Zwartkops hosts 7th Supedrift Series
Side by side drifting. Winner of the Superdrift Series 7th leg, Wade van Zummeren going sideways alongside Michael Radlof at the Zwartkops Raceway this past Saturday.
ROBERT MABUSELA
The seventh leg of the Superdrift Series kicked off on Saturday the 22nd of September at the Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria West. The day started off with rain which managed to clear off as the day progressed and the drifting was to take place. This worked in favour of photographers and judges by ensuring that they will have that much needed Smoke detail. Having smoke doesn't only cause harm to the ozone layer but complements photography, while judges like to see smoke as it impacts on judging criteria
Wade van Zummeren finished in first place after maintaining his drifting to qualify for the top 16 before upping his drifting going through to the elimination rounds. The finals was a testimony that Japanese engineered Nissan's are made for drifting as van Zummeren's Rockstar Energy sponsored Nissan Skyline R33 battled it out with Adam Shefer in his Nissan 200sx sponsored by Achillies Tyres in the finals.
Judges only had one round of the finals to decided as the finalist clipped one another just as they began drifting in the second round. Shefer seemed to be a victim of the number two as he finished in second place, clipped van Zummeren in the second round of the finals and lost both his front and rear bumpers. Third place went to Michael Radlof after 18 year old Jason Webb's fuel pump burst out as he came out of the second corner in the semi-finals. This meant that Webb couldn`t continue in the battle for third place making him settle for fourth place and the points allocated for that position.
According to Bruno Miranda, one of the judges of the drift series. Drivers are given 10 points at the begining of each drift and points are deducted based on four categories which include style, angles, speed and flair. Impressing the judges required drivers to carry out the drift and link it from the starting point until the finish line. This is usually executed by using two methods, by poping the hand break just as you begin drifting or the kick clutch method which puts driver's footwork to the test.
Drifting will take place at a different altitude as the next superdrift Series will go down to the coast. The Grand West Casino in the Western Cape is set to host the next event which will run from the 5th to the 7th of October. The Northern Regions will see the drifting action return to Zwartkops Raceway on the 24th of November during the Zwartkops Festival.
Watch a report of the event
Petrol heads Head to Spin City
Soshanguve Spin Kings member Oupa Maisela leads a cloud of smoke at the Soshanguve Spinning Palace during a spin city event on the 25th of August.
@ROBERT_MABUSELA
Ultimate spinning machines BMW E30`s from around South Africa headed to the Soshanguve township in Pretoria on the 25th of August, in attendance of a Spin City event. A chance for spinners to go head to head and an occasion for petrol heads who would rather spend their time in an atmosphere filled with smoke. This leaves their clothes with the scent of a cologne that comes from a concoction of tyre brands, which isn't gender based but rather on a common interest of spinning and drifting.
The Soshanguve Spin Kings hosted the Spinning vs Dj`s event at their spinning palace in Block F which is one of the events that attracts petrol heads from neighbouring provinces to Soshanguve. Apart from local spinners support came from as far as the Limpopo province, team Y & SONS pulled one of the best stunts at the event. The Limpopo crew executed a four men stunt which comprised of the driver and passengers jumping out of their vehicle, leaving it to do a couple of rotations before entering their blue and red branded Y&SONS BMW E30 to finish off their performance. Speed and Sound (sns) Spinning Army added fitness to their stunt, showing the crowd that one doesn't need a gym membership to keep fit as SNS Spinner Sunesh Pursad finished his set of push ups while their Army green BMW rotated driverless.
To single out an interesting moment from the event would be one of the last performances at the event by Hamoo Khuber. The rule at spin city events is to spin until a tyre burst or a double pop. Spinners usually bend the rule if only one tyre burst, by spinning in the opposite direction a technique that allows the other tyre to burst. Damage was weighed against limitless spinning, when Limpopo spinner Hamoo Khuber went beyond the limit and metal was put the tarred surface at the Palace. Khuber continued to spin even though his rims damaged the tarred surface.
Petrol head and spinning fanatic Masego Pitse mentioned that he enjoyed the event and spending the day with his favourite spinners, “the event was super good and fun but towards the end of the event. I enjoyed performances by Hamoo, Jeff, Sunesh, RBM, Isla Bonita, Ziko and Alphy” Said Pitse. Spin City events are usually enjoyable but the return of spinners like Jeff James to the spinning palace made the event more competitive ensuring that the crowed spent their money`s worth.
Cannon Ball Charity Run
Lamborghini LP 700-4 Aventador one of the supercars that participated in the Cannon Ball Run at the Zwartkops Festival
@ROBERT_MABUSELA
The Cannon Ball Charity Run, or should I say the Cannon Multimillion Rand Charity run was amongst some of the race events that took place during the Zwartkops Festival held at the Zwarkops Raceway on the 11th of August. To name a few of the cars featured in the run, I spotted a Mercedes Benz SLS convertible, a Lamborghini Aventador and Murceloago, Nissan Skyline GTR, 2 Porsches (Boxster and 911 GT3), 2 Audi R8`s, a Jaguar XKR RS and a BMW E90 M3.
