It is gearing up to be a grand month for the East London Grand Prix track as it prepares to host the South African Historic Grand Prix Festival next weekend.
The event was conceived to celebrate the Grands Prix that were held in East London from 1934 to 1939, after the interest of motor-racing in the city was ignited in the early 1930s when the municipality had constructed a circular road on the West Bank.
The motoring editor at the Daily Dispatch at the time, Brud Bishop, was said to have taken a Sunday drive around the route, after which he thought it would be a good idea to hold a race there.
The first race held at the course was the local Border Hundred race which, due to its popularity, morphed into a national race and then gained international interest. Eventually it became the SA Grand Prix, held on December 27 1934 for the first time.
“South Africa has an amazing motorsport history and the East London circuit is the oldest in the country, remaining largely unchanged,” said event organiser Mark Woolley from UK-based Speedstream Events.
“As vintage car events gather momentum around the world, owners of these amazing cars are constantly looking for different experiences to enhance the histories of their cars, Celebrating some 80 years of motorsport heritage in South Africa is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite some of these cars in the very place they raced.”
During that first race, 18 drivers from South Africa, the US and Great Britain did over six laps of the 15.2-mile course (roughly 25.5km) for the grand prize of the 100-guinea Barnes’ Silver Trophy as well as a £250 purse.
In front of a crowd said to have numbered 65,000, the race was won by Whitney Straight in his Maserati, an American millionaire who flew out from England specifically to compete.
He beat popular local Komani racer JH Chase, while Whitney's brother Michael finished third.
“The South African Historic Grand Prix Festival has assembled over 20 pre-war Grand Prix cars from South Africa and around the world to celebrate the Grands Prix that were held in East London between 1934 and 1939,” explained Woolley.
“These cars will have two sprint races on the current track and will also parade over two laps of the original Prince George circuit where the South African Grand Prix was held.
“About 80% of this circuit still exists and some of the cars will once again be wheel-to-wheel in the same place as 80-odd years ago,” he said.
“South Africans will likely never have the opportunity to see this calibre of car again in SA. Four of the cars – the 1934-winning Maserati 8CM, the two ERAs, and the Alfa P3 – are very competitive cars in historic racing in Europe and will be driven by their professional drivers in anger.”
Border Motorsport who are hosting the event are extremely excited for what looks set up to be a wonderful weekend for historic racing.
Friday and Saturday will see the national and regional historic races battled out, while qualifying for the SA Historic GP will take place on Saturday followed by a cracking day of racing on Sunday.
“This International Event is absolutely unique for South Africa and frankly is as close as anyone will get to the Ethos of the UK Goodwood Revival,” said Border Motorsport PR Dave Kirkman.
“For Buffalo City Metro to have been chosen by some of the most influential motor tourism people in the world, speaks volumes in terms of the potential for our city and the job creation potential which follows International Motor Tourism. “As you know we are one of only three remaining Original Grand Prix Circuits in the world and historic motorsport has been growing at an average annual rate of 11%.
“Border Motorsport have worked extremely hard to maintain and market our amazing facility internationally and nationally in the past three years, as we are very mindful of the attraction that this circuit and city has to offer.”
This event could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many motor-racing fans, as it will not become an annual event, so it may be the only time for people to see these cars in action.
“This is likely the only time we will be able to assemble this calibre of cars and it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to celebrate the South African Grand Prix,” Woolley said.
“But we have other events planned for the future that will attract different eras of cars and create different types of experiences, so watch this space.
“People are going to be able to get up really close to some of rarest and exotic cars in the world. The noises and smells and sheer spectacle that these vintage Grand Prix cars represent is something so special and different and to have them in the very same place as they raced 80 years ago is something very, very romantic.
“The cars will be touring from East London to Cape Town in the week following the East London race and will then be on display at the Grand Prix Garden Party at Val de Vie near Franschhoek the following weekend, along with around 150 of South Africa’s finest classic and collectable cars.”
The South African Historic Grand Prix takes place at the EL Grand Prix track from November 23 to 25...