The Southern African Endurance Series, connected by Vodacom 4U, returned with a spectacular display of speed, strategy, and drama at Aldo Scribante Raceway in Gqeberha. Round two of this thrilling championship, held on 5th April 2025, saw an unpredictable five-hour race that delivered a gripping three-way battle from start to finish. The iconic 2.5km circuit became the stage for a race that would keep spectators on the edge of their seats until the chequered flag waved at 21h00.
Victory for Into Africa Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo
Xolile Letlaka and Stuart White piloted their Into Africa Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo to a dominant victory, finishing two laps ahead of their nearest rivals. The victory was not without drama, as the race unfolded with unexpected twists and turns. Charl Arangies and Arnold Neveling’s Stradale Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R took second place, while the Rico Barlow Racing/Adjust for Sleep Nova team, consisting of Charl Visser, Ryan Naicker, and Jonathan Thomas, secured the final spot on the podium.
The race marked an exciting debut for Vodacom 4U as the title sponsor of the Southern African Endurance Series. Their presence was felt both on and off the track, as they attracted a younger, more diverse audience through targeted marketing efforts. A Scalextric track set up at the venue allowed fans to compete for branded merchandise, and the fastest lap of the weekend earned a lucky winner a hot lap experience around the circuit.
Qualifying Highlights
Charl Visser set the pace in qualifying, securing pole position for the Rico Barlow Racing Nova with a blistering lap time of 57.118 seconds. His teammates, Naicker and Thomas, also posted impressive lap times, contributing to the Nova’s dominant qualifying performance. Despite a brief clash with the Di Matteo Mustang, which resulted in a broken rim, the Nova team made swift repairs and prepared for the race ahead.
The competition was fierce in all classes, with tight battles across the board. In Class B, the Scuderia Rossi Alfa Romeo Giulia QV quartet of Claudio and Mario Rossi, Regard van Zyl, and Werner Vonk secured pole position, while Sphere Motorsport struggled with mechanical issues, preventing them from setting a qualifying time.
Class C pole was claimed by Paulo and Ricardo Loureiro in their Combined Racing Honda Civic Type-R, while the Samlin Racing Volkswagen Polo had to sit out qualifying due to a cracked piston. Meanwhile, in Class D, Harm and Barend Pretorius took pole in their V8 Roadster, with Gavin Rooke and Richard van Heerde following closely behind in their Dutchman Browndeck Backdraft Roadster.
Race Drama and Strategy
As the lights went out, Stuart White took an immediate lead in the Into Africa Lamborghini, making a strategic decision to pit early during the first safety car period on lap 30. Xolile Letlaka emerged from the pit lane in sixth position, while the Nova, driven by Visser, Naicker, and Thomas, surged into the lead on lap 34. The trio held onto the lead until lap 161, when a massive accident caused a race suspension for half an hour.
The race saw a dramatic series of events, including multiple safety car periods and fierce battles at the front. A major incident occurred when Visser, attempting to overtake White, collided with the Lamborghini as White avoided contact with the Di Matteo Racing Mustang. The Lamborghini suffered only minor damage, but the Nova was forced to make an extended pit stop to repair broken bodywork and lights, losing valuable time.
As the race progressed, Stradale Motorsport’s Arangies and Neveling kept their Porsche 911 GT3 R in the hunt for victory. The pair split their stints evenly, with Arangies battling through a spin caused by oil on the track and Neveling also experiencing a late spin, which brought the Nova to within 22 seconds of second place.
A Crash-Filled Afternoon
The action took another dramatic turn at 18h50 when Steve Clark, attempting to pass Michael Stephen’s Scribante Lamborghini, made contact with the tyre wall after spinning his Backdraft Carbon machine. The incident triggered a chain reaction, with three Backdraft cars involved in a collision as they tried to avoid the wreckage. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the race was temporarily halted as the circuit was cleared.
Once racing resumed, the Into Africa Lamborghini maintained a comfortable lead, but the battle for second was far from over. Despite a strong drive from Visser in the Nova, the damage sustained in the earlier incident left them too far behind to challenge for the top spot.
A Strong Finish for the Backdrafts
In the latter stages of the race, Mike McLaughlin and Steve Clark’s Backdraft Carbon machine battled fiercely with the Scribante Lamborghini for fourth place. However, their efforts were thwarted by a mechanical issue that caused the car to retire after hitting the tyre wall. The Scribante Lamborghini, led by Michael Stephen and team, finished a strong fourth despite handling difficulties during the latter stages of the race.
Meanwhile, Franco di Matteo made an impressive debut in the Ford Mustang IRC, showcasing the potential of the Pony car. The only setback for the team was an unscheduled pit stop to repair rear lights, but di Matteo and his teammates Julian Familiaris and Romano Sartori finished in a respectable fifth place.
Class Victories and Notable Performances
In Class D, Gavin Rooke and Richard van Heerde’s Backdraft Roadster clinched a well-deserved victory, finishing in sixth overall and claiming the Class D and Index of Performance honours. The reigning V8 Roadster champions, Harm and Barend Pretorius, suffered a puncture while leading, which cost them the class win. However, Fikile Holomisa, Setshaba Mashigo, and Xolela Njumbuxa overcame their season’s struggles to take a well-earned Class D podium in their Team Qhubani Backdraft.
Class C honours went to the Campos brothers, who claimed 11th overall and the class win, despite facing a tough race that included a collision with the Scribante Lamborghini and a lengthy pit stop to repair their damaged Polo.
1-Hour Dash Victory for Hammond
The opening 1-Hour Dash was won by Damian Hammond, who powered his Liqui Moly Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo to a commanding victory. Aldo Scribante finished second in his Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, while Marius Jackson completed the podium in his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo, narrowly avoiding fuel starvation on the final lap.
The Southern African Endurance Series, connected by Vodacom 4U, delivered a thrilling spectacle in Gqeberha, with exceptional performances, dramatic incidents, and impressive strategy playing a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the race. As the series progresses, the competition remains fierce, and fans can look forward to more action-packed races as teams battle it out for supremacy in this prestigious championship.
