zwartkops (1:19:07) were to say the least, most encouraging. Also I have to admit that the racing experience I gained over that weekend has paid 'mega' dividends without any doubt.

The stats speak for them self:

• My previous best time achieved (1st September) was a 1:36:4 and on Fridays open practice (5th October) I peddled the 'Dati' to a staggering 1:34:3. I felt like a 2 year old just having received a packet of sugar candy. Man I was over the moon with joy. And what did my 'boet' Martin have to say afterwards.....'Well done, excellent time...now I want a 33.8 from you'! F...ck me!! Here I've just done my best time feeling like I could even outgun Lewis Hamilton at his own game and my 'boet' says 'do better'. So not to be outdone I took up the challenge.
• Saturday qualifying: 09h00....and I said to myself just keep it tight, go in deep and come out hard.....(now where have I heard that one before?) and remember your lines......and 'Stru as Bob' in lap 5 of qualifying I posted a perfect 1:33:87. Who's your Daddy??? Well I spent the rest of the morning 'ecstacying' around the pit area with a smile right around my head! I just could not believe what I had actually achieved.
• Race 1, 12th on the grid, on a rolling start and I was gone like a 'bat out of hell' as the lights went out. The 'Dati' was well ahead of all the class E cars and was right up there with the class D guys with only Nick van Rensburg (Fiat 124 Sport) finally pipping me to the finish line, however not before having tried even harder than ever before, the 'Dati' delivered a mind boggling 1:33:38 in lap 8. See all the 'Classic Car' times posted at http://zatiming.co.za/index.php/54162/?orgID=54162&eventid=257272
• Race 2 was also a superb race as I got one back on Nick keeping him behind me from lap 1 and I finished ahead by 0.547 seconds at the finish line after 8 laps of relentless pressure. I ended up winning class E for the day and got my first 'class win' trophy. Thanks Nick....brilliant driving.
• Coming to think of it....I think the 'Dati' finish ahead of all the class D cars as well. Hehe!!!
• This also means breakout time..... so its Bye-Bye to class E, and HELLO to class D albeit for only one last race this season.

What a fantastic weekend. I cannot thank my brother enough for the efforts he made, however they were accomplished, (mechanically) in preparing a brilliant performing 1400cc 'Datsun'.

Cheer up guys....it's only a game, even the Aussies and the Kiwi's got shafted that weekend!!

Thanks 'Champ'.

Loose Some

The past weekend was the second last race of the current Western Province Classic Car championship and a lot was (and still is) at stake for many. Martin (this is my boet remember) pulled a few rabbits out of the bag for this event. On Fridays practice the SSS was on full song and every setting was (appeared) spot on. The times were brilliant and most encouraging. An evening 'braai' was enjoyed later that evening along with a few 'gesellige milos' and we actually couldn't wait for race day to dawn.

Saturday 09h00 and he had to qualify for grid positions. The weather was again cold and overcast but was not raining as yet. The SSS obliged and returned with a brilliant 1:25:57 while his arch rival and closest challenger Charles Arton put in a 1:25.58......closer you just couldn't get. This put him in 2nd place on the starting grid with Charles 3rd.

Racing got underway at 12h25 and the SSS was off like a 'robbers dog' until lap 3 where the inevitable began.......grrrrrr......clatterrrrrrrr.......gggrrriiinnnddd........the gearbox was letting go. This allowed Charles through into 2nd spot while Martin held on for dear life in 3rd spot until lap 7 where eventually Chris Carolin also passed. The SSS finished 4th but was unable to be repaired in time for the second heat. This means the point gap has narrowed to only 4 points by which Martin still leads class A.

It's now all down to the wire, the last race of the season to be held on the 3rd November to determine who is to be crowned class A champion.

That's disappointment.

Hard luck 'boet' but I know you'll be back with plan 'B' for the last 'do or die' attempt! It's gonna be nail biting stuff!!!

A Great Cape Surprise

The annual North vs South race competition was after some reshuffling scheduled for Zwartkops for the 15 September 2007. This is generally where the best of the best challenge their opposition to finally lay to rest any unsettled scores in a gentleman like manner.

The Cape Town cars were loaded on the Wednesday before the race and one particular driver (Peter Sherman) was not able to fill the last spot due to mechanical problems. The Cape guys decided to fill the last place with the 'Green Mamba' and not say a word to me. I had never ever in my wildest dreams intended to compete at the Zwartkops track as I believed that more worthy competitors deserved to compete as well as that I had absolutely nothing to prove given my late start to a race career. Well, you should have seen my delight (and somewhat disbelief) as they announced it on the Thursday night at there guest lodge.

