Street racers pimp their rides

DRAGSTERS, low riders and sound junkies from around Nelson Mandela Bay and beyond are polishing their rides and fitting their tyres in preparation for the annual three-day Motorsport South Africa Strictly Street meet.

It roars off tonight at Aldo Scribante Raceway.

Following the success of last year's event, hosted at the same venue and attended by more than 2000 enthusiasts, organiser Eldrid Malgas said he had made sure that the spectacle would be repeated.

He said that more than 5000 spectators would attend.

Attractions will include drivers competing in a dyno competition tonight, drag racing and show and shine tomorrow, as well as stance, spinning and "lower lympics" on Sunday. "We are expecting about 50 guys just for the drag-racing segment and more than a 100 other cars competing in the other events.

"Entries have been coming from as far as Johannesburg and Cape Town because of it being a MSA timed event, which contributes to drag racers' rankings nationally," Malgas said.

"Six years ago we were having problems with drag racing on the streets which is why we pushed for timed-controlled events.

"Now, with the credibility of these events, we have seen much more interest in the sport, both from the youth and from older car enthusiasts."

Two new categories have been added for tonight's Strictly Street event – lower lympics and stance line up.

Lower lympics involves cars driving below a high jump bar while trying not to bump the bar.

Each round the bar is lowered slightly, with the lowest car winning. The latter is simply a competition in which the neatest and most unique car detailing takes top honours.

Both events are firsts for the Eastern Cape, the overall aim being to help grow motorsport in South Africa and to promote interaction with all motorsport events and categories – racing, burnouts, styling and sound.

Team SR20 drag racer Cheston Pilcher said: "I am looking forward to the event as this type of motorsport is a growing culture in Nelson Mandela Bay.

"And I am sure it will be evident this weekend at Strictly Street," the Uitenhage resident said.

"The fact the guys are timed encourages them to pull a little hard, change gears a little faster.

"And all that makes for hours of great racing, smoking tyres and lots of fun." - Tremaine van Aardt