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Gary Kirk Sports Correspondent
THE 2014 motorsport season gets underway this weekend at Donnybrook Raceway in Harare with the first round of the 2014 Zimbabwe National Motor Racing Championships.
Competitors on Sunday will be competing for both the Saloon car and sports car championship in the 1600 and Open classes during the Selbas Race Day.
Competition should be close with all of last year’s champions; Ian Howden (Open class saloons), Christian Berkau (1600cc saloons), Cole Bond (Open class sports cars) and Brett Cameron (1600cc sports cars) taking part again.
In the Open saloon car section competition is expected to be fierce between Howden’s very fast turbo charged Toyota and Bulawayo’s Angelo Tavares in his Subaru. Challenging these two will be Rowan Whyte in last year’s championship winning Subaru.
Newcomers Lorraine Randall, in a Turbo Mini, and Christie Laing, in a Turbo Toyota Starlet, will add sparkle to the event while Darryl Archibald, driving a Skyline, will be keen to do well in his first outing.
Toyota sponsored development drivers Hilton Harunavamwe and Lamlani Ndlovu will be showcasing their skills developed over the last two years.
In the hotly-contested 1600 saloon car class, Bulawayo’s Darryn Pradgi will be out to beat the strong field from Harare including Berkau and Alister Howden, in Toyota Corollas, and a gaggle of Toyota MR 2’s led by veteran Craig Green, Steve Murton, Mike Exton and newcomer Peter Flack.
Cole Bond will be pushed by Barney Rogers, Eric Heard and Richard Robinson in the unlimited sport car class with Bulawayo’s Sonny Young ensuring they don’t have things all their own way.
John Cameron, Shaun Kerwin and newcomer Donny Maxfield will be there to pick up the honours should those at the front faulter.
In the 1600 sports car class Brett Cameron will have to fight off multi championship winning Gary Kirk and schoolboy new star Fanie Van der Linde. Clive Naude will be making his debut in the class.
In the motorcycle division we see a welcome return to National Superbikes with a field of 14 riders expected.
Bulawayo are fielding six competitors, led by Ian Gutherless and “Fuzzy Walker” both on Kawasaki ZX 10 R 1000cc machines capable of speeds in excess of 250kph. Tim Schultz will ride his powerful Yamaha R1, with wife Bianca on the extremely fast Yamaha r6.
Harare will be represented by ex multiple champion Clive Mawson on the evergreen Bimota 1000, Donny Maxfield on his Yamaha R1, Graham Hill, Kawasaki 900 Ninja, Steve Vos, Suzuki GSXR 1000 and veteran Phil Archenoul on the DeWalt tools Suzuki 1000.
In the Bokomo/Weetbix Megelli 250cc class, which proved to be the most competitive and spectacular class of 2013, a full field of 12 bikes are expected.
Harare’s Gavin Randall, Graham Hill, Paul Stevenson and last year’s champion Phil Archenoul will spearhead Harare’s attack on Bulawayo’s Dave Mouat and newcomer Matt Schultz.
Harare newcomer’s Warrick Rowley and Craig Archenoul will be out to prove their worth while female rider Tiffy Fisher will be out to show some of the men how it should be done once again, with her ever improving lap times and style.
This year will see an even tighter battle for the prestigious Bokomo/Weetbix title to be decided over seven events, split between Mashonaland and Matabeleland.
Practice starts on Sunday at 10am and racing at 12noon and will include a full programme of car and bike racing including National and handicap races.
Entrance to the event is US$5 per car and there will be full bar and catering facilities as well as a guarded car park at the recently refurbished venue.
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