Cape Town – This weekend sees the penultimate round of the 2015 Mike Hopkins Regional motorcycle series, and the pressure is really on.
The bikes are battered, many have been crashed and repaired (some more than once!) and a number of the riders are nursing injuries. But this is no time to ease off the throttle – there are championships at stake.
In the absence of an entry from international rider David ‘McFlash’ McFadden, defending Regional Superbike title-holder Ronald ‘The Red Baron’ Slamet must start as favourite. A solid points haul at this stage of the season could be instrumental in helping him retain his title, but that may be easier said than done.
His Mike Hopkins ZX-10R has apparently been difficult to set up since a big crash in practice for the September meeting forced the replacement of crucial suspension components, slightly altering the suspension geometry and rendering two years of careful development moot.
Slamet is also well aware that the three ‘young guns’ - Trevor Westman, Gerrit Visser and Brandon Haupt - each at the peak of his form and riding a Kawasaki similar to Slamet’s, will be breathing down his tailpipe, just waiting for him to make a mistake,
Also there or thereabouts should be Andre Calvert, whose form has been erratic since he moved up from the 600 Challenge - which he so nearly won in 2014 - to the KC Transport ZX-10R. If there is a dark horse for this meeting, it’s Calvert.
OPEN BOOK
With David Bolding still in hospital after his monumental crash at the Extreme Festival, the ‘Old Guard’ of former champions and born-agains will be represented by Malcom Rapson and Jan-Lucas de Vos, each on a privately entered ZX-10R. Rapson in particular is still capable of taking the fight to the younger generation; write him off at your peril.
The 600 Challenge is a bit of an open book, with Alex van den Berg on the Wicked Tuning ZX-6R the only viable candidate. Double Challenge champion Hayden Jonas (ASAP World ZX-6R) has entered, but at the Extreme Festival on 24 October his fractured left ankle was still in a moonboot and, if does ride, he may battle to regain his usual athletic style.
Right at the top of Class B should be ASAP World team principal Karl Schultz (Kawasaki ZX-6R) and David Enticott on the Motorwise Daytona 675, each also a contender for 600 Challenge silverware. Two to watch in this class are Wessell Kruger on his privately entered Yamaha R1 and born-again racer Mike du Toit, thoroughly enjoying his comeback aboard a Triumph Daytona 675.
Class C will be fought out between Wesley Lewin’s Motorlease R1, Jan Nytomt (BMW S1000 RR), Wayne Arendse (Honda CBR600 RR) and Shakir ‘Shrek’ Smith on ‘The Donkey’, a Honda CBR1000 RR now reckoned to be the oldest machine running in the Superbike classes.
POWERSPORT/CLASSICS
Line honours in the junior races are likely to be another straight fight between Warren Guantario and Calberg team-mate JP Friederich, who has found tremendous form this season.
Sadly, with only four entries in this class, even winning the race outright won’t do either of them much good from a championship point of view. Mike van Rensburg, who has dominated Powersport B all season, has amassed a hatful of points and is a shoo-in to take the title again.
Ironically, the only likely challenge to Guantario and Friederich for the overall win is from a Classic – and that term applies as much to the rider as the motorcycle. Danie Maritz has entered the Suzuki GSX-R750 Pre-Sling on which he won the 1986 Regional title and, on past form, only the top Powersport riders will be able to stay with him.
The run-what-you-brung Clubman class looks like another opportunity for talented rookie Abdul-Kader Dalwai to hone his craft, with Jayson Bulterman (Calberg F800) and Dale Field (Suzuki GSX-R750) to keep him honest.
With 54 entries in seven classes, there will close racing throughout the fields in all four motorcycle races on Saturday.