The recent announcements of national championship status for the Mopar South African Endurance Series along with the establishment of the South African GT Challenge have been met with great interest both at hame and abroad as organisers of both series seek to attract international and local participation for the 2017 year and beyond.

“We are delighted that the Mopar South African Endurance Series will run in conjunction with the new South African GT Challenge for 2017,” SA Endurance Series boss Roger Pearce confirmed. “The two series are not connected in any way but they will run on the same days and at the same meetings, but GT cars are welcome to enter the Endurance races as a separate entry.

“The racing is also very relevant – little boys grow up dreaming of driving Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis and McLarens and both our series make racing that kind of car quite plausible right here in South Africa. “We see this double bill as a great feather in the cap for South African motorsport in general and we also believe that our combined series will offer local and international teams and drivers unbeatable bang for buck racing in a brilliant series.”

There are several most compelling advantages ready to attract international competitors to race in South Africa, not least of all an exchange rate that ensures overseas visitors can compete at top level and enjoy the many attractions the country offers at a fraction of the cost they could anywhere else in the world. The chance to race in two GT races and an Endurance event on the same weekend also has its own advantages.

“The South African rand exchange rate and the many attractions the country has to offer make visiting and racing here a bargain you cannot match anywhere else in the world,” Pearce concluded. “We would be delighted to attract overseas drivers and teams to race here and invite anyone interested in competing in the SA Endurance and GT series to contact us for further information.”

“Another advantage is the sheer amount of racing the twin South African Endurance Series and South African GT Challenge offer any competitor,” GT Challenge chief Charl Aranges explained. “If two drivers team up and compete in both the GT races and the endurance event over a weekend; the cost per lap of enjoyment is already a minute fraction of what it would be in two normal race weekend heats, let alone that the cost is shared.

“Now add the rand exchange, the low cost of living and the relatively low expense to compete here and it becomes a real bargain. “A competitive GT3 team could quite easily win both GT races on a weekend and then go on to take endurance race victory too and they can do all of that at a fraction of the cost of racing in a compatible series in Europe or America.

“There are not many opportunities like that anywhere in the world – and we have not even spoken about everything else sunny South Africa has to offer.

“South African motorsport also offers a high level of service and back-up with several top teams and engineers able to either run or assist in running cars, while there are also various drives available with top local GT, prototype and tin-top teams,” Aranges concluded.

The South African GT Challenge will commence at Phakisa in the Free State on 25 February, before moving on to Killarney in April and then the East London Grand Prix Circuit end-June. Those races will be followed by rounds at the Dezzi Raceway on the KZN Natal South Coast mid-August, Port Elizabeth in October, Phakisa in November and a Kyalami finale early in December.