The Round Table run takes place in different settings including track experiences, skid pans, high speed challenges although most of the cars which are featured in the various runs already come installed with a factory fitted Navigator drivers are paired with a navigator
According to Cannon Ball Run Africa all funds generated by the Run are donated to the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) and to date the Cannonball Run Africa which has raised hundreds of thousands of Rand in charity money. CBR Africa raises money for charity through various payment, participating teams pay between R13 500 –R 18 500 to participate in the event depending on the different payment policies.
These following are the races that took place during the Zwartkops Festival
Historic Bike
Zwartkops Brunch Run Challenge Race
111 Sports & saloons Race
Zwartkops Thunder Bikes
Extreme Super Car Grid Walk
Extreme Super cars
Supadrift Action
Soshanguve Spin Kings Road Show
SSK Member Bongani Makhubo going spinning during the Soshanguve Spin Kings Road Show
The Soshanguve spin kings took to the streets of soshanguve on Saturday 11 August on a road show that was organised to advertise their upcoming event, residents of Soshanguve witnessed spinning and drifting at street corners and traffic circles while others waved and admired a convoy of BMW E30`s also known as the Gusheshe.
Action that would normally be seen at the Soshanguve Spinning Palace was taken to different sections of the township which are venues that don`t require spinners to practice but put their experience behind the three spoke steering wheel of the German vehicle that has been tweaked and modified into the ultimate spinning vehicle around South African townships.
The road show covered most of the Northern Township, starting at the local total garage at Transfer which is situated in Block L heading up south to Block xx, then on to the Mabopane Highway destined for Block RR covering the Northern part of the Township. After causing Havoc outside the Indaba Butchery Site, where even a elderly woman spotted in the front row of the crowd was seen jumping up and down as she witnessed SSK members doing what they does best. The road show then headed to one of SSK`s favourite spinning area just outside the Tshwane University of technology`s Soshanguve North Campus in Block H, which was the final destination for the raod show.
Overall the road show was a success for the Soshanguve Spin Kings and an experience for Soshanguve residents who got the opportunity to see a convoy of BMW E30`s going sideways at locations where vehicles often have to stop, go back into first gear before having to set off again.
SSK Road Show in Pictures
Spin City video preview
by Robert mabusela |
Posted by Robert Mabusela on Thursday, November 10, 2011
The McLaren MP4-12c featured at the Johannesburg International Motor Show produces an impressive 441kW achieving 0-100km/h in 3.3 seconds.
Photo by: Robert Mabusela
With Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele’s proposed speed limit of 100km/h one could be breaking the law within 3,3 seconds that is if you are driving the new McLaren MP4-12c. The rear engined light weight McLaren is promised to be the “first genuine no compromise Sports car” according to McLaren brouchures, but with the given 0-100km/h figures the McLaren team is just being modest as the MP4-12c deserves to be called a super car, 200 km/h is reached in 9.8 seconds or 8.9 if your car is fitted with Corsa tyres which will play an essential role in reaching the top speed of 330km/h a bit more faster.
Super car manufactures are using their gym memberships making sure that weigh shedding is at the top of their workout programme, unnecessary weight is lost as excessive weight hinders the achievement of maximum performance and by this not only the acceleration improves, other performance improvements include breaking 100-0 km/h in a distance of 30.5m, handling, and fuel efficiency releasing only 279g/km which just might save you from having to paying co² emission Tax. The whole weight shedding is made possible by using a carbon fibre MonoCell structure which means that the McLaren gets a one piece light weight carbon fibre chassis with rear and front aluminium frames instead of using carbon fibre as used in the Audi R8 which has parted with 100kg, fuel figures stand at 11.7 litters per 100km releasing only 279g/km of co².The McLaren is powered by a handbuilt 3.8 liter twin turbo V8 engine which boasts 441kw/h with 600Nm torque available from 3000rpm right up to 7000rpm, the engine will be put up against German rivals Audi R8 GT, Porsche 911 Turbo PDK, and the Japanese Godzilla Nissan Skyline GT-R and not forgetting the Godzilla killer Lexus LFA, as seen on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5R-oi91bd4).
All rivals have between 368 kW (Porsche 911 Turbo PDK) to 441kW (McLaren MP4-12c). According to specs the McLaren is the most favourable with the fastest 0-100 in 3.3 seconds that’s if you`re rolling on standard tyres. Overall the McLaren was smartly built, with high mounted exhausts and every single component designed from scratch nothing was considered good enough to be carried over from an existing McLaren, this Mclaren was certainly the highlight of high performance cars featured at the Johannesburg International Motor Show, but you`ll have to dig deep into your pockets as the McLaren will sell for 3.3 million in South Africa with a limited 20 units set to hit our shores.
by: Robert Mabusela
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