Pesty Racing

The Pesty Racing team got their South African Endurance Series Class E title defence off to a victorious start this past weekend (3-4 March) at Zwartkops Raceway in the championship’s 2023 season opener.

Full report👇
📸 Colin Windell

SAES | Victorious Start to Pesty Racing’s SAES Title Defence — Motorsport Fanatix™ The Pesty Racing team got their South African Endurance Series Class E title defence off to a victorious start this past weekend (3-4 March) at Zwartkops Raceway in the championship’s 2023 season opener. The 2023 season marked the start of the fourth year in the series for the father-and-son team ...

These South African Endurance Series title contenders will need to go the distance in December.

That is why they regularly visit us; because Pesty Racing know that every high-performance component they will need in their Backdraft Roadster, they will find at our shop.

Happy birthday Barend.
We hope you have a blessed day and an awesome year ahead.

𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲

Pesty Racing's Harm and Barend Pretorius celebrated their maiden South African Endurance Series Class E victory this past weekend (30 September – 1 October) at Aldo Scribante Racetrack, seeing them emerge as title contenders with one round remaining in 2022.

The weekend did not proceed without its fair share of drama, which made the duo's efforts at the Gqeberha circuit even more heroic.

Opting to only participate in the later of Friday's practice sessions, a transmission fitted less than 50km ago on their Backdraft Roadster failed. While Backdraft Racing South Africa had a spare unit available, it took a solid effort from the team to have the car ready before the afternoon's qualifying session. Barend delivered a superb performance to take set the fastest time in the class, which saw the team lining up in 11th place on the combined grid.

A significant change to the original programme saw Saturday's planned 6-Hour race split into two 3-Hour races. Rounds 5 & 6 would therefore be two separate races with a 30-minute gap in between.

Barend took the opening stint in the Round 5 race and built up a handy advantage in the first forty five minutes, but shortly after that on lap 40, the newly-fitted transmission also developed problems with the car stuck in fifth gear. Weighing up all the options, Team Manager Francois Pretorius deduced that retiring the car immediately and fitting a new unit would still leave the team in a touch-and-go scenario to make the grid for the second race. It was decided to gamble on the reliability and keep the car in the race.

After Barend completed two stints, Harm took the wheel and retained the lead, despite the team's inability to show their true pace. Just prior to the end of the race, he had to take evasive action swiftly to avoid a fellow Class E competitor who spun in front of him. After sustaining slight damage, Harm could pit under the safety car for repairs. As the fourth driver to take the chequered flag, he took the team's maiden victory.

There was little time to savour the moment as the team had to prepare the car for the second race, for which the grid formation was only moments away. Again, they chanced their fate with the yet undetermined issue in the transmission. Realising that they would not be able to shift from fifth gear, they made a call not to start from fourth place on the grid but at the back. Barend again took on the opening stint and was given an explicit instruction: "Drive it until it breaks."

Barend made up good ground in the opening laps around the floodlight-lit circuit. Crucially, a host of Class E rivals struggled with mechanical issues, which saw him putting the team on course for a potential second victory when Harm took over the driving duties. A safety car period in the final hour played into the team's hands to avoid another stop for fuel but also bunched up the field and resulted in a final 20-minute sprint to the line between Harm, Mackie Adlem and Ben Morgenrood.

Harm could do little but watch as Adlem, who just set his personal best time, drove past him. With only four minutes remaining, the team suffered another scare when Harm spun out while exiting the chicane. However, he kept the car away from the tire wall and did not sacrifice a position to take the flag as runner-up.

In addition to their respective race win and podium, Harm and Barend finished the weekend as Class E winners, Race 2 Index of Performance winners, and in third place on the combined South African Endurance Series podium.

"We finally did it, and on a weekend when finishing seemed like a far stretch, let alone winning" said Harm. "We had quite a few moments when we nearly lost it all, but I'll list the defining moment as the call we made to continue racing. If the car was going to break, it had to, but we would not give up without challenging the odds. I really must thank the crew as well for all their work. On the weekend, we needed it more than anything; the team functioned like a well-oiled machine and made this success possible."

Barend continued regarding the championship. "While we are awaiting the updated official points table, we know we made up some good ground this weekend and putting us in second place by our calculations. There was a time in the first race that it seemed impossible to take home any points. Suddenly we are in the battle for the title, and following our efforts today, we know that anything is possible. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our success in Gqeberha."

The South African Endurance Series season finale will take place at Killarney International Raceway on 9-10 December.

A big thank you must go to Marais Ellis for the hospitality this weekend.

Not only did we set up base in his pit at , but we also again enjoyed staying at Summerhouse Bed & Breakfast. We highly recommend d this venue to anyone travelling to Gqeberha, be it for business or leisure.

The 1080 km journey back home begins.
Goodbye Gqeberha, it was an awesome weekend

That's where you celebrate an awesome .racing day.

🏆 Race 1: Class E win
🏆 Race 2: 2nd in Class E
🏆 Combined Class E result: 1st
🏆 Combined event podium: 3rd
🏆 Index of Performance Race 2: Win

Some night scenes halfway through our second .racing 3-Hour race for today.

Still unable to change gears, Barend has given over the driving duties to Harm with us still in the lead of Class E.

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

We did it!!! Finally that maiden .racing victory in Class E is in the bag.

It was a drama-filled race, but we don't have much time to celebrate as out next race is starting in 30 minutes.