Circuit racing returns to the East London Grand Prix Circuit for the final time this year when the Ford & Friends event takes place on Saturday, 10 December. The event promises loads of action with the championship deciders for the Border Modifieds and club Historic categories on the card, together with special Ford events, motorcycles and the Border 100, a one-and-a-half-hour endurance race.
Image by Darryl Kukard
The Border Modified Saloon Car brigade will be out in force, with their most extensive entry this year. In the absence of Bevan Schwarz, who recently announced his retirement from competitive motorsport after a 32-year career, the leading contenders are likely to come from Class B, with Bevan Choudree (The Doctor Racing Team VW Polo), Gareth Hewitt (Steel and Pipes for Africa BMW), RJ Green (Herbalife BMW) and Craig Czank fighting for the win. Over a dozen Class C drivers will be fighting for points, with Paul Berry (BMW), Mornay Swanepoel (Swanies Bodyworks BMW), Shaun Vallance (Mag Lab BMW), Wade Wright (Go Store It BMW) and Julian Herman (Mels Motors BMW) likely to be near the front. However, Bryce and Brady Choudree, in their The Doctor Racing Team cars, could also be in the mix. Eli Vergara (Elite Motor Traders VW Golf) and Quentin Lessing (Tredz Tyres Toyota Corolla) will fight it out in Class D. At the same time, Class E should be a tussle between Craig Borges (BJR Budget Kitchens Opel Kadett), JP Fuller (VW Polo) and Melindre Marais (GB Racing Opel Kadett). Although they are not part of the championship, a handful of fast cars will also be on the grid. They include the Nissan R34s of Martin and Wade van Zummeren, Johan van der Westhuizen in a Chevy Camaro and Joburg visitor Gelnton Rebello in his ATS 2000 Birkin.
Around 30 cars are expected to line up for the Laude Classic Cars: Historic, Classic, KZN Retro, & Coastal Challenge Saloons races, with regular winner Mike Forsyth (Cobra) likely to be challenged by Matthew Gudmanz (Super Value Foods Chev CanAm), Rudolf de Vos in a similar CanAm, and Darron Gudmanz (Super Value Foods Ford Capri). Class B will feature Rob Prece (Powerking VW Golf), Alec Gudmanz (Ford Capri), Wayne Botha (Team Tiny Ford Escort) and Louis Powel (Engine Hero Ford Escort), among others. Class C will likely feature the Fords of Johan van der Westhuizen, Carl Fantham and Gary Schultz, with some competition from KZN and Western Cape visitors. Shane Fantham (Ford Escort), Andrew Karshagen (Ford Capri), Ryan Gudmanz (Datsun SSS) and Quentin Lessing (Ford Anglia) will be among the Class D contenders, while Kyle Rose (Ford Cortina) will be out in Class E.
A selection of Fords, from Anglias to Escorts, Capris and Cortinas, will be out in the All Fords Race, with most of them competing in other categories on the day, while a couple of Ford & Friends Thunder Races should see a wide selection of vehicles out on track.
In The Border 100, pure speed is not always the answer, but a quartet of very quick Lotus 7s should be near the front. They will be joined by eight of the Border Modifieds Saloons and about a dozen of the historics, which should make for some interesting strategies as they fight for overall and Index of Performance wins.
Things get underway at 07h25 on Saturday, when the first of the qualifying sessions start. Racing begins at 09h30, with the Border 100 rounding off the day’s proceedings. That is expected to get underway at 16h25 and finish shortly before 18h00. Tickets, at R50.00 for those aged 12 and above, will be available at the gate.
