Groenewald’s ‘Mr Nice Guy’ image will change after starting from the back of the grid in East London in Race 1 and then losing his rear wing with a coming-together with Franco di Matteo (Optima Batteries Jaguar) in the high-speed Potters Pass, which made his car unraceable.   Now he wants to add to the six wins he has posted in the ten races held so far. 

His main opposition now comes from a host of drivers, particularly in the second race on Saturday when the starting grid is reversed.   This is a feature introduced by WesBank Association Chairman, Brian Cook, in the interests of providing entertainment for the many V8 motor-racing fans.   This was the case at Zwartkops in May when Groenewald started from the back of the grid, passed 18 other competitors in ten laps, to record one of the most watchable epic drives of the season. 

Robert Briggs (Team Timken Jaguar), Groenewald’s teammate, won going away in Race 1 in East London and is on a winning roll.   As a former South African Karting and Polo-Cup Champion, he wants to repeat the win he had at Kyalami in January. 

Also on form in joint 3^rd spot in the championship are two talented drivers.    One is one of three racing brothers and a father, Mark Auby (Jonnesway Tools Holden), who does well on any circuit in the country.   The other is the veteran Willie Hepburn (Project Orange Corvette).   At 65 years old, Willie shattered everybody on the high-speed circuit in East London by taking his first race and overall win in 6 years.   He last tasted victory in 2002 on the same circuit. 

Starting his season late after missing the first meeting at Kyalami, Larry Wilford (Fuchs Lubricants Mustang) has made good progress with 3^rd and 4^th places, to lie handily placed in 5^th spot overall.   Wilford could win, as could his son, Terry, in a Fuchs Lubricants Jaguar, who won the GP2 Championship for V8’s just two years ago – another talented racing family. 

A driver who, like Groenewald, Hepburn and Danie Correia, has scored points in every race he has started this year is Team Timken’s Richard Pinard in his Jaguar.   He lies 6^th in the Championship and means to improve at Kyalami. 

Also on the move is Welkom’s Jaco Correia (Omega Motor Spares Corvette) after two of his best drives at Zwartkops and East London.   He is hungry for a race win in the second race of the day.   Always in the picture is Franco di Matteo, who flies at Kyalami, with fast closing Deon Auby (Meta Forge Jaguar), who finished in a magnificent 2^nd place at East London.   Danie Correia (Omega Motor Spares Corvette) is now a consistent points scorer, after staying away from accidents this year. 

Gordon Connolly (Cowan Signs / Dezzi Jaguar) South African Single Seater GTi Champion, who missed the East London races, is hoping to be in the line-up at Kyalami. 

Two youngsters who have proved they can handle the 450 kW these WesBank V8s produce are East London’s Wade van Zummeren (Border Towing Mustang), who came home with two 4^th places at the last round, and 16 year-old Brandon Auby (Masana Petroleum Jaguar) up from Karting, whose lowly championship position belies his skill and ability to live with the really fast front runners.   Hopefully his gearbox problems are over. 

Rob Wall (P2P Squared Holdings Mustang) is a regular at Kyalami.   He is fighting it out with another racing father, Des Gutzeit.    Clare Vale (The Truckman Mustang) has been an eye-opener in her debut year in V8 racing.   She has the ability to push her 300 kmh car to the limit, as she showed through Potters Pass in East London.   An awesome experience for any driver. 

Another East Londoner making a come-back is Darron Gudmanz (Crazy J’s Corvette) reacquainting himself with the Grand Prix Circuit at Kyalami on Saturday after making his come-back to racing in East London after a 3-year break from the sport.