I left for home that evening (in a flat spin) and probably did 100 laps in my head trying to recall the race lines that I had actually sourced and provided to the Cape Town guys in preparation for the Saturday. The cars arrived on the Friday at lunch time and a few practice sessions were done. I finally managed to get down from a 1:23 to a 1:21 after some advice from more experienced drivers. (The usual times for my class and size of car at Zwartkops is about 1:18:5). I could not achieve any better on the day. I again went home, and ran a few laps in my head and tried to apply the good advice given during the day.

Race day arrived and qualifying was at 08h20. I applied all the skills and advice given and managed to qualify 13th on the grid at a time of 1:20:08. I was really chuffed.

Heat 1 and I managed to finish 7th and posted a best race time of 1:19:07. This was achieved with a superbly prepared 1400cc (1398 to be exact) and even outperforming some of the Datsun A15 (1500cc) car entrants who are locals at the Zwartkops track.









Heat 2 and I started well until about lap 4 where my brakes started fading and I was eventually caught out on turn 2 (with a floor brake peddle) resulting in a spin off. I regained (and lost about 15 precious seconds) and finally drove my pants off finishing 14th and taking 9th overall for the day out of a total of 34 competitors. And all this on a foreign track!!







I thoroughly enjoyed the entire weekend with a great bunch of guys (including 'Dancing Dave' who just refused point blank to dance at Zwartkops - great drive Dave) and was most chuffed with my achievements. But this was NOT about me. This was for a group of guys who made the decision to surprise me and give me a most unexpected gift and a racing memory which I will cherish forever. Thanks to Pete Sherman for his generosity and true 'Classic Car Spirit' sportsmanship.

It also goes without to say a BIG thanks to my brother Martin for getting my race car up and running again and preparing it to my greatest AWAY expectation.









Also as expected the SSS ran without any hiccups and performed well putting up some most respectable times in the likes of 1:12:9 around Zwartkops. Martin took 2nd overall in class C for the day out performing all but one local Zwartkops competitor.

Thanks Champ!!

A Dazzeling Perception?

I recently read the article published in the 'Classic Car Africa' magazine of September 2007 (Pg 56) duly submitted by Peter du Toit, owner of the Zwartkops raceway in Pretoria West.

Without taking the article to task or discrediting it in any way, let me say that in essence I agree with many of the proposals suggested but sincerely doubt whether it will ultimately be a viable or workable solution within the South African race fraternity. Why do I say that? Well for one, South African motor racing does NOT attract anywhere near 100 entrants in a classic or historic car race where the club has the ability to exclude the bottom seventy entrants and only accept the top thirty race cars and driver entries. In fact on many a race day I have personally seen at more than one particular race venue, entries of far less than even thirty entrants (Classic cars / Historic cars) on the starting grid. The current race categories are I believe sufficient given the race entry numbers in South Africa that we are talking about. Is then adding more race categories a bad thing ? NO, but why then split the current groups even further simply because you CAN when at best of times there are not a large enough number to begin with. (See the last paragraph of 'Project Camaro' written by Michele Lupini which states...."Yes Trans-Am has been a little thin on entries of late, BUT......")

Further mention is also made with regard to the 'Legends of the 9-Hour' and makes for acceptable reading. However the last part of the article is what really peeves me. The last paragraph quotes, "I (Peter du Toit) am hoping to structure some Legends of the 9-Hour days in 2008 around the country however, we will not go anywhere where there is no category compatibility. There is no way that a Cortina Lotus which is correct in terms of its period is going to be beating (sic) up by a Dazzle Datsun with slick tyres and engine and gearbox specs not even dreamed of in its day!"

Excuse me! The rules that govern classic and historic racing in South Africa are duly prescribed and applied by the relevant race track owners and or chairpersons of such committees that host such classic/historic formats of racing. Each car is further scrutinised in accordance to such stipulated MSA GCR rules which may also include such appendices and or dispensations as may be applicable for that race year before being allowed to race. If the governing rules therefore applied allow such changes to include modifications to suspension, gearbox and tyres within such controlled and defined parameters and furthermore, that engine blocks, cylinder heads and camshaft geometry be in accordance with the 'period' of such motor manufacturer, why make the accusation that a Dazzle Datsun should not beat up a Cortina Lotus which is also deemed 'correct in terms of period'. This specific reference in the article sounds more like a personal vendetta rather than either the entrant driver, race car or race category not complying with such duly recognised and applicable rules which govern the specific race category. Should the Datsun vs Cortina Lotus then be in the same race category? Sorry, once again race entrants apply and abide by the applicable rules, not make them.

In conclusion, I sincerely believe it takes a race driver with talent and ability to outperform his or her opposition, irrespective of the vehicle type, whereas a person with loads of money and no talent or ability will usually always complain about being beaten by a poorer or lesser know competitor. Which category do you aspire towards Mr du Toit?

(Italics mine)