The National Extreme Festival made a spectacular return to Aldo Scribante Raceway in Gqeberha for Round 4 of the 2024 South African Touring Car Championship (SATC) this past weekend. Spectators were enthralled by a thrilling display of motorsport prowess as TGRSA fiercely competed in both the SATC and SupaCup Championships.
South African Touring Cars (SATC) Highlights
The SATC races were packed with excitement, starting with a fiercely competitive qualifying session. TGRSA’s Saood Variawa delivered a stellar performance, securing second place on the grid, just behind Julian Van Der Watt, despite battling setup issues with his car’s rear differential. Michael van Rooyen qualified fourth after a mistake cost him a potential pole position, while Nathi Msimanga rounded out the top five.
Official SATC Qualifying Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Julian Van Der Watt | 1:01.789 | – |
| 2 | Saood Variawa | 1:01.851 | +0.062 |
| 3 | Robert Wolk | 1:01.859 | +0.070 |
| 4 | Michael van Rooyen | 1:01.963 | +0.174 |
| 5 | Nathi Msimanga | 1:01.964 | +0.175 |
| 6 | Anthony Pretorius | 1:02.260 | +0.471 |
| 7 | Andrew Schofield | 1:02.811 | +1.022 |
SATC Race 1
Race 1 kicked off with intense competition. Saood Variawa, driving his SATC GR Corolla, started strong but finished third due to persistent differential issues. His time was 10:43.838, trailing winner Julian Van Der Watt by 6.402 seconds. Michael van Rooyen also performed admirably, securing second place with a time of 10:38.377, just 0.941 seconds behind the leader. Nathi Msimanga faced challenges but managed a fifth-place finish, 10.490 seconds behind Van Der Watt.
SATC Race 1 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Julian Van Der Watt | 10:37.436 | - |
| 2 | Michael van Rooyen | 10:38.377 | +0.941 |
| 3 | Saood Variawa | 10:43.838 | +6.402 |
| 4 | Robert Wolk | 10:44.058 | +6.622 |
| 5 | Nathi Msimanga | 10:47.926 | +10.490 |
| 6 | Anthony Pretorius | 10:48.559 | +11.123 |
| 7 | Andrew Schofield | 10:51.311 | +13.875 |
SATC Race 2
Race 2 featured a reverse grid based on the results of Race 1, adding strategic complexity. Anthony Pretorius capitalized on his strong starting position to claim victory with a time of 12:44.460. Robert Wolk finished second, just 1.126 seconds behind. Michael van Rooyen and Nathi Msimanga demonstrated resilience, finishing third and fourth respectively, 3.757 and 4.036 seconds behind the leader. Saood Variawa, still grappling with his car’s differential issues, finished fifth, 6.858 seconds behind Pretorius.
SATC Race 2 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Anthony Pretorius | 12:44.460 | - |
| 2 | Robert Wolk | 12:45.586 | +1.126 |
| 3 | Michael van Rooyen | 12:48.217 | +3.757 |
| 4 | Nathi Msimanga | 12:48.496 | +4.036 |
| 5 | Saood Variawa | 12:51.318 | +6.858 |
| 6 | Julian Van Der Watt | 12:51.529 | +7.069 |
| 7 | Andrew Schofield | 12:54.472 | +10.012 |
SupaCup Championship Highlights
The SupaCup races were equally exhilarating, featuring Sa’aad Variawa’s debut in a newly built TGRSA SupaStarlet, taking over from Bradley Liebenberg, who continues to race in a privately entered Toyota SupaStarlet. Despite technical challenges and on-track incidents, Sa’aad showcased resilience and potential. A deflated tyre during qualifying hindered his performance, impacting his starting grid position.
SupaCup Qualifying Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Tate Bishop | 1:06.025 | – |
| 2 | Charl Visser | 1:06.147 | +0.122 |
| 3 | Jonathan Mogotsi | 1:06.147 | +0.122 |
| 4 | Keegan Campos | 1:06.178 | +0.153 |
| 5 | Jason Campos | 1:06.380 | +0.355 |
| 6 | Jean-Pierre Van Der Walt | 1:06.502 | +0.477 |
| 7 | Bradley Liebenberg | 1:06.677 | +0.652 |
| 8 | Nicolaos Vostanis | 1:06.861 | +0.836 |
| 9 | Sa'aad Variawa | 1:07.066 | +1.041 |
| 10 | Dean Venter | 1:07.244 | +1.219 |
SupaCup Race 1
Tate Bishop, starting from pole position, maintained his lead to win Race 1, with Charl Visser and Jonathan Mogotsi completing the podium. Sa’aad Variawa faced challenges but managed to finish ninth.
SupaCup Race 1 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Tate Bishop | 10:20.152 | – |
| 2 | Charl Visser | 10:21.279 | +1.127 |
| 3 | Jonathan Mogotsi | 10:22.457 | +2.305 |
| 4 | Keegan Campos | 10:23.773 | +3.621 |
| 5 | Jason Campos | 10:25.590 | +5.438 |
| 6 | Jean-Pierre Van Der Walt | 10:26.633 | +6.481 |
| 7 | Bradley Liebenberg | 10:26.914 | +6.762 |
| 8 | Nicolaos Vostanis | 10:28.469 | +8.317 |
| 9 | Sa'aad Variawa | 10:29.073 | +8.921 |
| 10 | Dean Venter | 10:30.064 | +9.812 |
SupaCup Race 2
Race 2 saw Keegan Campos emerge victorious, followed by Jonathan Mogotsi and Bradley Liebenberg, who secured a strong third-place finish for his new team. Sa’aad Variawa, starting from the back, made significant progress before being pushed off track, ultimately finishing eighth.
SupaCup Race 2 Results
| Position | Driver | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Keegan Campos | 10:22.340 | – |
| 2 | Jonathan Mogotsi | 10:23.181 | +0.841 |
| 3 | Bradley Liebenberg | 10:24.449 | +2.109 |
| 4 | Charl Visser | 10:25.629 | +3.289 |
| 5 | Tate Bishop | 10:26.993 | +4.653 |
| 6 | Jason Campos | 10:28.272 | +5.932 |
| 7 | Jean-Pierre Van Der Walt | 10:29.322 | +6.982 |
| 8 | Sa'aad Variawa | 10:30.175 | +7.835 |
| 9 | Nicolaos Vostanis | 10:32.085 | +9.745 |
| 10 | Dean Venter | 10:32.699 | +10.359 |
Sa’aad Variawa reflected on his challenging weekend, noting the car issues from Thursday through Saturday. Despite setbacks, he gained valuable experience and is focused on improving the car’s performance for the next race.
Looking Ahead
As the season progresses, TGRSA is committed to maintaining their competitive edge in both the SATC and SupaCup championships. The team is poised for a strong finish and is determined to continue their successful campaign.
“We are pleased with our drivers’ performances this weekend,” said Riaan Esterhuysen, Senior Manager at TGRSA. “The team showed great resilience and determination, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the upcoming races.”
The National Extreme Festival now heads to the East London Grand Prix Circuit for Round 5 of the 2024 SATC Championship. Scheduled for the last weekend in July, this event promises more thrilling racing action as TGRSA continues to push the limits and aim for the top.
