Cape Town - The news that double world sportscar champion Jan Lammers is being teamed with South African legend Sarel van der Merwe and Dr Greg Mills in a G55 Ginetta in the gruelling Africa 9-Hour Endurance Race at Killarney on Saturday, has elevated the event to international status.
With probably more competitive experience than any visiting driver since the Cape circuit was opened in 1960, the Dutch veteran has proved over the years that he is more of a top-class marathon runner than a short-distance sprinter.
The result has been that although he spent several seasons in F1 with lesser teams like Shadow, ATS, Ensign and the ill-fated Theodore squad, his greatest successes have been achieved in long distance sportscar events.
These included a victory in the prestigious Le Mans 24-Hour race in 1988 in a Silk Cut Jaguar. Lammers was the senior partner and the team ensured that he remained at the wheel for more than 13 hours. The remaining time was split between his two British teammates, Lord Johnny Dumfries and Andy Wallace.
Achieved despite a defective gearbox, it was not only Jaguar’s first Le Mans victory since 1957, but also broke a six-year run of success for the previously dominant Porsche team.
Lammers also occupied the top step of the podium after two victories (1988 and 1990), in America’s premier endurance race, the Daytona 24-Hour.
As Sarel van der Merwe is also a previous Daytona 24-Hour winner (1984), Lammers’ answer to a question about their association was that although he has never had Supervan as a co-driver, they have competed against one another on several occasions.
The most notable of these was at Le Mans in 1988 when Jan drove the wining Jaguar and Sarel was at the wheel of one of the Porsches that was not far behind.
The fastest cars are going to have to complete more than 140 laps at maximum speed on Saturday. Pit stops will have to be made for driver changes, new tyres and refueling. In addition, while F1 cars are only stationary for between two and three seconds, less experienced crews without specialized equipment and with more to do, could be kept busy for several minutes.
THE RIVALS
The Ginetta’s main opposition is likely to come from Charl and Harry Arangies in their Ferrari F360, and a sleek Juno SS3 in the hands of local champion Francis Carruthers, Nick Adcock and Johan Engelbrecht.
Other notable drivers include former Touring Car and offroad star Duncan Vos teamed up with brother Graham and another former Touring Car racer Marc da Cunha.
The speed differential in a field that includes everyhing from powerful V8s to 1.8 Golfs and even a lone 1 600cc Toyota Corolla, ensures that the front runners are going have to cope with periods of heavy traffic congestion at times.
Another factor is that with the race beginning at noon it is going to ensure more than an hour in the dark and – possibly more disconcerting – a period before that of driving into the setting sun on certain sections of the track.
It’s going to be a unique double-header on Saturday as the annual International 8 Hours for lightweight motorcycles will be run at the same time on the tight one-kilometre ‘K’ circuit.
Overnight camping at Killarney will be permitted and a section of the facility near the clubhouse has been allocated for this purpose. For more info contact the organisers on 021 557 1639.
Incidentally the clubhouse has a large screen TV, with live timing available during the race and will remain open until late on Friday and Saturday.
On race day the gates open at 7am and the programme is going to include two single-seater races in the morning before the start of the main event at noon.
Admission has been pegged at R60 for adults and R20 for scholars under 16. There is no charge for kiddies under 12.