Cape Town – Winter meetings at Killarney usually deliver some of the most exciting racing of the season, even if the fields are a little smaller than in summer, so Round 6 of the Mike Hopkins Regional series promises to be a real thriller, with no less than 55 entries in nine classes.
Headlining the entry for the Superbike races are the Class A gladiators, with four of the Cape’s top riders all chasing World Superstock rider David ‘McFlash’ McFadden.
And to make it more interesting, each of the six will be aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R, so it will all come down to skill and nerve.
Expect to see defending Regional title-holder Ronald ‘the Red Baron’ Slamet heading the chase, with current form man Trevor Westman, former champion Malcolm Rapson (the fastest accountant in the Cape!), Brandon Haupt and class rookie Andre Calvert - in only his second outing on a litre-class machine - in hot pursuit.
But they’ll be under constant threat from the enfant terrible of Class A, 16-year-old 600 Challenge champion Hayden Jonas on the ASAP World ZX-6R, who’s known for mixing it with the litre-class riders – sometimes to their embarrassment!
Keagan Smith has been doing great things in Class B this season aboard the Vanbros ZX-6R, but will face stiff opposition from Jacques Ackerman’s Jotim R1 and the second ASAP World ZX-6R, in the hands of team principal Karl Schultz. In the absence of an entry from Greg Warner, Class C honours will be settled between class stalwart Wayne Arendse and up-and-coming Suzuki GSX-R600 rider Jacques Botha.
POWERSPORT/CLASSICS
The biggest threat to Warren ‘Starfish’ Guantario’s domination of this class aboard the Calberg ER650 is his own team-mate, the suddenly on-form JP Freiderich, riding the Calberg SV650. Also in the picture should be Andrew Liebenberg, also on a Calbergb ER650, Chris Williams (DEA ER650) and Mike van Rensburg (MVR ER650).
But if there’s a dark horse in this class it’s former short-circuit star Malcolm Steyn, out of retirement on a Suzuki SV650.
The Classic class should once again be decided between those unlikely rivals John Kosterman (Suzuki GSX-R750 Pre-Sling) and Tony Jones on the Ducati 650 Alazzurra – but don’t write off Calvin Thomas’ Honda CBR750 just yet.
Expect the usual fireworks in the Clubman class between Raiel le Roux (Suzuki GSX-R750) and Jayson Bulterman on the Calberg F800.