The History of Saloon Car Championships in SA?

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IndianaJones
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Joined: Sun 23 Aug 2009, 17:39
Location: Citrusdal, RSA

The History of Saloon Car Championships in SA?

Post by IndianaJones » Sun 03 Jan 2016, 17:32

As a youngster, loving the historics, I’m curious about especially the early history of tin-top/touring car/saloon car track racing in South Africa(read not open wheeler, sports car or oval track), and can’t seem to find a lot of information on the subject. I know there are some magnificent history there, but don’t know much about it, and I’m sure there would be more interested parties.

Where did it start, when was the first National Saloon Championship?

I’ve been scouring this forum, as well as all over the web, and most seem to have been endurance racing in the early days, often times when you come across photos(pre-70’s) it was taken at endurance races, but when did “sprint” racing championships start? It’s especially hard to find photos taken in the 1930’s and 1950’s, probably understandable, as few people had cameras back then.

Were there different classes in a championship from the get-go, or did it come later? Since when was a standard production car, and a modified production car championship run? I know the Saloon Car Championship went from running something like Group 5 rules in 1970, to Group 2 rules in 1971. But not sure from what year, a Group 1 and Modified Championship were run.
Does anyone know this history, or might be able to point me in the direction of a good book on the subject? I don’t know of any of the very early SA saloon racers or supporters, having written a book on the subject or their careers.

I know the first SA Grand Prix was run in 1934, which was open-wheeler competition, would there have been a saloon championship at the time? I would suspect tin-top racing in SA, started with hill climbs and racing on grass/gravel tracks, but obviously there were a few race circuits or races run public street tracks very early on. The other well-known series, was the Springbok Trophy Series which ran from 1965 until 1973, when the oil crisis ended it. Although a mainly Sports Car Endurance series, tin-tops competed in it. Any further info is very scarce, it does not even seem like Motorsport South Africa (MSA) have a history section on their website, Roy Hesketh have a good website, but it’s limited to that track and it’s lifetime. Anyone have some pictures or information of saloon racing on the Darryl Allam/St Alban’s race track, which was used till early 70’s? Or a Kragga Kamma and William Gray circuits, all located in Port Elizabeth? Or Grand Central, Palmietfontein, Brandkop, Lichtenburg, Roy Hesketh, Gunner’s & Sack’s Circle, Eerste Rivier, Grosvenor/Pollsmoor, or even Lourenço Marques or Luanda circuits? Or the Scott Road, Red Hill or any other now long forgotten hillclimbs?

So far I have this incomplete “timeline” of South African National Tin-Top Track Racing Championships, please correct me where I’m wrong, or add to it, or share early racing photos, or if you know when major rule changes occurred or title sponsors changed.

1934-1939 ?
1939-1945 World War II
1945-1964 ?
1965-1973 Springbok Trophy Endurance Series
1964-1970 SA Saloon Car/Touring Championship (Group 5)
1971-1973 SA Saloon Car Championship (Group 2)
The Star Modified Saloon/Production Car Racing (1971–1983)
1974- The Oil Crisis
Group 1 Racing (1975-1985) (“Lodge Sparkplugs” title sponsor, not sure if it were the only one?)
Manufacturer’s Challenge Series (1978-1981)
Wesbank Modifieds (27 Aug 1983-1994)
Stannic Group N (1986-1995)
AA Fleetcare Super Touring Car Championship (SATCAR) (1993-1997)
Wesbank V8 Challenge/Supercars (1995-2011)
Procar/Bankfin Touring Car Championship (1997-2000)
Engen Volkswagen/Polo Cup(1997-2016?)
SASCAR (2001-2004)
Bridgestone SA Production Car (2007-2011)
National Production Car (2012-2015)
Global Touring Car (2016?)

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