Cape Town - Round five of the Power Series, at Killarney on the Fourth of July, will have an appropriately American flavour, with muscle-cars, hotrods and big V-twin motorcycles from a number of US makers on display, and traditional American treats for children of all ages.
There’s also a special treat for motorcycle racing fans, with two extra slots on the programme. In addition to two Mike Hopkins Regional series outings each for the Superbikes and Powersport/Classic classes, there will be two Breakfast Run races for main-circuit rookies.
Riders among them to watch will be short-circuit graduate Dylan Wright, on a Honda CBR600 F4 that’s almost as old as he is, Suzuki GSX-R600 rider Shawn Payne, Jacques Smith on his Yamaha R1 and 19-year-old Lynn von Buddenbrock, whose ambition is to become a professional motorcycle racer.
Von Buddenbrock brought her Honda CBR600 all the way from George on the slimmest of shoestring budgets for this event and got down to 1m30s in her first (and only) day of practice on the circuit. If her stamina matches her talent and drive, she will be one to watch.
CZECH THIS
She’s not the only female entry, however; Czech superbike racer Sandra Stammova, now based in Johannesburg, will be making a rare visit to the Cape, to take on the local hotshots in the Superbike Class.
These include defending double Regional champion Ronald Slamet, fresh from a successful World Superstock 1000 outing at Misano, former champion Malcolm Rapson and this season’s hottest young guns, Trevor Westman and Gerrit Visser. Each of these top four contenders will be on a Kawasaki ZX-10R, so it will all come down to skill and nerve.
Right behind them will be 600 Challenge arch-rivals Hayden Jonas and Andre Calvert – each on a Kawasaki ZX-6R – mixing it with litre-class stalwarts such as Brandon Haupt (MX Clean ZX-10R), David Bolding (PJ One ZX-10R), and Quintin Ebden on the brand new DMR/Print It R1.
Born-again racer John Oliver has also moved up from Class B, where he has been monopolising the silverware at recent meetings, to become only the third 600cc rider to qualify for the premier class.
That leaves Vanbros Racing rookie Keagan Smith (Kawasaki ZX-6R) and Wessel Kruger (Yamaha R1) as the top contenders in Class B, with David Enticott (Motorwise Daytona 675) and Karl Schultz (ASAP World ZX-6R) as the dark horses.
POWERSPORT/CLASSICS
Here the ongoing battle between Danie Maritz on his vintage Suzuki GSX-R750 Pre-Sling and Warren ‘Starfish’ Guantario on the Calberg ER6 will be given some extra spice by regular visitor Jonny Towers on the RST ER6. Towers is best known for his multiple victories in the annual RST 8 Hours, but can also give a good account of himself on the mail circuit.
Also there or thereabouts will be JP Freiderich on the Calberg SV650 and Kewyn Snyman on the Monster Plumbing ER6, while the 400cc charge will be led by William Binedell and Jared Schultz, each on a Honda 400, and the Clubmans’ Class by Willem Louw (Yamaha R1), Jayson Bulterman (Calberg F800) and Raiel le Roux (Suzuki GSX-R750.