Twenty of South Africa’s fastest racing cars - the Wesbank V8’s have entered for round three of the Wesbank V8 Super Car Series at the Aldo Scribante Circuit in Port Elizabeth this Saturday (26 April 2008).

Able to lap this popular track situated right on the coast, at around the 1 minute mark these cars with their 6L V8 engines with more than 450 Kw‘s race in close company to provide great motor racing action and entertainment.

The sight of the top drivers in the country coming out of the tight corners and fast sweeps at Aldo Scribante going sideways with smoking tyres is more spectacular here than at any other racing circuit in the country.

Capable of doing this better than most are the Team Timken trio of twice South African Wesbank V8 Champion Hennie Groenewald (Chev Lumina SS), Ex Polo VW Champion Robert Briggs and Richard Pinard both in Ford engined Jaguars.

Hennie Groenewald tops the point’s table after two rounds thanks to three wins and a second place using both the team Timken’s Lumina and Jaguar.  Briggs sharing the same cars is 18 points behind after a win, 2 seconds and a DNF in the last race in Cape Town.  “Mr Consistency” Pinnard is lying a handy fifth overall after three great finishes.

Putting pressure on The Timken’s threesome is veteran Willie Hepburn (Project Orange Chev Corvette) who has scored in all four races so far.  He is a V8 man  to the core and still as competitive as when he started racing 47 years ago.

Mark Auby (Johnnesway Tool Lumina) always up in the leading pack despite a huge high speed crash at Kyalami in Round 1 is still handily placed in fourth position.

Next comes another bunch of talent able to handle these unique V8’s with masses of torque.  A four speed Jerico gearbox and a Detroit locker diff is used which free wheels into corners and then puts both rear wheels to work when the power is fed in.  That is why these cars try to spin around on their drivers coming out of corners.

Another veteran in this high speed category of motor racing is Franco de Matteo (Optima Batteries Jaguar). He has the likes of youngsters Gordon Connelly (Cowan Signs/Dezzi Jaguar) who needs to crack a podium finish and sixteen year old Brandon Auby  (Masana

 Petroleum Jaguar) from karting and Formula Ford Racing able to take on anyone and give trouble.  Terry Wilford (Fuchs Lubricants Jaguar) despite a huge fire that put him out of the race in Cape Town will be in the line up.  His successful father Larry is also in a Fuchs Lubricant Mustang, which has served the family well over the years and racing on a circuit where he shines.  They are just a single point apart.

Another capable racing father Deon Auby (Metaforce Jaguar) who has three sons racing (Mark and Brandon in Wesbank V8’s and Jimmy in the Lebanese A1 Grand Prix team), can pedal with the best of them.

Former Champion in 2001 Roelf Du Plessis (Venter Motors Lumina SS) is getting back in the groove and up to speed.  And from the start of the season at Kyalami, he finished in the points.

Des Gutzeit (Dezzi/Trysome Mustang) another father with a ultra successful motor sport son Jade in a similar car is hopefully going to be in the line up as well.

The brothers Correia, Jaco and Danie (Omega Motor Spares Corvettes) are always in the action on the circuits.  Cape Town was not a happy hunting ground for the older brother Jaco.  In 2007 he crashed his car and again in 2008 he was involved in a crash.  Danie is one of six drivers to finish all four races such is the level of this intense competition.

East London’s, Wade van Zummeren in the ex-Formato Border Towing Mustang is the second youngest driver in the line up.  He is long overdue to equal the win he had in East London a few years ago.  Clare Vale (Truckman Mustang) has made a great impression as the first woman to not only attempt to race an awesome Wesbank V8 but to do well amongst a determined pack.

Rob Wall (P2P Squared Holdings Mustang) up from Can-Am racing is visiting the coastal circuit in one of these cars with Ian Young (Independent Projects Mustang) there as well.

Two races are held for the Wesbank V8 cars.  In the second race the starting grid is reversed and is a few laps longer.  This puts the faster men at the rear of the rolling start and sees them working hard for their points and passing in impossible places.