The East London Grand Prix Circuit will be the next battleground for the National Extreme Festival tour this coming weekend (26-27 July), promising to be an action-packed spectacle at South Africa’s fastest circuit.

Operated by the Border Motorsport Club, the circuit is situated on the city’s southern shoreline. Apart from being the country’s closest circuit to the ocean, another unique aspect is that it is the only regularly used venue to combine public roads with purpose-built extensions, similar to the old Spa-Francorchamps circuit layout in Belgium. With most of the layout consisting of straights and sweeping corners, it is often called the country’s Cathedral of Speed, producing some of the fastest battles for victory in South African motorsport.

Round 5 of the South African Touring Cars Championship will be heading up the roster. Former double-champion Robert Wolk (Chemical Logistics BMW 128 ti), who grew up in East London, will look to extend his lead over stablemate Julian van der Watt (Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI), which stands at seven points heading into the weekend. Michael van Rooyen (Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla), 11 points adrift, is enjoying a superb season, finding himself 12 points clear of his teammate and defending champion Saood Variawa. Fifth-placed season debutant Anthony Pretorius (OMP Toyota Corolla) will also be a driver to watch out for, having taken his maiden win in the last outing.

In the SATC SupaCup, sharing the circuit with the South African Touring Cars Championship, Keegan Campos (Campos Transport Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) holds a 19-point lead over Jonathan Mogotsi, with the latter 17 points clear of Charl Visser. Both Mogotsi and Visser will compete in their Volkswagen Motorsport Polo SupaCup cars. Tate Bishop (ANGRi Racing Volkswagen Polo SupaCup), fresh from his recent maiden win, heads up the midfield, with defending champion Brad Liebenberg in his Sparco South Africa-backed entry being the first of the Toyota Starlet SupaCup cars. East London local Darron Gudmanz is set to make his debut in a Volkswagen Polo SupaCup, while Roberto Franco (Graphix Supply World Polo SupaCup) will look to extend his Masters Class points lead.

While Jason Loosemore (Security Fencing and Alarms) and Nathan Victor (Summit Racing) remain the only drivers to have topped the podium in the all-Volkswagen Polo GTI Astron Energy Polo Cup heading into Round 5, the balance has now swayed to a 6-3 advantage for Loosemore, who holds a 19-point lead in the championship. Ethan Coetzee (Ethan Coetzee Motorsport) has moved into third place and will be eager to excel at the circuit where he was involved in a near-fatal accident two years ago.

Wayne Masters (AlphaESS) holds an 11-point lead in the Series’ Master Class over Derick Smalberger (Sabertek), with John Kruger (Habot Oils) in third place.

The SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup will represent the two-wheel contingent of racers. Having missed the fifth round, points leader Clinton Seller (King Price Xtreme) will be back in action on the grid, having been victorious in his eight prior starts. His absence saw Trevor Westman (Team Wayward Powered by Project Sixty SA) decrease the gap to 46 points, with Hein McMahon (K9 Law enforcement) still third, 27 points adrift. In Round 5, the wins were shared by Damion Purificati (Amalgum Welding Shop) and David Enticott (Ravenol SA).

Seller, Westman, and McMahon also head up Class A, albeit with the points totals being slightly different, with them having 200, 162, and 137, respectively. Defending Series champion Graeme van Breda (Stefanutti Stocks) holds a 41-point lead in Class B over Dave Veringa (Wheelzonline) and Dieter Huysamen (Trucella Angling Supplies). Jayson Lamb (Tyremart EL) is 19 points ahead of Johan le Roux (Avidan Tadcaster Apex Alprene Woodlands) in Class C, with Ian Harwood (TRP Distributors/ Berik) third.

The fastest lap times of the weekend will come from the Extreme SuperCars Driven by Dunlop field, with this being the sixth championship round for them as well. Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3) had his lead decreased to three points in Gqeberha, where second-placed Arnold Neveling (Bobcat powered by GOSCOR Lift Trucks Audi R8 LMS GT3) dominated the weekend. In third, Stuart White (Wurth SA Huracan GT3 EVO) is 13 points adrift.

Du Toit also heads up the GT3-specification class, while Neveling, Charl Arangies, Ant Blunden, Jimmy Giannoccaro, and Oliver Hintenaus lead the time-based classes A+ through D.

The Investchem Formula 1600 field will provide top-class single-seater action. KC Ensor-Smith’s (African Heating) dominance in Round 4 now sees him leading the championship, six points clear of Jagger Robertson (Liqui Moly South Africa). Jason Coetzee (Mint Wrapworks), 15 points adrift of Robertson, will look to rack up his second victory of 2024.

Dominance is the name of the game in two of the three classes that make up the Gazoo Racing South Africa Cup Driven by Netstar.

Dawie van der Merwe remains unbeaten at the top of the GR 86 Class heading into Round 5. He finds himself 21 points or three race wins, clear of Niko Zafiris. The latter’s six podiums from eight starts see him 10 points clear of Dylan Pragji.

It is an almost identical scenario in the GR Corolla Class, where the unbeaten Shaun Nurse has a 24-point advantage over Alex Shahini, with Hannes Visser just three points adrift.

Things are closer at the top of the GR Yaris Class, with this being their fourth outing for 2024. Mario De Sousa, still to win a race, has a two-point lead over Paul De Vos and Devon Scott, with this pair having shared the wins equally in prior rounds.

Spectators can purchase tickets at the East London Grand Prix Circuit on Saturday, 27 July. Tickets are sold at R100.00 per person, with children under 12 entering for free. While the gates will open early, the race programme will start at 10:50 with two races per series.

The full race day programme will also be broadcast live on https://extremefestival.co.za/live/.