It's hard to believe that the time has come for the GR Cup to head to the East London Grand Prix Circuit! This event marks the second of the mid-winter visits to the Eastern Cape, and after racing here in 2022, I both fear and adore this iconic track!
Related: Victory in Round 4 of the GR Cup!
The fear
There's no getting around it: East London is the scariest circuit on the South African racing calendar, in my opinion, at least. There's a seriously long main straight which leads into the famous Potters Pass, the fastest corner on the calendar! The treacherous right-hand sweep has almost no room for error, followed by an even faster right-hander called Rifle, where I anticipate speeds close to 225 km/h in the GR Corolla! At near flat-out speeds, you have to brake for Cocobana, a slow right-hander that's downhill and slightly off camber. The exit of this corner is crucial as there's the relatively long Beach straight before the tricky Butts Bend before heading into a left-hander followed by The Esses, Turn 5, and a Turn 6 called Cox's Coner, collectively known as 'The Complex' before 'The Sweep', another fast right-hander! There's another short straight before the final turn, Beacon Bend, the most crucial in terms of momentum as this sets you up for the long main straight as the madness starts all over again!
Personal development
As I continue to use this racing series to further my physical and mental health goals, I cannot quite explain how great I feel! My physical abilities have increased significantly since the start of the year, as I am now up to 150 minutes of cardio and four weight training sessions per week! I have lost 10kg, which has made me feel better physically, but its effect on my confidence and mental clarity is astounding! With my success so far this year, I hope that I can demonstrate how one can channel one's passion and enthusiasm for a hobby or extracurricular activity into long-lasting positive effects on both physical and mental health. If I can do it, so can you!
A new but familiar face
Toyota SA Motors’ Anand Pather, the Vice-President of Customer Services, is the latest guest driver in the GR Cup Corolla division. With a wealth of racing experience, Pather will provide stiff competition for the field!
Points
1. Sean Nurse (AutoTrader) – 56 points
2. Alex Shahini (CAR) – 32 points
3. Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel) – 29 points
4. Jaco van der Merwe (Citizen) – 21 points
5. Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars) – 17 points
6. Bernie Hellberg (Driven) – 15 points
The opportunity!
With three rounds left in the Championship and a 24-point lead, I can clinch the championship this weekend by winning both races! Should I accomplish the feat of ten on the trot, it will be mathematically impossible for me to lose the championship. In the event that I manage a double victory, should my nearest competitor, Alex Shahini, fail to finish second in both races, I will win the championship outright with two rounds to go!
