For the first time, Killarney International Raceway will host a ‘Time Attack’ event on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 April.
The Killarney Speed Festival is a new event catering to historic, road-going vehicles, motorcycles, modified race cars, single-seaters, sports prototypes and GT cars. The contestants will run one at a time over a 1.9-kilometre course, starting about 150 metres before Malmesbury Sweep, and finishing on the Porsche Straight at the current finish line.
That’s anti-clockwise, the opposite of the conventional circuit direction. But the big difference between the Speed Festival and racing as we know it is that contestants run solo. The start procedure is also unique. The contestants will make a standing start when the flag is dropped but timing will only begin when you cross the timing line, about 10 metres from the start line.
Other than that, there’s no race craft or strategy involved – it’s just you, your car and the track. Are you up for the challenge?
Saturday will see practise and qualifying runs, while Sunday features a warm-up session, final qualifying and class finals, culminating in a shootout featuring the fastest vehicles in each category.
The Speed Festival course has been designed to provide exciting spectator viewing, with a superb view of the start from the Clubhouse balcony and most of the course visible from the stands on the Tygerberg straight and at Interceptor and Quarry corners. All of Killarney’s food and beverage outlets around the course will be open all day on both days to keep spectators ‘fueled up’ and, as always, you’re invited to park alongside the course with your gazebo or umbrella, your cooler box and braai and make a weekend of it.
Tickets:
Spectator tickets for each day, from Computicket or at the gate, are R80 for adults, R20 for scholars under 16 and free for children under 12.
You can also purchase discounted tickets for both days at R100 for adults, R40 for scholars under 16 and free for children under 12. Western Province Motor Club members also get in free on both days, on the production of their membership book at the gate.
The entry fee for competitors is R1500 for Western Province Motor Club members and R1800 for non-members, and an MSA Competition Licence is a must.
Entry will be limited to about 80 contestants: Your entry form won’t automatically get you onto the start line, but it will get you onto the preliminary list, from which the Western Province Motor Club will choose the most exciting entries based on the history of the car, its driver’s pedigree and just how special the vehicle is, to put together a memorable day’s racing at the very first Killarney Speed Festival.
Pictures: Supplied
ALSO READ
Do, dine and sleep: getting the most out of Tsitsikamma National Park
