Five cars that competed at the Gymkhana Grid
This was history in the making as the Gymkhana GRiD graced African soil for the first time as part of the #AutoCIRCUS festival powered by AutoTrader.
The two-day event included 23 international drivers, 30 local, and a carnival-themed exhibition with motor entertaiment. “Female drivers were not excluded and competed head-to-head with their male counterparts. Local driver Clare Vale and Hungarian athlete Nikolett Szántó led the pack” said AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.
If you’ve ever considered a career in professional drifting you’ll want to know more about these drivers and their cars.
BMW E46 LS7
Szántó in her BMW E46 LS7. Source: athlete Facebook profile
Nikolett Szántó is a force to be reckoned with and powered her beemer around the circuit at Carnival City. Szántó’s weapon of choice was a V8-powered BMW M3. BMW’s are great drift cars with rear-wheel drive and inherent balance that provides an excellent starting point. The addition of a powerful Corvette engine gave Nikolett the firepower she needs to burn rubber and show the boys a clean pair of tail pipes. This professional drifter was crowned 2014 Hungarian Drift Champion underlining the fact that motorsport is an equal opportunity sport with no special treatment or equipment needed for the fairer sex.
Szántó inspiring young women to drift at the autograph session for Gymkhana Grid 2017, held as part of the #AutoCircus powered by AutoTrader. Source: athlete Facebook profile.
Ford Mustang
Vale in her Ford Mustang. Source: athlete Facebook profile
Undoubtedly South Africa’s fastest lady racer, Clare Vale is no stranger to hustling high horsepower racecars. The one-time Gauteng-based circuit racer has been a long time muscle-car pilot and converted her racecar for drift duties. Clare certainly knows how to handle her V8-powered Mustang, which had more than enough power to scare the boys she shared the track with. She doesn’t need a dainty machine to drive, once the helmet is on, all is fair in drifting competition.
“We didn’t make Top 16 in the RWD class (32 local and international competitors!) but what a great experience” reported Vale after this weekend’s racing.
Vale at Gymkhana Grid 2017. Mustang. Source: athlete Facebook profile
Ford Fiesta
Block in his Ford Fiesta. Source: athlete Facebook profile
The world’s most famous drifter/stuntman/hooligan, Ken Block plies his trade from behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta. The Fiesta is a previous recipient of the Women’s World Car of the Year award, but Block’s all-wheel drive ST RX43 was built especially for the Gymkhama-style antics. Compact dimensions also makes it an ideal little run-around but with almost 450 kW of turbocharged power on tap Block can smoke all four wheels at will.
Block took 4th place in the AWD category. “The whole event here in Johannesburg, South Africa was amazing. We’ve been very quick all weekend, and by the end my time compared to the Volkswagen’s [Petter and Johan] were pretty close – it was only in the final stages that they edged us out” Block said. have come out to watch us race; it’s been an absolute blast!”
VW Polo Supercar
Solberg’s VW Polo Supercar. Source: athlete Facebook profile
Driven by multiple world champion, Petter Solberg, resumed his Grid battle in his Volkswagen Polo Supercar, which is based on the same model as raced by SA girl Tasmin Pepper in the local Polo Cup series. Solberg’s 447 kW Polo is unlike any you will find in a VW dealership as it features all-wheel drive and an extremely powerful 2,0-litre turbocharged engine. Unleashed from standstill it can reach 100 km/h in a tar-shredding 1,9 seconds – perfect for those last minute dashes to the shops.
Solberg scooped 2nd place in the AWD. “To be a part of this event and see all of the local South African drivers that have made the effort to come here and compete is fantastic. I walked around in the service park in between my races to look at all the cars that people have built and see the effort that people are putting in just to race” mused Solberg.in!”
Ford “Monstang”
Webb in his Ford Mustang. Source: athlete Facebook profile
Local racer Jason Webb had one of the coolest drift cars at Gymkhana Grid. The cabriolet Mustang, which boasts a 36 per cent female ownership base in the US, also makes it an ideal boulevard cruiser with the top down on a sunny day. Webb’s car, however, probably does not enjoy being driven slowly as the supercharged V8 engine pumps out over 580 kW, making it more of a boulevard crusher than cruiser.
Sadly Webb was knocked out in the early rounds of Gymkhana Grid 2017 by Izak van Zyl.