“We are now into 25 years with Wesbank as our commercial partner and anchor naming rights sponsor for the series”, says Brian Cook, Chairman of the Wesbank Modified Saloon Car Association.   “Over this time we have kept our racing fresh and dynamic with one purpose in mind – to entertain the public with spectacular motor sport.   This year is no exception with new teams, new cars, new drivers and a sponsor returning to our category.” 

“Besides great help from Wesbank, Goodyear with their Goodyear Eagle slick and wet weather tyres are the control tyre supplier and have been a co-sponsor for the last 12 years.   They also provide a tyre fitting service at every track and advice on setting up cars on their big slick tyres.   Sasol has come back to Wesbank V8 racing as a co-sponsor as well, with their special brand of high performance fuel.” 

Wesbank V8s, still the fastest and most powerful formula to compete on South African circuits, are capable of 300 KmH.   Their 6 litre Chev or Ford engines produce 450 kw (600 hp).    

Two firsts this year are Brandon Auby (Masana Petroleum Jaguar) just 16 years old, who has competed in karts and Formula Ford Single Seaters, joining the series and Clare Vale (Truckman Mustang) the first lady to ever race a Wesbank V8 after a career racing many types of sports cars. 

From the youngest at 16 to the oldest at 65 comes the true veteran and legend of V8 racing in this country – Willie Hepburn (Project Orange Corvette).   In his benefit year he is going to retire at the end of the season after a motor racing career spanning 47 years.   And he can still pedal with the best – and beat them as well. 

Also unique to this high speed formula are a number of father and son teams, with the sons now starting to beat the “old man”.    Two other brothers from Welkom also form a team. 

Number-wise, the Auby family leads the way with no less than four entries.   Father Deon (Metaforge Jaguar), Marc with the Jonnesway Tools Chev Lumina and now Brendan.   Jimmy is also a prospect for the Lebanon A1 GP Team.   This must be a world record. 

The Wilfords (Fuchs Lubricants Mustang) line up with veteran Larry or his son, Terry – the 2006 GT2 champion.   Des Gutzeit (Dezzi/Trysome Ford Mustang) a car enthusiast of note, is there with his son Jade (Dezzi/Trysome Mustang) the winner of the Roof of Africa on two wheels. 

From Welkom, Jaco Correia (Omega Motorspares Corvette) and his younger brother, Danie, in a similar car, complete the family line-up.   

This formidable bunch of entries have total involvement and a tall mountain to climb against some stiff opposition. 

The Team Timken trio with twice champion, Hennie Groenewald (Lumina), runner- up in 2007, Robert Briggs (Jaguar), and consistent Richard Pinnard (Jaguar), is going to be a hard one to beat. 

Front runner Mackie Adlem hopes to be in the line-up in 2009 in a new championship winning car. 

Third last year and with considerable talent is Gordon Connelly (Cowan Signs/Dezzi/Trysome Jaguar) coming back for more, and possibly his first overall win.   2002 Wesbank Champion, Roelf du Plessis (Venter Motors Lumina) is on the come-back trail. 

20 year-old Wade van Zummeren (Border Towing Mustang) from East London will be a regular, as will Franco di Matteo (Optima Batteries Jaguar).   Newcomer Rob Wall (Vered Mustang) has moved up from his Shelby Can-Am sports car and will be in the ex-Adlem / Sarel van der Merwe championship winning Ford Mustang. 

Others who will be seen this year at certain meetings are Ian Young, Steve Smith, Johnny Eekhout and Steve Herbst. 

All this points to another year of great motor sport with the Wesbank V8s.