The action is about to begin
Karts, classics, slot cars and soapboxes get the Knysna Speed Festival under way this weekend
The first events of the inaugural Knysna Speed Festival take place this coming weekend. Friday 13th May sees preparations for the first Knysna Kart Grand Prix, an innovative and spectacular race to be held the following day, 14th May, on the town’s historic Thesen Island, which will provide a unique karting street circuit atmosphere. Counting for both the Western Province club and Eastern Province regional karting championships, practice for the GP starts on the Friday at 14h00 and ends at 19h00. On the Saturday there will be a warm-up from 14h00 to 15h00 followed immediately by qualifying and racing, which ends under lights at 21h30.
Around 40 karts have been entered, starting with the 50 cm3 ‘baby class’ – kids between 5 and 8 years old, some of whom will be travelling from Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town to compete. At the other end of the scale, the racing 125 cm3 karts produce around 30 kW, enough power to make them exceptionally fast around what is sure to be a demanding circuit.
Saturday is also Build Day for the schools taking part taking part in the Soapbox Derby that will run down the bottom part of Simola Hill on Friday, 20th May. Assembly of the soapboxes, the parts for which have been supplied with the support of local businesses including Pennypinchers, CX Steel and Peter van Haldren, will take place from 08h00 at Pennypinchers, Meubel Street, Industrial Area, Knysna. Makita Power Tools will be present to assist the kids where needed.
Once built, the teams will be allowed to ‘test’ the vehicles within the Pennypinchers car park and also along one of the nearby quiet roads. This activity will be followed by an opportunity to decorate the soapboxes in sponsor’s livery. Ted’s Motor Spares has donated a prize for the best decorated soapbox, which will be awarded on Race Day.
The organisers are providing 16 soapboxes and the Derby will be contested by teams from primary schools in the Knysna, Sedgefield and Plettenberg Bay areas. The objective of the event is to create a spirit of fair and honest competition amongst the children, help build team spirit and encourage engineering skills and handicraft. Designed by a local engineer, the soapbox has already proved to be a huge hit with both youngsters and older racers alike.
Mugg and Bean will provide all the competitors with both a snack and drinks on both Build and Race Days. Popular Mechanics magazine is donating some prizes. For further Soapbox Derby information please contact Anton Heymann on 082 074 6352.
On Sunday 15th May the annual Garden Route Motor Club’s car show will take place on the Knysna High School sports field on Waterfront Drive and an impressive collection of auto classics will be on view, intermingled with displays from the local motor trade. The show, which is supported by Knysna Toyota and Frost Brothers, starts at 10h00 and the entrance fee is R10 for adults, R5 for kids. Refreshments and live music will be in attendance, and the show closes at 16h00. For more info on this specific festival event, contact Bunny Mentz on 084 300 0990.
The Knysna Slot Car Club’s ‘scale racer’ challenge takes place from Monday 16th to Wednesday 18th May around a purpose-built track situated at the club’s permanent premises in the centre of town. However, as a build-up to the challenge, at the Garden Route Motor Show a smaller version of the circuit, made up from Ninco track, will be erected on the squash court where youngsters will be allowed to race and after the show the more proficient ones will be invited to take part in the main challenge during the week. With Ninco slot cars kindly donated by Jeffrey Stein Sales, racers and spectators can expect a hotly-contested ‘thumbed to the limit’ Ford versus Chevy battle. There is even talk of a coastal challenge… Contact Gary Laughton on 083 277 3434 for further information.
The award-winning town of Knysna is renowned for its festivals held throughout each year and a new addition to the calendar is about to set the Garden Route abuzz with four-wheeled action. A week-long programme of motoring action never before attempted in South Africa, the Knysna Speed Festival is destined to become not only a tourism highlights but a premier event on the national motorsport calendar. The festival caters for all segments of the population and proceeds will benefit nominated local charities.
Further information and can be found on the festival’s website www.speedfestival.co.za
Issued by Mike Monk Motor Media. For further media enquiries, ’phone 021 558 4157 or 083 652 1386 or e-mail mike4m@telkomsa.net
