It all started in 1985 when I read an article in the 'Financial Times'
titled 'Scrap at the Track.' The report was about in-fighting and problems
with regard to the future of the iconic Kyalami Circuit. There was even talk
of selling it off to a property developer to become a housing estate. Based
on no smoke without a fire I felt that the end could indeed be in sight and
thought that it could pre
sent an opportunity to write a book on the history
of the circuit. My freelance journalism 'career' started in 1965 in London
and since then I've written countless articles for British and South African
motoring journals but had never written a book. Here's my chance I thought! Thus in 1985 commenced a task that turned out to be monumental to say the
least. When I started researching and writing the book I set myself no
deadlines but didn’t think that the project would take 26 years. It was
largely part time in between setting up a Ford dealership and then a factory
to build Ford GT40s, plus other business ventures and journalism. There were
11 trips to the UK not entirely dedicated to the book but during which time
I interviewed David Piper and Jody Scheckter for the section titled 'Kyalami
Characters,' 20 in all. There were also 15 trips to Johannesburg to conduct
interviews, do research and collect photos. My gut feel proved to be correct as the final main race at the much loved
original circuit, inaugurated on November 4, 1961, was on November 28, 1987,
when Jochen Mass won the Yellow Pages 500 in a Rothmans sponsored Porsche
962. On that day the bulldozers were everywhere waiting to pounce like
vultures. A week later there was a damp squib and lack lustre race ,'The
Champion Spark Plug Challenge'. Then it was schluss. The famous main
straight, grand stand an pit complex were demolished and that section was
sold off to become Kyalami Business Park and not a housing estate as
previously suggested. A lower section winding down the valley was added but
retaining the former Sunset, Clubhouse corner, the Esses and the climb up to
Leeukop. It was anti-clockwise, an unusual feature as most circuits across
the world are of course clockwise. The new circuit never enjoyed the iconic
and much loved status of the original circuit. It hosted the 1992 and
1993 SA Grands Prix and various events but the voomah was gone. Over the
following years there were reports about problems and that any day the
liquidators would move in. Finally, the book was launched in March 2011 at the Top Gear Festival at the
Kyalami Circuit with a few digital copies. It was a grand event with many
exhibitions, stands, shows and the usual crazy stunts by Messrs Clarkson,
May and Hammond. Sir Stirling, Derek Bell, David Coulthard, Nick Mason and
several other local and overseas motor sport personalities were there. Jody
Scheckter brought out his F1 collection including the Ferrari T4 in which he
won the 1979 World Championship. On the Saturday night there was a dinner
for about 500 people above the pit complex in honour of Jody. There were
bankers, captains of industry, leading personalities and more. In his speech
Jeremy Clarkson used the f-word three times. Glancing around the large hall
there were many grim and unsmiling faces that indicated that Mr Clarkson's
attempt at humour was not appreciated! But should he worry! On the Monday when we packed up our stand we were categorically told that
the liquidators would be moving in later in the day. Again it didn't happen. About a year ago the famous circuit's fate was finally sealed when it came
up for auction. Toby Venter, CEO of Porsche SA, put in a bid for R205
million, about GBP 13 million for an entire motor racing complex on 337
acres of land. By comparison one can buy six mews houses in South
Kensington, London, for GBP 13 million. The circuit is now undergoing a
major revamp and when completed in March next year it will be right up to
FIA standards. An SA Grand Prix again? The Kyalami book finally went to print in November 2011. There was an
initial burst of Internet sales after which it tailed off. It measures 290mm
x 230mm, consists of 408 pages, 1130 photos and weighs 2kg. There's a
standard edition and a leather-bound version with the names of the purchaser
printed in gold on the covers plus numbers of his/her choice as well a
commemorative coin. Some of you in the E-mail have the book. Dan and Evi
and Roger I haven't forgotten you. Your copies will be on the way soon! Now luckily a shop is under construction at the reborn circuit and a number
of books have already been ordered. Makes sense to sell books about the
history of the circuit at the circuit! I own a framing and art marketing company by name of art@tokai, named after
the suburb in which we live. One speciality is large format cotton canvas
prints and the prints as per attachments are for the circuit. Pic: 152045: The two books. Pic: 141212: The Porsche 936 that Reinhold Joest and Jochen Mass drove to
victory in the 1981 Castrol Nine Hour. Pic: 141328: The Porsche 956 that Derek Bell and Stefan Bellof drove to
victory in the 1982 Castrol 1000. Pic: 141512: The 1982 Castrol Nine Hour. The Jochen Mass and Jacky Ickx
Porsche 956 (3) neck and neck at about 300 km/h with the sister car of team
mates Derek Bell and Vern Schuppan. Ickx and Mass won the race
and Bell and Schuppan finished in second place. Pic: 141708: The Hans Herrmann/Hans Dieter Dechent Porsche 907 in the pits. The pair finished in sixth place. During the Nine Hours that started at
14:00 and ran to 23:00 on Saturdays there would be
thunder storms at about 18:00 as regular as clock work. You can imagine the
excitement! One year during an absolute downpour David Piper was crawling
down the main straight in his P4 trying to keep it on
the island as the saying goes. Scamp Porter in the works Renault Gordini,
with much narrower tyres of course, flew by at twice the speed. The spectators in the main grand stand cheered loudly. I was there, I saw it!
