Sidumisile Mabena
Barnabas Masimba
BULAWAYO is bracing for tyre smoke, roaring engines and pure adrenaline as the HP Lubes Castrol drag racing series roars to life at Bulawayo Motorsport Park on 7 March.
Hosted by the Bulawayo Motoring Club (BMC), the event always provides prime entertainment for families.
Last year’s showdown pulled in a massive 51 entries across car and bike categories, turning the strip into a non-stop, full-day motorsport fiesta packed with fierce rivalries and bragging rights.
BMC chairman Zane Shah has thrown the doors wide open, urging petrolheads to bring any roadworthy machine and line up for safe, controlled fun.
“This is the first round of the year so we’re still waiting to see who turns up, but we hope the VW club and BMW club will be out in force again,” said Shah. “Anyone with a roadworthy vehicle is welcome. Race the track, not the streets.”
classes to watch are:
Class A: Up to 1600cc
Class B: 1601cc to 2000cc
Class D: Up to 3000cc
Class E: 3001cc and above
Class TA: Turbo up to 2000cc
Class TB: Turbo up to 2500cc
Class TC: Turbo 2501cc and above
Bikes BA: Up to 750cc
Bikes BB: 751cc and above.
However, the start line will miss one of its biggest stars.
Reigning champion Aidan White, popularly known as Boon, will sit out the event as he prepares for surgery to fix complications from an old car crash injury. His feared Nissan Skyline 2.6L Turbo 4×4 will not thunder down the strip this time.
His wife and fellow racer Paula Landman White, nicknamed The Wonder Woman, will also skip the event to support him.
“Aidan’s old injury never healed properly and the surgeon now has to change the plates,” she said. “But we’ll definitely be back at the next races and we hope to see more women coming forward to race.”
With champions sidelined and fresh challengers expected, all signs point to a loud, fast and unpredictable day at the strip as Bulawayo’s drag racing season blasts into life.
Online Reporter