Stuart White (Into Africa Racing / Sparco / Wurth SA Lamborghini Huracan) and Arnold Neveling (Bobcat powered by Goscor Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO) shared the heat victories at the seventh round of the 2024 Extreme SuperCars Driven by Dunlop championship, which took place at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway on 20 and 21 September.
White set the pace in Friday’s practice sessions, leading the way from Dawie Joubert (Wildrose Gin / Rembrandt Racing Lotus Exige) and championship leader Neveling. Franco Scribante (Scribante Racing Porsche 997), in his first outing since April, was not far off the leading trio. Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO) topped the GT3 class time sheets ahead of Silvio Scribante (Cemza & Scribante Concrete Lamborghini Huracan).
Neveling turned things around in Saturday morning’s qualifying session, just getting the better of White to claim pole position. Joubert and Franco Scribante occupied the second row, ahead of the leading GT3 contenders, Silvio Scribante and du Toit. Xolile Letlaka (Into Africa Racing / Sparco / Wurth SA Lamborghini Huracan) and Charl Arangies (Stradale Motorsport / PAGID Porsche 991 GT3) filled the fourth row of the grid ahead of Gianni Giannoccaro (BISC Transport / Stradale Motorsport Nismo GTR) and Marius Jackson (MJR Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3).
Ricky Giannoccaro (G&H Transport McLaren), the leading Class A competitor, lined up in eleventh alongside Marco Retter (Progress Precision Engineering BMW E46), the leading Class B contender. Then it was Imaad Modack (MIM Carriers Porsche GT2R), Ant Blunden (G&H Transport McLaren)and Mike Verrier (NDT Racing BMW Z4), with Class C competitors Jimmy Giannoccaro (G&H Transport Audi R8 GT4) and Renzo Torrente (ATM Chiptuning / Archive Automotive BMW M4).
A slightly disorganised start to the opening heat saw White lead the field away while Neveling dropped back down into the mid-pack. After Franco Scribante’s Porsche cried enough after just one lap, White had things all his way at the front of the field and cruised to a 23-second win. The battle of the race was just behind him, where Silvio Scribante and du Toit were involved in a titanic struggle for GT3 class honours. After 12 laps of wheel-to-wheel racing, Scribante emerged in front by just over a quarter of a second. Neveling recovered to fourth overall and second in Class A+ ahead of Arangies, Gianni Giannoccaro and Jackson. Ninth overall was enough to give Blunden the Class A win ahead of Ricky Giannoccaro. Class B honours went to Modack from Retter and Verrier, while Jimmy Giannoccaro took Class C.
There was early drama in the second heat when White had to take to the grass outside the final corner to avoid a spinning Joubert. This dropped him to the back of the field and allowed Neveling to run away at the front of the pack after Franco Scribante’s Porsche again let him down. Behind Neveling, Silvio Scribante and du Toit resumed their fight for GT3 honours with Scribante leading the way until damage to a tyre forced him into the pits for a quick change, dropping him out of contention. All the while, White was fighting his way back through the field, getting up to second place with a couple of laps to go. Unfortunately for White, Neveling’s advantage was too big to close down, and he had to settle for second place behind the Audi. Du Toit crossed the line in third place to take the GT3 class. Fourth went to Arangies ahead of Gianni Giannoccaro, the second GT3 runner. Modack, in sixth, again took Class B honours ahead of Retter. They were both ahead of Ricky Giannoccaro, who led Class A. Jackson finished in ninth ahead of a recovering Silvio Scribante. Verrier, Jimmy Giannoccaro and Ant Blunden rounded out the classified finishers.
White’s fight back through the field in the second heat was enough to give him the Class A+ overall win on the day, with Neveling having to settle for second place ahead of Arangies. GT3 honours went to du Toit from Gianni Giannoccaro and Silvio Scribante. Ricky Giannoccaro won the battle of the McLarens to take Class A ahead of Blunden, while Class B was an all-Cape affair, Modack claiming the win ahead of Retter and Verrier. Jimmy Giannoccaro won Class C.
With just one event left this season – at Zwartkops Raceway on 18 and 19 October – there is just a three-point difference between the top two contenders in the overall championship standings. Neveling leads from du Toit, but White is not out of contention. He is 14 points further back in third, and should the leading duo suffer any problems as Zwartkops, he is perfectly positioned to pick up the pieces.