Venue: Zwartkops

Date: 8^th October 2016

Event: Historic Tour

At dawn, the team slowly makes its way to the location for the day, Zwartkops. Nerves have got the best of everyone. No one knows what the day will unfold. We have all been impressed with Fossa’s performance at the previous events. We can only believe that it will keep improving as we keep trying out different methods, technically, so as to ensure that she performs at her peak level in 2016 with 1960 technology.

Fossa sizing out her competition Pic: Petrus Motsoko

At they go out for their qualifier rounds, Fossa sizes up her competition. Driver is also nervous as he has no idea what Fossa will be doing on the track. Eventually the cars come back into the pits having completed their qualifiers. Now we eager to hear what the driver has to tell us about Fossa’s performance, “Well she is driving fine, but I had no brakes.” Then as the crew, we immediately got to work, jacking up Fossa to bleed the brakes while waiting for the results for the qualifiers.
After getting the air bubbles out of Fossa’s system, we received news that Fossa actually did very well on the qualifiers despite her lack of brakes.

Fossa pulling out of the pits for her first heat Pic: Petrus Motsoko

With Fossa now all prepped up and shiny, she pulls out of the pits for the first heat. The times could only keep improving now that we have fully operational brakes. Fuel tanks is full, oil is on the right level as well as water. Chris holds nothing as he and Fossa do a good job keeping the competition at bay.

Fossa can be seen coming hot around the corner Pic: Petrus Motsoko

Just to prove how tough it was, Fossa was always coming hot around the corner, as the competition was looking for any opportunity to pass Fossa by. Chris did a great job piloting Fossa around Zwartkops, at high speeds while managing to stay on the grey stuff as some people ended up going off-roading as sights of dust were a common trend through-out the day.

Three wheels on the road Pic: Petrus Motsoko

Fossa sometimes came around the corner with only three wheels on the road surface. To us that’s a sign that Fossa as well as the driver, Chris, are no synchronized and focused on delivering a good performance. The lap times keep on improving and the smiles on our faces keep on getting bigger.

The cars come back into the pits Pic: Petrus Motsoko

The vehicles can be seen coming back into the pits after a very tight battle on the track. No driver was holding back. Seeing that its almost the end of the season,, drivers want to score maximum scores so as to improve their positions on the leader board.
We then give Fossa some TLC and let her rest before the final heat for the day. Everyone is feeling good today as everything was working well. Fossa stayed together for the entire event. Nothing broke down.

Soon it was time for the last heat. The driver and machine were all ready and we were sure that they would do their best. So we wished them luck, and saw them off. It was clear that they meant serious business.

Fossa showing the competition a thing or two Pic: Petrus Motsoko

We were in the spectator sections cheering the team on as they put on a good performance keeping the competition at bay.

Fossa continuing to showing the competition a thing or two Pic: Petrus Motsoko

Fossa kept this performance up the whole race Pic: Petrus Motsoko

The competition really tried, but they could not overcome Fossa’s pace. She was on another level with this event. We were all speechless and very much impressed. We might not have physically timed Fossa but we knew for sure that her lap times were much lower than earlier in the day.

As the day reached its end, we loaded Fossa onto her trailer, and went for the prize giving. We clapped for people who went to collect their various trophy’s. Eventually the announcers got to our category, and our team was called to come and collect its prize.

Fossa & Chris Pics: Petrus Motsoko

We managed to get a 2nd Position prize in our category. Congratulations go out to the Pit Crew, Chris and Fossa. It was definitely a job well-done. We will continue to work together to see to it that Fossa performs at her peak always.

Another event completed successfully. How to define successfully. On our road to historic racing, success means:

1, Bringing Fossa home in one piece, 2, with fun had, 3, with all her mechanical’s still in reusable condition, 4, ready to race again, 5, and with more lessons learned to apply in future races.

Using the above scale, this event was a “5”.

Petrus Motsoko from TOTAL SA applying a coat of polish and bringing the Total logo to a nice shine

I had some plans prior to the race. One of which was to not hold back and wait for things to happen, yes sure I am a slow learner, but to go to the action.

Qualifying. I had a feeling the brakes were not up to scratch after taking Fossa from the scrutineering bay. That is however a difficult call as she has in the past given that impression and then have perfectly nice brakes in action. Heading out on track, I take it easy, putting some heat in her semi’s and lightly feeling the brakes. Then the first hot lap, I find she does not want to rev in her usual smooth way to 7000rpm, rather feeling as if she has a rev limiter fitted topping out on the high 5000 to low 6000’s. Then the fun, getting to corner two applying brakes to realise the gearbox and engine is going to have to help! Second gear and twitch of her tail. Despite the brake challenge we run a respectable  01:30.33.

Back in our pit, the gloves comes off and the brakes is quickly bled.

The race in pictures taken from our GoPro. Race one.

We are bundled nicely and it is the first time I actually see the red lights go out

For a while we run with the Austin while the rest of the field gradually disappear .. Behind me the Alfa of Jaco Taylor Snr and flashes of Mel Spur’s 315 Ford Consul. Unfortunately Mel withdraws to due to a technical issue.

Jaco’s Alfa passing us with just over a half lap to go …

Race two

The Austin and the Alfa at the start of race two

I manage to pass the Alfa in corner three, but the Austin starts to build a nice gap

Brian Rowlings Ford Anglia not completing race one catch up and pass as Jaco Taylor Snr’s Alfa pulls up next to us

Corner five, Brian takes a tighter line and we manage to follow through

For a little while I manage to keep Brian’s Anglia sight which is slowly pulling me closer to the Austin. A glance in the mirror, it appears that Mel and Jaco is keeping each other busy with a slight gap, not that there is any moment of rest. Then a safety car so that they can remove a car that has retired in a unsafe spot.

All gaps created are zeroed, and soon after Mel pass me. I follow for a while and am passed by Jaco’s Alfa with just over a half lap to go.

The change in strategy made our race much more exiting with some acceptable lap times, 1:29.06 in race one and a 1:29.41 in race two. It was also a learning curve looking at the pro’s racing lines. Two or three wrong gear choices made, but that’s the way to learn.

One has to comment and congratulate Zwartkops Raceway with it’s cleanliness!!  This was really appreciated, thanks.

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Next event, Kyalami Motorsport Festival, 21 – 23 October. Our schedule there has changed to a practice session late Saturday afternoon, qualifying Sunday morning followed by an early morning race and a late afternoon race. This will also test a different Total oil!

See you there!!!

After a reasonably calm season there is a sudden burst in events following ……

We planned to attend the Historic Tour at Zwartkops Raceway on the 8th of October and Redstar Raceway on the 19th of November …….

Enter the Kyalami Motorsport Festival …….. Not just your normal raceday, a true festival. Three days of excitement, 21, 22 and 23 October. And invited to the festivities, the Pre66 Legends of the 9 Hours …

Fossa was on track at the last race before the then uncertain future of the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, then the waiting, the auction and the purchase of the track by Toby Venter of Porsche South Africa. This was followed by a massive overhaul project bringing Kyalami to spec for a FIA Grade 2 license. It is going to be a privilege to have Fossa and the other Pre66 Legends racing the upgraded track launching history into the future!

We have a 30min practise time slot allocated to us from 18H00 on the 22nd and our 10 lap race at 16H10 on the 23rd!

Cheers, 😉