The roar of engines, the scent of burning rubber and the electric buzz of anticipation set the stage for a blockbuster opening round of the SA Endurance National Championship at Pretoria’s Zwartkops Raceway. Over four gripping hours, the Samlin Racing Four Hours of Zwartkops delivered drama, heartbreak and a fairytale podium finish that left fans on the edge of their seats.
Qualifying: Nerves, Mechanical Gremlins, and a Dash of Chaos
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Under crisp Gauteng skies, Saturday’s qualifying sessions hinted at the pandemonium to come. The Rico Barlow Racing/Adjust for Sleep Nova trio—Nick Adcock, Michael Jensen, and teenage sensation Ryan Naicker—laid down a marker with a combined lap time of 58,74 seconds, snatching pole position. But the story here was as much about who didn’t make the grid as who did. The Into Africa Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, piloted by reigning champions Xolile Letlaka and Stuart White, suffered a cruel twist when ABS brake issues left Letlaka stranded without a timed lap. Despite White’s blistering 58,605-second effort (the quickest of the day), the duo faced a pitlane start, their championship defence already under siege.
Class battles simmered beneath the surface. Samlin Racing’s Nathan Hammond claimed Class B honours in his Trinity Lamborghini, while David Franco’s Graphix Supply World VW Polo GTi topped Class C. Meanwhile, the Backdraft Roadster brigade—led by Barend and Harm Pretorius—dominated Class D, though their factory teammates Steve Clark and Mike McLaughlin faced a last-minute crisis. With their primary Slingshot sidelined by mechanical woes, the pair gambled by entering their Class D spare car in the top-tier Class A. A decision that would soon pay dividends.
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The casualty list from qualifying read like a mechanic’s nightmare: Scuderia Rossi’s Alfa Romeo Giulia limped with differential issues, Jacquet Racing’s Chev Camaro battled gearbox gremlins, and Korridas Racing’s VW Golf nursed a broken gear linkage. All would start from the pitlane, their crews working furiously ahead of the race.
Race Day: Strategy, Carnage, and a Teenager’s Star Turn
As the lights went green, Adcock launched the RBR Nova into an early lead, shadowed by Charl Arangies’ Porsche 911 GT3R. But all eyes were on the charging Into Africa Lamborghini, with White slicing through the field like a hot knife through butter. By the 20-minute mark, he’d carved through to fourth; 40 minutes in, he was hounding Arangies for second. What followed was pure theatre. As White lunged up the inside at Turn 5, Arangies slammed the door—only for the Porsche’s burst water pipe to send him pirouetting into the gravel on his own coolant. Cue the first safety car, and cue chaos.
The Nova team’s pitstop under yellow should have been routine. But when Jensen took the wheel, the car spluttered ominously. A panicked return to the pits revealed the culprit: an errant traction control knob, nudged during the driver change. The error cost them a lap, handing Letlaka—now in the Lamborghini—a seemingly unassailable lead.
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But endurance racing is a fickle beast. At 16:40, disaster struck for Into Africa. White, duelling with Wayne Roach’s Class B Lamborghini, tangled wheels at high speed. The Huracan limped back with a broken tie rod, losing 12 agonising minutes in repairs. Roach retired on the spot—a bitter end for the local squad.
This opened the door for Jensen and Naicker. The RBR Nova, now faultless, began reeling in the leaders. Naicker, the 17-year-old rookie, turned heads with a scintillating final stint, setting the fastest lap and sealing a 10-lap victory. “To stay calm after that early setback—it shows maturity beyond his years,” grinned Adcock post-race.
Podium Dreams: Spare Cars, Splash-and-Dashes, and Smoke Signals
While the Nova squad celebrated, the real Cinderella story unfolded behind them. Clark and McLaughlin, in their hastily prepped Class D Backdraft Roadster (race-ready just hours earlier), executed a masterclass in strategy. Avoiding traffic and nursing tyres, they climbed from 12th to third overall—and bagged the Index of Performance win for good measure. “We almost packed up when the Slingshot broke,” admitted McLaughlin. “Now we’re leading a championship. Madness!”
Their joy contrasted with the heartache for others. The #Labocosmetica Backdraft of Gianni Gabbiani and Mark Owens lost a podium with a late fuel splash, while the Pretorius family’s Class D charge was thwarted by a finicky fuel pump. “We’ll be checking every hose twice before Aldo Scribante,” sighed team manager Francois Pretorius.
Further back, Mozambique’s G-Rasteirinho Racing staged a quiet comeback from 21st to sixth, and Scuderia Rossi’s Alfa Romeo—despite differential woes—ninth. “Finishing was a victory,” shrugged driver Mario da Silva, his Giulia sounding more coffee grinder than race car.
1-Hour Dash: A Gallardo’s Grand Return
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The supporting 1-Hour Dash served as a thrilling appetiser. Shayur Harpal, in his Stradale Motorsport Lamborghini Gallardo, edged Andrew Horne’s Ligier-Honda by a mere 0.228 seconds after a nail-biting duel. “I’ve missed this adrenaline!” beamed Harpal, returning after an eight-year hiatus. Antoine Marx, a V8 veteran turned Dash debutant, scooped third in a Shelby CanAm-Nissan, while defending champ Mike Verrier settled for fourth, frustrated by backmarkers.
Championship Chess: Early Moves Made
As the sun dipped over Zwartkops, teams packed up with minds already turning to Round 2—the Five Hours of Aldo Scribante on 5 April. The Nova squad leads, but White and Letlaka trail by just five points. Clark and McLaughlin’s fairytale debut proves this championship is anyone’s game.
One thing’s certain: if Zwartkops was a taste of the season ahead, South African endurance racing has never been spicier. Bring on Gqeberha.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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