Page 107 - Car South Africa (February 2020)

speed

WINNING

NINE

After a 37-year hiatus, the first Nine-hour

international endurance race has been held at

Kyalami. It was an event to inspire pride

By: Wilhelm Lutjeharms WilhelmL_CARmag
Photos: Peet Mocke and supplied

lat-sixes, V10s, naturally aspirated and The anticipation built up all afternoon as
turbochargedV8s, and forced-induction clouds rolled in.The forecast rain held off at rst
V6s... The cacophony as no fewer than but, when darkness fell, the heavens opened
F 28 GT3 cars cleared the last corner on and immediately changed the game. All the
to the main straight at Kyalami for a rolling start teams came into the pits to swap to wet-weath-
gave me goose bumps.There is something thrill- er tyres and the safety car was sent out to man-
ing about the variety of these elds that makes age the pace. This went on for about two hours;
the Nine-hour more exciting than Formula One. everyone was secretly hoping we would still see
The drivers and the teams are some action before the cheq-
more approachable and the uered ag at 22h00.
cars are, relatively speaking, The rooster tails of spray
similar to the production cars were spectacular, as was the
you can buy in a showroom. obvious skill required to keep
After the previous day’s these powerful machines on
01
qualifying, we made ourselves the track. Seated just before
comfortable for the next nine the braking point for the nal
hours of racing at full tilt. turn at Ingwe, we were able
Apart from the overseas teams to see almost the entire track
(including factory-supported from just before Leeukop
ones), several local out ts and down Mineshaft and through
drivers had entered this his- Cheetah. It was fascinating.
02
toric event: Team Perfect Circle The wastegate sound of the
with its Porsche GT3 R; Pablo Aston Martins was unmistak-
01 The pit crew gets ready for one of
Clark Racing with the Ferrari many stops during the race. 02 Calm able, while the deep burbling
458 GT3; Stradale Motorsport before the (brief) storm. V8 of the Bentleys grabbed our
with a Lamborghini Huracán attention; it’s remarkable that
GT3; and many other South Africans. these heavy GTs are able to convert to race-

It was a family affair; there were stalls selling cars. The at-six sound is synonymous with
food and drinks and a jumping castle for the kids. 911 sportscars and the snarl of the Audi V10s
In the media room, we had a great view of the makes you doubt there is anything faster on
teams preparing for each pit stop; the cars came the track. Meanwhile, the deep-chested brawl
into the lane for a fresh set of tyres, a clean wind- of the Mercedes-AMG GT3s reminded us why
screen and occasionally a new driver. they were leading the championship.

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