BMW ///M Performance Parts Race Series – Round 01 – Zwartkops – 2022-01-29

It’s that time of year again, always eagerly anticipated, when the excesses of the festive season are a distant memory and minds begin to focus on the racing season ahead. Zwartkops traditionally, has the honour of hosting the opening round of national and regional campaigns in which many salvoes will be fired across many bows in the next 11 months or so.

The International Passion for Speed will again this year consist of myriad categories, one of which will be the BMW ///M Performance Parts Race Series, the first outing under the new sponsor of this popular series which looks set to deliver plenty of action over the next 10 rounds in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State.

In the slick shod Class A, some big guns have thrown their hats in the ring. William Einkamerer is facing off against the evergreen Sav Gualtieri who makes a welcome return. Farhaan Basha will stand in for Fabio Fedetto whom will be absent due to business commitments. Being used to racing Polo’s it is expected to be a tough learning curve in the rear wheel drive and turbo charged BMW F82 M4.

In Class B the cauldron is as red hot as ever.  2021 overall and Class champion Andreas Meier returns to lead an unruly mob, eager to dethrone him.  Carlo Garbini, Alan Hilligenn, Salvi Gualtieri and Oz Biagioni are all seasoned warriors familiar to one another. They will be joined by Lorenzo Gualtieri and Rob Gearing who rebuilt his car in 2021 and whose presence will be welcomed back. Thomas Potgieter is another relatively new name in the ranks after making the jump from Class E late last year. Jan Eversteyn had something of a sabbatical in 2021 but is back in the fray. 

In Class C the witches are brewing as furiously as they have ever done. Nek Makris will pit his skills against Renier Smith, Matthew Wadeley, Lyle Ramsay, Troy Cochran and Trevor Long. A newcomer to the ranks but certainly not to circuit racing is Dawie Olivier who will double as a series co-sponsor with his group International Race Supplies. Mish Sing another co-sponsor from TuneTech is another old hand back after a five-year absence to measure up in an extremely competitive ensemble. He will drive the replica Tony Viana E30 325is until the new car he is building is finished.

In Class D Varish Ganpath leads fellow stalwarts Bernard de Gouveia, Shane Grobler, Manny Ribeiro, Hein van der Merwe and Arri van Heerden. Craig Herbst and Eugene Gouws will also be on hand to start the 2022 campaign hopefully with a solid points haul.

In Class E the Nicholas(es) have it. A trio made up of Nicholas Fischer, Nicholas Herbst and 2020 overall champion Nicholas van Zyl face off, the latter having had a difficult campaign in 2021 driving in Class B in the BMW E36 328i Turbo. For this race van Zyl opted to enter his naturally aspirated BMW E36 328i. Nicholas Herbst will for the first time compete in his newly built BMW E90 330i. They will be joined by two new names Shaun Dodd, making a return to the series after a long absence and Riaan Lube who is a newcomer.

Vigen Naidu is another newbie who will slot into the relevant class after practice and qualifying.

35 plus entries for the season opener serves notice of intent for the BMW ///M Performance Parts Race Series, a fitting new beginning for a new sponsor intent on growing this popular series.     

Story by Tony Alves

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