SA Endurance Series : Review and Photobook out now

In the scorching heart of Delmas, at the notorious Red Star Raceway, the curtain-raiser for the SA Endurance Series transformed into a rollercoaster of emotions, painting the asphalt with tales of triumph and despair. Henk Lategan, piloting the formidable BBR Racing Porsche, clinched victory by the skin of their teeth, a mere 0.8 seconds ahead of the valiant Promigen Audi, after the race was thrown into disarray by a dramatic twist of fate involving the Slingshot Backdraft piloted by Steve Clark.

The final lap, which felt more like a high-speed game of chess, saw Paul Hill in the Promigen Audi navigating a labyrinth of backmarkers, his attempts to snatch victory thwarted, allowing Lategan to breathe a sigh of relief as he crossed the finish line first.

Earlier, the race narrative took a sharp turn when Clark’s Backdraft became a mobile inferno, leading to the safety car’s deployment. This unexpected intermission set the stage for a nail-biting finale, where strategy and grit were put to the ultimate test.

The BBR Racing team, comprising Lategan, Heinrich Lategan, and Verissimo Tavares, executed a pit stop masterstroke, propelling them to the front with a cushion of 44 seconds over their closest rivals. But motorsport, ever the unpredictable beast, ensured that their journey to the top was anything but straightforward.

Mike McLoughlin, sharing the ill-fated Slingshot with Clark, described the turn of events as “absolutely heartbreaking,” a sentiment that likely echoed through the paddock as they witnessed their podium hopes vanish into thin air.

Consistency, often the unsung hero of endurance racing, was personified by the duo of Karah Hill and Jurie Swart in the Kalex VW Polo. Their unwavering pace throughout the ordeal earned them a well-deserved third place, capitalizing on the misfortune that befell the Slingshot team.

In a twist of fate, Steve Clark managed to nurse the wounded Backdraft to fourth overall, while also securing the inaugural win in the newly minted Backdraft Roadster National Championship for the Mark Harvey/Dean Wolson/Philip Meyer trio.

The race weekend was a crucible of extremes, from the blistering highs of victory to the agonizing lows of mechanical despair. It was a vivid reminder of the thin line between triumph and heartbreak in the world of motorsport.

As the dust settles on this epic saga, the competitors now turn their gaze towards the next battle at Zwartkops Raceway. With the opening round’s drama still fresh, anticipation and apprehension hang in the air, promising another thrilling chapter in the SA Endurance Series saga.

This past weekend, armed with my trusty Canon gear which I’m convinced is half camera, half survival kit, I ventured into the fiery pits of Redstar Raceway. It was the SA Endurance Series, a day when cars roar louder than a mother-in-law at a holiday dinner, and the heat competes with the sun for a spotlight.

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