The Extreme Festival returned to Zwartkops Raceway over the weekend of 16–17 May, drawing an enthusiastic Pretoria crowd for a day of high-octane regional motorsport action that extended into the evening.
Zwartkops 200 Headlines Action-Packed Day
Shield Golf – 3rd Overall in Class B
The headline event of the weekend, the 2025 ATS Motorsport Zwartkops 200, brought together a competitive multi-class field from the Ferro Energia 111/GT Sports & Saloons and SuperHatch categories. Adding to the excitement, the day’s racing kicked off with a spirited eight-lap sprint race—where the Shield Golf delivered a strong 2nd-place finish in Class B.
Qualifying in P3, just 0.5 seconds off pole behind Stolz (P1) and LeRoux (P2), the Shield Golf was in fighting form. At Turn 1, we managed to get the jump on LeRoux to move into second position, showcasing the car’s pace and racecraft early on.
Midway through the sprint, the action was momentarily paused due to a dramatic incident—George Eysselein (VW Scirocco) became stranded in the gravel trap between Turns 5 and 6, bringing out the Safety Car. George has been having a tough run lately, having also suffered a major crash in his Golf GTI at the previous Kyalami round. (Here’s hoping for a turnaround at the next event, George.)
The race resumed for a one-lap dash to the finish. In a thrilling final push, George Economides (Turbo Golf) seized the moment, capitalizing on a misstep by Mark du Toit (BMW Z4) to snatch overall victory in the GT Sports & Saloons class.
Sprint Race Standouts
- Class A: Victory went to Wouter Roos (Volkswagen Golf 7), who edged out Wayne Robb (Ford Focus 225 ST), with Jonathan Visser (Volkswagen Polo 6R) rounding out the podium.
- Class B: Louis Scholtz (Honda Ballade) led home Wayne Lebotschy (Volkswagen Golf) and Shaun Vermaak (BMW F22 235i).
- Class C: Sebastian Bouilliart (Volkswagen Polo) beat Christopher Tait and Keegan Nathan (both in Polos).
Endurance Race Setback
Preparation is the cornerstone of success in any endurance series—and it’s something the Shield Golf team prides itself on. But motorsport is unpredictable, and even the best preparation can’t always fend off mechanical gremlins. This was exactly the case in this year’s race, with heartbreak striking just six laps from the finish.
We had been holding 2nd place in Class B for most of the race, and at times found ourselves running as high as 4th overall, depending on the pit stop cycles. However, around lap 77 of the 83-lap event, the clutch and gearbox began to give in. Smoke started seeping into the cockpit—gearbox oil dripping onto the exhaust—a clear sign that our race was coming to an early end.
Regrettably, I was forced to retire the car just before the chequered flag, a tough blow for our pit crew who had delivered a perfectly executed compulsory pit stop, complete with a refuel and the mandatory tyre change. Their efforts and precision deserved a stronger result, and the disappointment was understandably deep.
Nevertheless, congratulations to Louis Scholtz and the Car Care Clinic Team on a well-earned Class B victory and an impressive 3rd place overall.
To the entire Shield Golf Team—thank you for your unwavering support, hard work, and commitment. And as Arnold Schwarzenegger once said:
“We’ll be back.”
