Killarney Drag Racing, Short Circuit & Rallycross

Killarney International Raceway’s fourth Blockbuster event of 2022 revs up on Saturday 25 June with MSA Drag Racing on the Drag Strip, Short Circuit Racing on the Karting circuit, Rallycross on the World RX circuit and an IASCA Sound-Off in the Joubert Pits.

And the best part is that spectator tickets cost only R80 for adults, R20 for scholars under 16 and free for children under 12 - and for that you get access to all four events. Western Province Motor Club members also get in free on production of their membership book at the gate on entry.

Competitive Drag Racing under MSA rules is all about purpose built drag racers, lightweight bodies fitted with highly modified, insanely powerful engines, sequential gearboxes and huge ultrasoft ‘wrinkly’ tyres. But there are classes for everything, including superbikes and street-cars, so you’re guaranteed a full day of straight-line action, with a variety of food and drinks on sale from upmarket vendors who know just how to re-fuel motorsport fans.

At the same time IASCA will be hosting an internationally sanctioned, World Record Sound-Off in the Joubert Pits, where the loudest vehicles in the Western Cape Province and a number of entries from further afield – including the new Taxi Class - will compete for IASCA trophies and World Record status in the idBL and Bass Boxing formats.

The best installations are surprisingly clean and tidy, with all the components easily accessible and cables neatly and safely routed, and it is notable that they also achieve the biggest numbers. Sound-Off contestants take their passion seriously, and it shows.

Short-circuit action on the one-kilometre Karting Circuit features races for MiniMoto/PocketBikes, 125/150cc Motorcycle Juniors and Seniors, Super Motard Juniors and Seniors, as well as ClubSport – a combined category comprising SSP 300, Moto 3, Moto 4 and Supermono Motorcycles that always provides close and completely unpredictable racing.

The action is non-stop – each category gets three races in the morning, so there’s a new race starting every 15 minutes or so. The grandstands are on the roof of the pits, giving spectators a commanding view of almost the entire circuit; the pits are also open to spectators so you can get to see the motorcycles up close.

Then the racing gets serious at 1:30pm, as the riders sprint across the track in a Le Man start – something rarely seen anywhere in the world these days – for the 4 Hour Endurance Race. This is open to CBR150 one-make competitors, as well as 80cc two-strokes and 200cc Chinese four-strokes. With continuous action on the track and in the pits as the teams refuel, change riders and frantically MacGyver repairs to crashed bikes, the adrenalin level is intense.

So it’s always a relief to take a break in the Karting Café, which offers delicious hot snacks, ice-cold drinks and some of the best coffee in Cape Town, while watching the live updates on the leaderboard screen.

Ever since the first World Championship event at Killarney lit the Rallycross fire at Killarney in 2017, local rallycrossers, rallysprint competitors and even the BMW drivers of the E36 Cup have been getting down and dirty on our 1.3 kilometre, part tar, part dirt rallycross layout.

Rallycross combines the best aspects of rallying, drifting and oval track in one exciting, high-octane spectacle, with short four or six-lap races on a purpose-built 1.3 kilometre, part-tarmac, part dirt-track circuit in a stadium-type arena that includes a huge jump and a lot of sideways action – and the good news for spectators is that you can sit anywhere on the stands and see almost the whole circuit.

There are races for four-cylinder cars, limited to two litres in capacity and a maximum output of 130kW, six-cylinder cars of up to 168kW, while the BMWs of the E36 Cup have their own class. Cars with more power and turbocharged cars fall into the open category, where almost anything goes!

Local Rallycross has become the victim of its own success, with too many entries to allow each division three races, a semi-final and final in four hours of racing. So now the rallycrossers get the west side of the circuit to themselves for a whole day of non-stop action – and you’re invited!

You are welcome bring your cooler box and gazebo, light up your skottelbraai and make a day of it; cold drinks and delicious light meals are also available from food vendors right next to the pits.

Killarney cares about your health and well-being; wearing a mask is no longer a government requirement at outdoor gatherings, but please remember to wear your mask over your nose and mouth when entering one of our indoor venues and keep a social distancing space of at least one metre between persons at all times.

For more information on Killarney International Raceway email Terri Philander at terri@wpmc.co.za