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Collin Matiza
Sports Editor
THIS Sunday will see the ceremonial home of local motorsport — Donnybrook Park Raceway — holding the first Main Circuit National Race Day of the year.
The 2020 season motor racing season was wiped out by the Covid-19 restrictions.
But, the sport was recently given the green light by the Sports Commission to resume activities.
This has allowed Motorsport Zimbabwe to host this Sunday’s event, which is being sponsored by Ezytrack.
And, one of the event’s organisers, Jim Perry, could not hide his excitement over the resumption of motor racing this weekend.
“We are all very excited to race as last year we only managed one National race and then Covid-19 regulations stopped play.
“We will have a number of categories on Sunday and with the bikes, many of the youngsters have now moved up to the 600cc Class and we are expecting over a dozen bikes on the line.
“The single-seater Sports cars will race together with C and D Saloon cars and then Saloon Class B will race together with the Saloon Class A Turbo cars. We are hoping for over 25 cars to take part in this event.
“All bikes and cars will have two National races each, then all cars will race together in the Sables Club League race, the bikes will do two Handicap races and lastly, all cars will race the Ezytrak Grand Prix which is a Handicap race.
“Thanks to the sponsors of the first Donnybrook race day of 2021, Ezytrack, for their efforts in making the Championship kick-off event a huge success,” Perry said.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Zimbabwe Superbike Championship will also rev off at Donnybrook on Sunday.
The 2021 season is poised to be an exciting championship battle with some unexpected and drastic changes to the line-up.
The reigning 1000cc champion Warren Thorne should lead the field if he can get a good start and use the power of his ZX10 to get an early lead.
Thorne has aspirations of breaking the current lap record at Donnybrook and after coming so close last year his sites will be firmly set on the stopwatch.
The newly-formed 600cc Championship sees the return of former South Africa Superbike Champion Shaun Whyte on a Honda CBR 600RR.
Whyte has returned to mentor his son, Ricky, who is the reigning 250cc Champion and will be stepping up to the 600cc class on a Kawasaki ZX6.
Veteran Doug Mellor is expected to lead the early rounds piloting his newer faster Yamaha YZ R6 while he tentatively awaits the season rookies to get their bikes set up and get to race pace on the faster machines.
Uli Mieners, the seasoned veteran, is expected to lead the rest of the pack on his Aprilia RSV4 with a tough battle from up-and-coming young rider Jan Nel, on a Kawasaki ZX6, who has shown impressive pace in pre-season testing.
Newcomer Greg Read has made huge progress on the Yamaha R6 after a close shave entering the right-hand S in pre-season practice.
He has made some set-up adjustments and has put a target on the Honda CBR600RR of Carl Olsen. This 600cc field is exciting and is poised to breathe new life into the Zimbabwe Superbike Championship.
Sources have identified four or five riders who could enter the series, during the season to make a comeback, if the first race goes off well.
Racing on Sunday starts at 10am with entry fee for the spectators pegged at US$2 for adults while children under the age of 12 will get in for free.
Spectators have been urged to adhere to Covid-19 protocols.
Online Reporter