PowerSeries 4

Killarney Evening Encore: The Crescendo and the Second Movement

As dusk began to settle over the Western Cape, the grand concert hall of Killarney International Raceway fired up once more for Round 4 of the Killarney Power Series. LAUDE Classic Cars Race 2 acted as the ultimate encore. If Race 1 was an introductory movement, this final performance saw a dramatic shift in the arrangement, where rising tempos clashed with structural breakdowns, and a new soloist stepped up to lead the automotive ensemble.

The Brass Section Steps Up: A Change in the Lead

With the changing light, a new primary soloist took center stage to guide the heavy V8 brass section. Michael Hitchcock conducted his Ford Mustang with ultimate authority, securing the top spot on the podium with a masterfully composed best lap time of 1:22.229. Keeping the tone incredibly tight, Mark Uytenbogaardt’s Ford Fairmont 4.7L forced a near-harmonic convergence at the front, pressing the leader with an elite 1:22.380 tempo.

The front-running melody welcomed fresh voices to the main chorus for this movement:

• Jarryd Evans found his rhythm beautifully, orchestrating his Ford Capri MK1 to a third-place cadence of 1:24.811.

• Boetie van Zyl made a booming return to the stage, making up for lost time by powering his massive Ford Fairmont GT 351cc to a 1:25.095.

• Roy Obery maintained a soaring pace in his Porsche 924 GTP, singing a sharp 1:25.488 note.

• Trevor Momberg (Ford Capri 3.4L) and Eric van der Merwe (Porsche 944T) closely harmonized, recording times of 1:26.686 and 1:26.368 respectively to anchor the fast-paced opening arrangement.

The Mid-Field Counterpoint: Rhythmic Artistry

Behind the thunderous leaders, the woodwinds and technical mid-field sections executed a complex, multi-layered counter-melody. Brian Evans kept a perfectly steady meter in his Ford Escort MK1 with a 1:27.606, closely challenged by Robin Forbes, whose Corvette Stingray 5.7L hit a sharp 1:27.325 pitch.

Ian Richards delivered another highly measured and rhythmic drive, keeping his VW Scirocco MK1 beautifully on cue with a best lap time of 1:28.450. This mid-field stanza was packed with intense, side-by-side duels as the drivers maintained mechanical cohesion through the technical turns:

• Danie Sandenbergh (Mazda R100 1.3L) – 1:27.179

• Bruce Avern-Taplin (Toyota Corolla 1795cc) – 1:28.970

• Layne Hutchings (VW Scirocco MK1) – 1:29.094

• Ferdi Mouton (Ford Mustang) – 1:30.225

• Wayne Lotter (Ford Escort 2L) – 1:30.093

• Dave Rowley (VW Beetle 2380cc) – 1:30.341

• Nicholas Fourie (VW Golf Mk2) – 1:31.911

• Robert Rowe (BMW 325i) – 1:32.014

The Deep Bassline: Holding the Tempo

Providing the steady, unyielding foundation at the back of the auditorium, the final ensemble division traded positions while keeping time. Jared Thomson guided his Ford Cortina 3.0S to a 1:34.185 beat, just standardizing his lead over Bradley Rowe’s BMW 2002 ti at 1:34.660.

Herman de Kock brought his Ford Escort 1.6 into the race with a solid 1:34.765 tempo. Meanwhile, the twin Jettas continued their rhythmic sparring match; this time, Andre Fourie’s Jetta 2L (1:35.989) stayed just ahead of Derick Truscott’s Jetta MK1 2L (1:36.229). The final complete scores of the evening went to Stephen Manuel in the Nissan Skyline 2.8 (1:37.064), Clinton Laurens finding his pace in the roaring Jaguar XJS 5.3L (1:33.149), Malcolm Pheiffer piloting the Alfa Romeo Julia (1:37.937), and Daniel Lotter Jnr recovering to register a 1:31.683 in his Ford Escort MK2.

Unraveling Harmonies and Silent Closures

The final movements proved incredibly taxing on the machinery, causing several structural breakdowns that cut performances short. Charles Arton managed a swift 1:27.911 in his TIGA before dropping out of the line-up, while Daniel Lotter Snr fought through a 1:30.282 tempo in his Ford Escort MK1 before his evening concluded early.

Further down, several instruments suffered total mechanical fatigue before they could satisfy the full duration:

• Andre Diedericks (Ford Capri 5L) – Retiring early despite a rapid 1:27.878 rhythm.

• Theo Claassen (Nissan Skyline GTZ) – Leaving the track with a best active tempo of 1:37.866.

• Franco Donadio – In a dramatic twist, the first-race conductor registered the absolute fastest single note of the entire day—a blistering 1:20.956—before his Chevrolet Can Am suffered an abrupt retirement.

• Ernest Leite (Fiat 128 Rally 1.3L) – Bowing out early on a 1:44.434 cadence.

Mark Ridgway (Ford Capri MK1), Gary Fourie (VW Golf MK2 1.8L), and Cary Blows (Datsun 240Z) never took the stage for this second movement, marked as DNS. As darkness settled over Killarney, Hitchcock’s Mustang took the final bow on the conductor’s podium, completing a magnificent weekend of classic motorsport showmanship.