Midas Production Car Kyalami preview

The Midas Production Car travelling circus will return to AA Kyalami next Saturday (May 5), adding guaranteed mirror-bashing spectacle to proceedings.

Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2001 South African Midas Production Car Championship should see more than 50 competitors on the startline. With nine manufacturers represented, AA Kyalami spectators will see desperately close battles in each of the five racing classes that make up the country's largest national tin-top title chase.

At the front of the field, Kaye-Eddie Racing team leader Reghardt Roets will wish to retain the Class A and overall Midas Production Car title leads in his BMW 328i. He will be forcefully challenged by semi-works BMW 328i racers Shaun and Etienne van der Linde, Gavin Kelsey (Kaye-Eddie BMW 328i), Steve Wyndham (Ford Credit Falcon XR6) plus the older BMW 328i models of Richard Sorensen and Chad Wentzel.

Setting out to spoil their collective day will be Michele Lupini (Champion Subaru Impreza) and Peter Lanz (Nissan Maxima QX), with both drivers undoubtedly capable of victories.

In Class B, Team Total Honda Ballade V-TEC drivers Curt Alchin and Gavin Cronje top the point standings, with their closest rivals the Castrol Toyota Corolla RSi works team's Charl Wilken and Mark Cronje. Able to upset all of their plans will be Clinton Weston (Team Total Honda Ballade V-TEC), privateer Toyota Corolla RSi drivers Dave Kopke and Mario da Sousa, plus veteran Brian Luyt in his venerable Opel Astra 200iE.

Douglas Reekie (Ray-Ban Honda Ballade 180i) and Bert Grogor (Opel Kadett 180i) are the current men to beat in Class C, but they will face stern opposition at AA Kyalami. Hector North (Mercurius Honda Ballade 180i) plus fellow Honda drivers Phillip Booysen, Vaughn Williams and Lee Phillips could all mount the podium.

So far, Deltaparts Opel Corsa 160 GSi team mates Stephen Taylor and Leeroy Poulter have shared the year's Class D wins. That could change dramatically at AA Kyalami, where the Corsa drivers will face a full-scale attack from Ford's new Fiesta RSi, in the hands of Etienne du Toit and Fanie de Bruyn.

Driven by Du Toit in totally undeveloped form, the Fiesta had a remarkable Midas Production Car racing debut at the Port Elizabeth Aldo Scribante six weeks ago. This time, following a comprehensive testing programme, Ford's Super-mini could well challenge Opel's Super-mini for race wins.

Others to watch in the class will include Nyameka Williams (Petronas Opel Corsa 160 GSi), Phillip Kekana (Sasol Toyota Tazz 160i RS), Dawie de Villiers (Daihatsu Sirion), Adrian Burford (Toyota Tazz), plus Honda Ballade 160i drivers Ian Long and Jaco Correia.

A total of 14 cars will contest Class E, with the victory favourites James Menin (Midas Goldfields Opel Corsa 130iS), Cor Kraamwinkel (Goldi Chicken Opel Kadett 140iS), Craig Nicholson (Ferodo Toyota Tazz), Angus Thompson (Nissan Sentra 140GX) and Dave Compton (Castrol Toyota Tazz).

"Midas Production Car racing is getting better all the time, with the arrival of new marques throughout its class structure adding an immense amount of popularity this season."

"We expect the AA Kyalami Production Car races to produce highlights of an action-packed programme," said Mr. Vaughn Williams, chairman of the Midas Production Car Racing Association.

-MPC-