Toyota South Africa: NURSE DOMINATES AT ALDO SCRIBANTE, BUT THRILLING ACTION THROUGHOUT GR CUP

NURSE DOMINATES AT ALDO SCRIBANTE, BUT THRILLING ACTION THROUGHOUT GR CUP

The 2024 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA GR Cup saw a thrilling weekend of racing at the Aldo Scribante Raceway in Gqeberha, with Sean Nurse (AutoTrader) once again proving his dominance in the GR Cup Media Challenge. However, the battles throughout the field in the GR Cup Dealer Challenge and GR86 Development Academy categories provided plenty of excitement for spectators.

GR Cup Media Challenge

Qualifying: Sean Nurse (AutoTrader) continued his dominant form by securing pole position with a time of 1:11.553 around the tricky Aldo Scribante circuit. Alex Shahini (CAR) was close behind, showing impressive pace, and Jaco van der Merwe (Citizen) secured third. Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel) and Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars) rounded out the top five, while guest driver John Thomson (TSAM) qualified in sixth. Bernie Hellberg (Driven) completed the lineup.

Race 1: Race 1 saw Sean Nurse (AutoTrader) take a commanding win with a total time of 9:57.552. Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel) finished second, 20.365 seconds behind, after a spirited drive that saw the TV presenter elbow his way to the front, but never quite catching up with the flying Nurse. Alex Shahini (CAR) completed the podium after an exciting duel with Visser. Jaco van der Merwe (Citizen), Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars), Bernie Hellberg (Driven), and John Thomson (TSAM) rounded out the order.

PositionDriverTotal TimeGap
1Sean Nurse (AutoTrader)9:57.552 
2Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel)10:17.917+20.365
3Alex Shahini (CAR)10:21.963+24.411
4Jaco van der Merwe (Citizen)10:22.250+24.698
5Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars)10:22.797+25.245
6Bernie Hellberg (Driven)10:28.776+31.224
7John Thomson (TSAM)10:37.189+39.637

Race 2: In Race 2, Sean Nurse (AutoTrader) once again proved his mettle, crossing the finish line first with a total time of 10:00.069, showing a clean pair of heels to the competition. John Thomson (TSAM) put in an impressive performance to finish second, followed closely by Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel). Alex Shahini (CAR) and Bernie Hellberg (Driven) battled it out for fourth and fifth respectively, with Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars) and Jaco van der Merwe (Citizen) completing the order.

PositionDriverTotal TimeGap
1Sean Nurse (AutoTrader)10:00.069 
2John Thomson (TSAM)10:14.162+14.093
3Hannes Visser (La’t Wiel)10:15.450+15.381
4Alex Shahini (CAR)10:23.826+23.757
5Bernie Hellberg (Driven)10:24.314+24.245
6Kumbi Mtshakazi (Kumbi-M on Cars)10:24.793+24.724
7Jaco van der Merwe (Citizen)10:25.106+25.037

GR Cup Dealer Challenge

Qualifying: Somewhat unsurprisingly, it was Devon Scott (serving as guest driver for Rola Motor Group) who set the fastest time in qualifying with 1:11.903, followed by his colleague from the GR Driving Academy, Paul de Vos and veteran racer Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota). Werner Venter (NMI Toyota Menlyn) and Johann Snyman (Rustenburg Toyota) rounded out the top five.

Race 1: Paul de Vos (GR Driving Academy) took the win in Race 1 with a total time of 10:01.104, closely followed by Devon Scott (Rola Motor Group) and Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota) – the crossing the finish line less than a second apart. Werner Venter (NMI Toyota Menlyn) and Johann Snyman (Rustenburg Toyota) finished fourth and fifth respectively.

PositionDriverTotal TimeGap
1Paul de Vos (GR Driving Academy)10:01.104 
2Devon Scott (GR Driving Academy)10:01.383+0.279
3Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota)10:01.907+0.803
4Werner Venter (NMI Toyota Menlyn)10:16.968+15.864
5Johann Snyman (Rustenburg Toyota)10:25.811+24.707

Race 2: In race 2, Devon Scott (Rola Motor Group) hit back to take the win, with a total time of 9:59.045. Paul de Vos (GR Driving Academy) finished second, again followed by Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota). Werner Venter (NMI Toyota Menlyn) and Johann Snyman (Rustenburg Toyota) completed the top five.

PositionDriverTotal TimeGap
1Devon Scott (Rola Motor Group)9:59.045 
2Paul de Vos (GR Driving Academy)10:01.338+2.293
3Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota)10:02.071+3.026
4Werner Venter (NMI Toyota Menlyn)10:11.803+12.758
5Johann Snyman (Rustenburg Toyota)10:16.819+17.774

GR86 Development Academy

Qualifying: Dawie van der Merwe has shown his class throughout this season, and  was again the fastest man in qualifying, with a time of 1:12.194, followed by Dylan Pragji and Niko Zafiris. Setshaba Mashigo, Ryan Naicker, and Kent Swartz  completed the lineup.

Race 1: There were no surprises as Dawie van der Merwe  took the win in Race 1 with a total time of 9:48.338. Niko Zafiris and Dylan Pragji finished second and third respectively, after an exciting drive, with Ryan Naicker and Kent Swartz completing the top five. Racing action in the GR86 Development Academy is always intense courtesy of identically prepared Toyota GR86 6AT models. 

PositionDriverTotal TimeGap
1Dawie van der Merwe (GR86)9:48.338 
2Niko Zafiris (GR86)9:49.333+0.995
3Dylan Pragji (GR86)9:49.511+1.173
4Ryan Naicker (GR86)9:53.286+4.948
5Kent Swartz (GR86)9:53.654+5.316

Race 2: Dawie van der Merwe took yet another win in Race 2 with a total time of 9:49.752. Niko Zafiris and Dylan Pragji completed the podium, in a carbon copy of Race 1. Kent Swartz and Ryan Naicker finished fourth and fifth respectively.

PositionDriverTotal TimeGap
1Dawie van der Merwe9:49.752 
2Niko Zafiris9:50.555+0.803
3Dylan Pragji9:50.716+0.964
4Kent Swartz9:52.053+2.301
5Ryan Naicker9:57.730+7.978

The next event in the 2024 GR Cup will take place at the East London Grand Prix Circuit on 27 July. This will be the second of the mid-winter visits to the Eastern Cape, before the season heads back to Killarney in the Western Cape; and Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria, for the end of the season.

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