We're racing at Zwartkops this weekend as the journey in the Toyota GR Cup Challenge continues
After three rounds, the Toyota Gazoo GR Cup Challenge moves to its 'home' base at Zwartkops Raceway outside Pretoria for the fourth installment of the National Extreme Festival this weekend.
It's been almost six weeks since we first set eyes on our new GR Yaris' with its slick eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) at the Aldo Scribante Circuit in Gqeberha, and I must say, I've missed being behind the wheel of the pink-liveried Independent Media and IOL car #60, affectionately dubbed Tinkerbell by the rest of the Media Challenge racers.
Gazoo HQ
Zwartkops is also the headquarters of Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) which brings with it the added pressure of performing in front of some of their executives, VIP guests, friends and family.
As we head into the weekend I'm a lot less nervous than I was at the beginning of the season. Our race craft has improved significantly but you're still behind the wheel of a race car alongside 19 other GR Corollas driven by dealers and GR 86s piloted by GR Academy drivers so anything can happen, especially since most of us call Zwartkops our home circuit.
There's a difference though between driving around the track at a launch with an instructor next to you as opposed to donning a race suit and then going hell for leather and side by side in a race.
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