After recording one of his most successful drag events in August last year, Harry Naidoo, founder of Gas Magazine, is expecting this year to be even bigger.
The front wheel drive shootout is South Africa’s flagship head to head event, in which the fastest fwd cars in the country battle head to head.
The details
This year’s edition will take place on May 17 at Dezzi Raceway, Port Shepstone – KwaZulu-Natal.
Naidoo is hopeful that between 75 to 80 race cars enter the event.
What makes the event a success, according to Naidoo, is the fact that 30% if entrants come from around South Africa.
There will be 9 classes, 7 of which cover the 4-cylinder cohort while the remaining two are for 6-cylinders.
“I think people like it because its a very competitive class. We have front wheel drives in SA now that go 8 seconds. We saw Scott Wyness, we also know Quinten Boylen ran 8 seconds.
“So we really looking forward to the event. Ticket sales have been opened up a little earlier because the attendance at the event is generally good.
“There will be a morning session for ET’s and then the afternoon will feature a top 20 shootout,” Naidoo told Auto Rush.
What to expect
Last year, a boosted Corsa running a c20XE set-up decimated all that stood next to it. Jacques Janse Van Rensberg has had a bit of trouble getting the car on the track since then but is hoping to make the event.
He currently holds the record at Dezzi for the fastest fwd car to ever go down the 402 with a 9.6s @250 km/h.
Right behind him, is the man from Benoni, Lance Pillay of ERF Racing. Pillay’s 16V turbo – Baba Yaga, ran a 9.9s @208km/h.
While the out-of-towners’ dominated the turbo classes, the Durban boys had to take the back seat.
Durban fights back
But this year promises to be different, with two Durban dragsters looking to break into the 9s with their turbo 4 cylinders.
Namely, Nivashen ‘Puto’ Govender in his Mazda fe turbo bakkie and Donovan “O Donny” Govender in his boosted B16 Vtec Ballade.
Both racers have made significant upgrades to their vehicles since August last year, and now think they have what it takes to run a high 9.
On the naturally aspirated side of things, 4 cylinders just doesn’t cut it anymore and has been overshadowed by a 6-pot system.
The 6-cylinder naturally aspirated class is proving to be as competitive as the VVL list. Aadil ‘Adzo’ Badat currently sits on top of that list with his 11.1s quarter mile in his R32 Golf 1 in March.
Naveshan Pather holds the track record at Dezzi for the fastest 6 cylinder at 11 flat. But the car is out of commission, which promotes Adzo to the top spot.
Ashley Giquel is the only racer with a successful R36 build in the Durban scene thus far, and entered the 11 second bracket during its first event.
Giquel built his DSG R36 in under a week for the full prep event in March. Whatever happens, the 6-cylinder classes will surely shake things up.
