Older motor racing fans will recall the famous endurance event at Kyalami that was once an iconic part of world motor racing. Later this year the Kyalami 9 Hour returns. The 9 Hour will be the final round of the 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge and it will take place at the historic racetrack in Johannesburg from 21-23 November.
Famous names
The last time the Kyalami 9 Hour took place was 37 years ago. The event that dates back to the 1960s was contested by classic Porsche and Ferrari racers. Works teams form Europe would make their way to the tip of Africa to race against local outfits. Famous names such as Jacky Ickx, Jochen Mass and David Piper raced with and alongside local racing heroes.
The 2019 race will also feature locals racing for class honours within the international event. South African racers will compete against Audi R8s, Bentley Continental GT3s, BMWs, Ferraris, Honda NSXs, Mercedes-AMGs, Nissan GT-Rs and Porsche 911s. Some of the local lads racing on the world stage will get to showcase their talents in front of their home crowd, drivers such as Kelvin van der Linde, Jordan Pepper and David Perel. You can watch Perel’s road to international racing at this video link.
Cars such as this Mercedes-AMG GT3 and this McLaren GT3 are just some of the machinery you can see on track.
Apart from the racing action on track, motorsport fans can also enjoy live music, DJs, food trucks, a dedicated kids’ zone and more.
In their own words
SRO Motorsports group founder and CEO, Stéphane Ratel: “I’ve spent years trying to get this African leg of the series off the ground. To finally have it all locked in is a massive achievement and one that I am absolutely delighted about having an African part of this championship means that we are now across five continents. We are truly a global event and we look forward to November when the thrilling sounds of the vehicles light up Kyalami for nine hours.”
Toby Venter, owner of the Kyalami raceway: “When Stéphane came to me with this suggestion, I didn’t hesitate in letting him know that I was keen to get involved. Kyalami has always been the stage for iconic motorsport events, and to have the Kyalami 9 Hour return here is truly special. It also adds a wonderful international event to the calendar that local families can come and enjoy.”
For more information and ticket prices log onto: www.kyalami9hour.com
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