Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Clive Strugnell

A team of British riders flew out to South Africa last week to compete in an end-of-the-season 3-hour Superbike Endurance race. Billed as the South Africa TT, this race was held at the historic Zwartkops Racetrack on the outskirts of the capital City, Pretoria. It seeks to revive the invitational races of the 1960s and 1970s, where the likes of Agostini, Read, Grant, Barry Sheene and many others thrilled South African enthusiasts with plenty of no-holds barred racing.

The visiting team, brought to South Africa by circuit owner and former GP rider and TT star Mick Grant, revelled in the sunny and hot
conditions.

Teamed with new South African Champion Hudson Kennaugh, TAS Suzuki Supersport rider Tom Sykes ran a flawless race, winning by three laps on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Fellow Brit Steve Plater, who has had a dismal season through injury, impressed enormously riding a BMW Boxer special, built in the workshop of Pretoria BMW dealer, Bavarian Motorcycles. Super smooth, and incredibly fast, Plater and his teammates, club racer Braam Smit and Novice Grant Scott, beat official entries from Ducati and Aprilia and brought the booming Beemer home in 6th place overall.

In the 600cc class Englishman Craig Jones and local club riders Gareth De Rapper and Grant Maidment finished second, giving Triumph its first podium finish in South Africa in over 30 years.

Despite falling twice (once in qualifying ) the team of Paul Shoesmith and Dean Ellison finished in the top 10 on another Suzuki GSX-R1000. Ellison was originally teamed up with Suzuki South Africa’s Trevor Crookes on the official Team Suzuki SA bike. When it stopped after an hour he was drafted onto the Paul Shoesmith bike, entered by South Africa’s largest motorcycle magazine, Bike SA. The lead Bike SA rider, Donovan Fourie, concussed himself when he fell during qualifying, after having slotted onto the front row of the grid.

The British team now heads down to Cape Town for a 2-hour race next weekend.