There was a bit of something for everybody at the track last weekend, from monster trucks to JCW Minis, Killarney was vol motoring goodness.
The 2018 Killarney Motor Show powered by Kfm 94.5 at Killarney International Raceway on Sunday was also crowded with visitors, as Bobby Nitro said his howzits to the speedsters, the collectors and modkoppe.
There was more of everything, from more exhibitors to even more cabbies, bikes, trucks and rare finds. Luckily, the rain held off.
The opening ceremony had a strictly local flavour, with Goema music from the Mitchells Plain Outreach String Band and the Du Noon Dance Group.
JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, paid tribute in his speech to the raceway and for the part, it has played in getting illegal street racers off the roads and onto the track for robot racing, as well as for all the automotive businesses the track supports.
A few cases in point were the locally built GSM Dart sportscar, that kwaai yellow gedropte Quantum and the Ligier endurance racer present at the opening ceremony, all of which are products of our local industry.
Bobby started out on the Back Straight corner where the local crews and show and shiners were hanging out; boys’ toys everywhere as people walked among a huge variety of customised street cars.
As Dave Abrahams, Killarney public relations man, says: “Each car is a testimony to the vision and effort put in by its owner and his friends - because it takes a crew to build a serious car.”
Chatting first to Raziek of Razor Customs, who had all four of his creations out on display, Bobby moved onto the show clubs all neatly organised under their banners.
Classic park-off atmosphere was the order of the day.
Then around the corner and onto the Porsche Straight, where the dealer stands were brimming with new models and first looks at upcoming cars, while some dealers provided spins in certain models down the one-kilometre loop known, or Half Main. Add the hot rods and rat rod or two, and the straight became a hub of interested punters.
DARING STUNT: The Le Riche brothers and others show off their bravery. Photo: Bobby Nitro and Colin Brown
The Paddock was alive with a funfair, as well as new and classic motorcycles plus exotic race cars. In the words of Dave: “A vivid illustration of the old saying that little boys never grow up, their toys just get more expensive.”
The New Pits were far more chilled, with some of the oldest cars in South Africa, dating back to the earliest years of the 20th century, stately limousines and imposing golden-era sports cars.
Bobby pointed out the one car there that, despite its age and unimposing look, was probably the only for sure Ferrari-killer around (besides the track racers), Willie Nel’s marvellous Can-Am.
REPRESENTING: The LA Racing Crew stieked uit at the Killarney event. Photo: Bobby Nitro and Colin Brown
The lekker thing is this was no straight static show, with the Fuchs monster truck kicking up dust with lucky ride winners aboard, as well as Afrika Burn Mad Max-style vehicles swamped with kids trundling around.
The new Kfm 94.5 Adventure City off-road area, with dual-purpose motorcycles on the old motocross circuit and new 4x4 models on the Isuzu Reeds test track, attracted the rough and ready crowd.
The Jeep Compass 2.4 Trailhawk was on public display for the first time in South Africa ahead of its official local release, and Craig Flannery of Century City Motors said he’d given more than a hundred test rides in it.
Bobby never had a dull moment, even lunch had its highlights with the Le Riche brothers pulling off feats of balance and outright insanity on their trial bikes in front of the New Pits restaurant.