PRESS RELEASE:  April 2009

 Choose Your Altech Weapon

Since 2006 the Altech Porsche Challenge has been a key event in the popular national Pro Tour series and the brigade of high-end supercars continue to deliver in 2009. Altech has continued its support for local motorsport, but there has been one significant change for 2009 with the series name evolving to Altech GT Challenge. The championship kicked off at Killarney in March, hits Zwartkops this weekend, before moving on for six more rounds. The Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge, which is run on a handicap system, will also compete at all eight rounds of the Pro Tour.

Zwartkops is regarded as the home track for most Altech GT Challenge competitors so it is a given that all will be on the pace and action will be seriously heated. Besides the close racing Altech GT Challenge ranks high in the list thanks to an awesome accompanying soundtrack. Whether you are a fan of whistling turbos, a Porsche flat-six bark, wailing Ferraris or you like the serenity of the stealthy Lotus’  the Altech GT Challenge has it all.

Round 1 saw Toby Venter continuing his 2008 form and convincingly scooping a pair of Class A wins. The safe money is on Venter’s brutal Porsche 993 GT2R winning at Zwartkops but because of the track’s tight nature Charl and Pieter Joubert’s Lotus Exiges shouldn’t be written off. Oscar de Oliveira’s Ferrari 430 flew the Tifosi flag in the Altech GT Challenge Class A race at Cape Town. He failed to complete both heats but can’t be excluded from the list of Zwartkops favourites.

Class B is the Altech GT Challenge’s largest class and with seven Ferraris and a handful of Porsches the battle of the poster brands is on the cards. Jeremy Pougnet piloted his Ferrari 360 to victory in Cape Town so comes to Zwartkops as favourite and championship leader. Andrew Miller, Rudi Botha and Nic Chapman also come to the Altech GT Challenge with Ferrari 360s while Sharl Parsad, Christo Lindeque and Loris Chippa come with a trio of Ferrari 430 models. The Porsche brand name is carried in Class B by Justin Mathie’s 997 GT3 Cup and Oliver Dalais’ twin-turbo 917K replica.

Wayne Waldeck’s Exige S will be the only Lotus in the Class C race. Not only will he will have his hands full keeping the front-engined Porsche 944 Turbo Cup of Killarney winner Barry Nel at bay but also a pair of 996 GT3 Cup Cars and a 993 RSR.   

Class D is filled exclusively by Porsche models but pits front and rear engine thought against each other. 2007 champion Dave Fourie had a poor start to the Altech GT Challenge Round 1 and will be looking to make up for it. Anthony Blunden took Killarney victory with his Porsche 911 RSR while 944 mounted rookie Charl Arangies made use of his nimble Porsche to come in second. Pierre Martins also goes the front-engined Porsche route in Class E but substitutes 4-cylinders for eight with a wide looking 928SR. Rear engine Class E Altech GT Challenge competition will come from Dillon Miller and Ron Harmse in a pair of Porsche 911.

As the Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge suggests, this formula caters exclusively for Porsche 924 models. To determine starting positions drivers will nominate a lap time they believe they will not exceed. The competitors are then sent off at calculated intervals with the slowest nominated time going off first and the fastest last. In theory, if every competitor laps at their nominated time the entire field should cross the finish line at the same time – obviously this is unheard of. To negate any sandbagging a driver will be disqualified for going quicker than his nominated lap time. Killarney winners were Greg Parton and Braam van Niekerk respectively. Whether or not they can repeat it remains to be seen. For 924 racers who want a scratch race, instead of a handicap, organisers have made a 924 class within in the Altech GT Challenge championship. Johan Grobler took Cape Town honours but was chased all the way by long-time 924 pilots Marius Wait and Dave Parratt.

With vast speed differentials in both Altech GT Challenge and Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge staying clear of trouble and recording consistent lap times will be the key to Zwartkops success.

For results and further information regarding the Altech GT Challenge visit www.gtchallenge.co.za Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge information can be found on www.porsche924.co.za 

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