Many say you shouldn't rely on luck. It's indiscriminate, and everyone knows it comes in two flavours: good and bad. Whichever flavour comes when you least expect it, and no matter how much you prepare. Turning the tide in your favour with what you can control, though, that's another side to it.
Related: Heading home to Zwartkops - Toyota GR Cup - Round 3 Pre Race Talk
My previous two rounds were unfortunately plagued with bad luck, and it's a reality of motorsport, not the GR Corolla. I adore my machine, and the more I drive it, the more I appreciate the thrill it gives and the way it gets others excited. Round 3 saw the GR Cup Media Challenge head to home ground at Zwartkops Raceway, and my oh my, it was a high-demand event. As mentioned in my Pre-Race article, Zwartkops also serves as Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa's headquarters. With many family and friends attending this round, a show had to be put on. The other dynamic is my colleagues, who are doing double duty as my coaches and arming themselves with humorous material for the Monday morning office roasting session. Failure was definitely not an option now.
This round also saw the introduction of the first GR Cup Hot Seat driver, Girlie Lukhele, which you can read more about here.
Practice
Due to the accident damage in Round 1, which had a lingering effect into Round 2, my car was repaired and stress-tested to ensure that no other issues related to the gearbox would arise. It was a tireless effort by the TGRSA mechanics to ensure the vehicle was in top form. Thankfully, nothing cropped up, and the previous mechanical gremlins were sent packing. A brand new gearbox and gearbox cooling system did the trick. This, however, meant I was lacking real-life seat time and that some catching up was needed.
It was then that I put in extra time in my usual simulation training, setting blistering times on the very accurate representation of Zwartkops Raceway. Would that translate into real life?
In the real world now, with a traffic-packed practice day, finding a groove for me was a struggle in the 25-car grid. I was off pace, and my driving wasn't smooth. With that, frustration then set in, leading me to overdrive the car, which didn't help. Odd, why would that be the case? I know I can be quick, but something was holding me back that I couldn't quite put my finger on.
Qualifying
We had an early qualifying session, and the morning was crisp as we head into winter. That did mean the track was cold and would be slippery. Considering the grid was packed on practice day, the qualifying sessions were split to give competitors enough space to stretch their cars' legs. I was elated by this, but again, I struggled to find a groove and only qualified in fourth place. I was just behind Kumbi Mtshakazi, and behind me were Girlie and Justin Ford.
Race 1
The start horn went off at 13h05. Race 1 saw a bit of drama on the track, with cars going into the kitty litter, and an incident further up the grid involving Kumbi and one of the dealer cars. I did manage to get into third place, but my erratic driving caught up, and a swift overtake from Girlie saw me in fourth. Nonetheless, I maintained my position for the rest of the race and aimed to keep things clean despite some of the pandemonium. The car felt dialled in, and the speedy layout at Zwartkops got the adrenaline pumping.
Race 2
My lap times in Race 1 placed me in fourth in the grid for Race 2, with Girlie ahead of me and Justin Ford just behind. Race 2 was pretty late in the day at 16h30. Again, my erratic driving this weekend caught up with me: I overdrove the car, which raised the drivetrain temperature. On the final lap, my car went into limp mode, giving Justin Ford an easy overtake. At that point, it was over, but I crossed the finish line in the end.
An honourable mention
I will tip my hat to Girlie. Achieving a podium finish for her first wheel-to-wheel race is commendable, and her natural affinity for racing is definitely something to watch. I'm keen to see how the other GR Cup Hot Seat guests go.
The takeaway
I was not at my best this past race weekend. The mental hurdles from the last two rounds were an impediment, as I spent more time being cautious than actually racing, leading to erratic driving. Another thing my colleagues picked up was that I was overanalysing everything, which led to paralysis rather than driving the course and doing what feels right. Pair that with the rampant flu this season, the illness I was shaking off unfortunately complicated into bronchitis over the course of the round. There is a silver lining, though. I have finally finished a round and brought the car back in one piece, which counts for something. I'll take a little victory.
More than ever, the 'RRR' is important here: to rest, regroup and restrategise, because Aldo Scribante, a high-speed technical circuit, is next.
Catch the next round at Aldo Scribante Raceway, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape - 27 June 2026
