The second round of the 2026 Extreme SuperCars driven by Dunlop championship, held at Zwartkops Raceway on 22 and 23 May, delivered a host of different winners, including an overall and GT3 class win on debut and the first-ever class win for a lady driver.
Although Damian Hammond had made a couple of Extreme SuperCars driver by Dunlop appearances in the past, this weekend was his debut in the GT3 class. In Friday’s practice sessions, he topped the time sheets in his Liqui Moly Mercedes AMG GT3, getting the better of both Charl Arangies (Stradale Motorsport Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO) and defending champion Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO), although the trio were only separated by about three-tenths of a second.
Qualifying took place late on Friday afternoon, and it was du Toit who emerged on top. He was the only driver to dip under the 1-minute mark around the 2.4-kilometre Zwartkops circuit. Hammond missed the magic minute by nine one-thousandths of a second to take the other spot on the front row of the grid. Despite a late attempt to wrest pole position from du Toit, Arangies had to settle for third place, less than four hundredths behind Hammond. Gianni Giannoccaro (Sparco / G&H Transport Audi R8 GT3 LMS) bounced back after some difficulties in the earlier practice sessions to claim fourth place on the grid and lead the Class A contingent ahead of his brother Ricky in his G&H Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3. Lady racer Karah Hill (Kalex Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO) got the better of Marius Jackson (MJR Motorsport Audi R8 GT3 LMS) to take sixth place. Ant Blunden (G&H Racing Lamborghini Huracan Trofeo) led the Class B brigade ahead of Roy Obery (Haval Edenvale Porsche GT3 Cup MR) and Jimmy Giannoccaro (G&H Transport Nismo GTR GT3). Mark du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Ford GT1) and Uli Sanne (G&H Transport BMW Z4) would line up at the back of the grid after failing to set a time in the qualifying session.
In the opening heat on Saturday morning, du Toit was under huge pressure from the two Mercedes AMG GT3s behind him. He resisted that pressure until the final corner of the opening lap when Hammond dived up the inside, with Arangies right behind. Du Toit had no choice but to run wide and onto the grass, which allowed Gianni Giannoccaro, the first of the Class A cars, through as well. It took du Toit a lap and a couple of corners before he could get back past the Audi and set off after the AMGs at the front. Unfortunately for du Toit, his time behind Giannoccaro had allowed Hammond to open a two-second gap, which took the defending champion another six laps to close down. The three GT3 cars were running almost nose-to-tail when they caught one of the backmarkers going into the final corner. Arangies tried to use that to his advantage, but spun to the outside of the track, letting du Toit and the Giannoccaro brothers through while he got back on track.
Du Toit had to slow to avoid the spinning Arangies, which then allowed Hammond to take a debut overall and GT3 win in the Mercedes. Du Toit crossed the line in second, four seconds behind. Gianni and Ricky Giannoccaro took the flag in third and fourth, respectively, but were penalised for breaking out of the 1’01.00” time for Class A cars. The subsequent penalty of 1 second per lap dropped them to fifth and sixth overall and to second and third in Class A. Their misfortune allowed Arangies to reclaim third place and gave Jackson the Class A win. Hill brought her Audi home in seventh place ahead of Obery, the leading Class B driver. Mark du Toit, in the only Classic GT3 car, finished in ninth ahead of Jimmy Giannoccaro, Sanne and Blunden.
Just two corners into the second heat, the leading trio were fighting for the same piece of the tarmac again. After a few minor touches, du Toit emerged in the lead with Arangies just behind. They managed to open a slight gap over the first-race winner, despite fighting for position throughout the 12-lap race. Du Toit, however, was able to hang on for the win, less than half a second ahead of Arangies, with Hammond in third. In the Class A battle, Jackson led Hill until the halfway mark when Gianni Giannoccaro worked his way up into second. Four laps later, contact between Gianni and Jackson saw the latter spinning onto the grass on the outside of the final corner, which allowed Gianni through into the class lead. He crossed the line in fourth at the head of the Class A field, but was again given a 12-second penalty for breaking out of the time limit. This dropped him to sixth overall and fourth in Class A behind Hill and brother Ricky. Jackson recovered to seventh. Obery, in eighth, took Class B honours. Mark du Toit and Ant Blunden rounded out the top ten, with Jimmy Giannoccaro and Sanne completing the field.
There was no stopping Arangies in the final heat. He grabbed the lead from the start and was never headed on his way to an easy win. Du Toit had to settle for second ahead of Hammond. In Class A, Ricky Giannoccaro looked to have things under control until the final lap, when a late move from Gianni saw him take the flag just a couple of car lengths ahead. For the third race in succession, Gianni was penalised for breaking out, handing the Class A win to Ricky from Jackson and Hill. Gianni was classified fourth in class and seventh overall. Obery made it a clean sweep of Class B wins when he came home in eighth ahead of Blunden. Mark du Toit finished in tenth ahead of Jimmy Giannoccaro and Sanne.
Jonathan du Toit claimed the top step of the overall and GT3 podiums with Arangies in second ahead of Hammond. Class A went to Ricky Giannoccaro from Jackson and Gianni Giannoccaro. Three class wins ensured Obery the Class B win ahead of Jimmy Giannoccaro and Blunden. Sanne took Class D.
The Extreme SuperCars, driven by Dunlop competitors, now make their way to the Aldo Scribante Circuit in Gqeberha on 26 and 27 June for the third round of their championship.