Online Reporter
Collin Matiza
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ALL eyes will be on Donnybrook Park Raceway in Harare on Sunday, as the fourth round of the 2026 National Championships takes place on the Main Circuit.
The organisers of this exciting motor racing event, Sables Motor Club, have attracted a full field of Saloon and Sports cars, driven by Zimbabwe’s fastest drivers, and they will all be competing for Championship points.
The first three rounds of the championship, held in Harare and Bulawayo, have produced a surprise A Class Saloon leader.
Jim Perry has been “Mr Consistency” in his BMW Turbo, finishing on the podium in every race, and the previously troublesome car is now very well sorted.
However, his lead is only 2 points over his son Hamish, and with 20 points on offer on Sunday, he is far from secure.
The 2025 National Champion, Des Morris, sits in third place in his Nissan 370Z.
This car has proven to be super reliable, so Morris is guaranteed to pick up more points.
The 2000cc Turbo Class has been dominated by Gary Bluett in his Ezytrack Mitsubishi Evo, as Usama Patel struggles to find parts for his Toyota MR2 Turbo. Bulawayo driver Quinton Holder will be bringing his Golf to do battle with Harare’s Onismo Mhute’s Toyota in the 2-litre Class.
Mhute, who grew up in Harare’s high-density suburb of Mabvuku, which is adjacent to Donnybrook, will arrive at this iconic motorsport venue on Sunday, bubbling with confidence after having posted his biggest victory of his fledgling motor racing career in Bulawayo towards the end of last month
He surprised all and sundry when he swept the opposition away to win the Bulawayo 100 Race Day at Bulawayo Motorsport Park on June 28.
Racing against some of the country’s seasoned motor racing drivers, Mhute showed no ghost of an inferiority complex as he went through the chequered flag in first place in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
And the 41-year-old Mhute, who only started main circuit racing last year, will be out to prove that his victory at Bulawayo Motorsport Park was no big fluke when he takes to the wheel again at Donnybrook on Sunday.
He was inspired to take up motor racing by one of the country’s top main circuit racing drivers, Mano Zevgolis, after watching his childhood hero, Formula 1 legend, Michael Schumacher, on television when growing up in Mabvuku.
Mhute just wants to be a serial winner in the local main circuit racing series.
The biggest saloon class on Sunday is the 1600cc Class, where 10 drivers have scored points this year.
Vernon Lapham and Steve Murton hold the top spots in this class, previous National Champion Catherine Zevgolis is back in town, and pending her doctor’s approval, she will be back at the wheel of her very fast Honda on Sunday.
Ronnie Parcell will have a new Toyota MR2 on track after a practice accident claimed his last one, and Jamie Kerwin will be racing her similar car.
In the Sports Car Class, Eric Heard will make his first appearance of the year aboard his Yamaha-powered Super7 and will challenge Brett Olsen as well as Gary Kirk.
Maurizio Savo has been spotted practising at the track, as has Carl Olsen, so close, exciting racing is assured.
A feature of this event is the participation of the Vintage & Classic Club, which will be hosting their members in a special VIP grandstand.
About 30 cars of special interest are expected to attend, and will be paraded around the circuit in a special demonstration at 1pm.
The Club are also sponsoring Bob Beaver, who will be travelling from Bulawayo to compete in his immaculate 1965 Mini Cooper. This car is always a crowd favourite.
The Raceday will culminate in the 10-lap Grand Prix, which will be the first time that drivers from all classes will compete against each other in a handicap format based on their previous lap times.
Add in vintage cars and superbike demonstrations, and Sunday promises to be a great day in the sun.
It will be more than just a feast of power and speed, as the country’s top motor racing drivers jostle for the top step on the podium in the different classes they will be competing in.
