South African Endurance Series

[Mike E]

The second African 6 Hour takes place next month. The entries so far are the same mish mash of new, old and odd as last year, but the main interest is the debut of the Pilbeam-Ford LMP2, run by Zoo Lake Racing. This will annihilate the rest of the field if it runs smoothly. Zoo Lake are also running a Pilbeam MP100, which I think is last year's winning car.

http://www.afriod.co.za/

[Ginaro Zukovsky]

I have to admire their optimism making all 4 WEC classes eligible

[Mr Pink]

Would've been cool to see the Bailey in this event! And nice to see that they're aiming for it to become a part of the WEC, I like the circuit.

[Mike E]

They are also planning a 3 hour race in the middle of the year, and then a series of four 3 hour races over the full season. More endurance racing! Good luck to them!

As for a WEC round.......

[Mr Pink]

WEC is probably not very likely but it would be nice to see a race in a country with racing heritage on a circuit that's not a tilkedrome.. Preferably 9 hours

[isynge]

Grand tradition of an end of season 9 hour race in that part of the world, now if we can just get a couple of additional races in Angola...

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Ginaro Zukovsky

I have to admire their optimism making all 4 WEC classes eligible

So there IS a place to run a P1 outside the WEC after all

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Dead-Eye

So there IS a place to run a P1 outside the WEC after all

Cue one of Audi's 9 chassis'

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Dead-Eye

So there IS a place to run a P1 outside the WEC after all

Not being funny, if you're the likes of Perinn having somewhere outside WEC to run the car has got to be good.

Think about how the Vallelunga 6 Hours used to offer the likes of Lister and Lavaggi the opportunity to run - which clearly gave them the ability to show that they were runners, and venally gave them the chance to sell a seat in a potentially winning car.

For my money I'd much rather see a car run competitively, even if it outside of a championship, than exist as vapourware or testing in isolation. If South Africa offers the scope this to happen then so much the better.

[Mike E]

Going back to the Pilbeams, they won last year with the MP98. The MP100 is the new LMP2. Confusingly, Zoo have two cars entered this year, described in the provisional entry list as Pilbeam LMP2 and Pilbeam MP100, running in different classes and with different engines. I guess the 'MP100' may not be LMP2 compliant for some reason.

[Mike E]

OK, the entry list is a bit wrong. The LMP2 is the type MP100, and it is running solo in class. The car shown as 'MP100' in the entry list is actually last year's winning MP98.

You can all sleep soundly tonight knowing that this particular mystery has been solved.

[Juntos]

This race misses some guests from abroad.

[knighty]

some images of the new Pilbeam LMP2 car build here on endurance info.......crikey its a full F1 spec facility at Pilbeam eh!.......cough cough

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/les...m-mp100-lm-p2/

[TF110]

Looks like someone's garage project, a hobby maybe. I hope the best for the car though.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by knighty

some images of the new Pilbeam LMP2 car build here on endurance info.......crikey its a full F1 spec facility at Pilbeam eh!.......cough cough

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/les...m-mp100-lm-p2/

It does go to show the world of difference between a factory entry and your typical 'garagiste', and how the incremental fractions will all add up to make the hill that an independent in a lock up has to climb almost insurmountable.

That said, it'll probably work, it probably won't disgrace itself on the track, and if it means what money exists is being spent on the project rather than smoked glass and chrome then that's to be applauded.

I still think back, okay it's 30 years, but the Aston Martin Nimrod project was pulled together under a railway arch in Brixton - and while it never challenged the Porsches, it was still a perfectly respectable early era Group C car.

[wewantourdarbyback]

To be fair it looks like a more enjoyable place to work than McLaren Technology Centre...

[Mike E]

'New Zealand Sports Car champion Dean McCarroll will be behind the wheel of the Harp Motorsport Juno SS3 for the African 6-Hour at Phakisa on 22nd February. McCarroll will share the car with Francis Carruthers and Johan Englebrecht.
Former Porsche Turbo Cup champion Toby Venter will also be on the grid driving a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup with Peter Wharton-Hood.'

I don't know anything about NZ sports cars or Dean McCarroll but it's nice to have a bit of international flavour.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAfrican6Hour

[Mike E]

The van der Linde racing dynasty will be represented in the 6hr by 14 year old Sheldon van der Linde. Sheldon is a double SA karting champ and VW Polo Cup racer.
His older brother Kelvin, 17, was 2013 VW Scirocco R Cup champ and is moving to ADAC GT Masters this year with Abt Racing.
Hopefully we will see these boys in ACO racing some time in the future.

[kurski]

No live stream this race ?

[Mike E]

No chance. Don't think there is even live timing available.

However, the next round in this very young series will be a 3 hour race in April. So things are developing.

[Mike E]

The race is underway, but no sign of that new Pilbeam. That's a shame. I wonder what the story is.

[pablocomics]

Originally Posted by Mike E

The race is underway, but no sign of that new Pilbeam. That's a shame. I wonder what the story is.

I asked on the facebook site of the 6 hours and they said

The MP100 is having running issues and hasn't made it to the track, very unfortunate

Maybe we could get more details later

[Mike E]

An unfortunate end for the Viper. Refuelling fire.

https://twitter.com/SAEnduranceclub/...27872051138560

[BullMan]

Was just looking at the Wikipedia entry on the track. The last sentence is mystifying: "The track is considered to be the 3rd best in world."

Looks like a cool layout though, but using the oval pit lane for the race track seems odd.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by BullMan

Was just looking at the Wikipedia entry on the track. The last sentence is mystifying: "The track is considered to be the 3rd best in world."

Looks like a cool layout though, but using the oval pit lane for the race track seems odd.

Coincidentally, Wikipedia is considered the world's third most factually accurate website.