The 2025 season opener, The 24th Annual Passion for Speed.
With 300+ competitors and record-breaking crowds, some of whom set up camp at the track from Tuesday, it was set to be an action-packed day’s racing. Not only did the team show up looking great, dressed by Pierre Cardin, but our performance on track was pure class.
Temperatures were in the high 30s, making it tough on the cars, drivers, and technicians. The day started and ended on a similar note, with Djurk Venter in the Ford Escort in a great dice with 6 other U2+ cars, clocking his fastest-ever times this weekend. Djurk did the team proud and gave everyone watching some good on-track action.
The Legends of the 9hr race was a thriller as per usual. Paige, in her Ford Fairlane, drove a clean and clever race to bring the team a solid 3rd overall in ZB. This was straight after she raced Judy Witter’s single-seater in a 10-lap tribute to the 1973 Champion. James Temple drove the Ford Capri for the first time this weekend. He was pushed up to class ZA with the big V8s, as he was too fast in qualifying. The car had some overheating issues in race 1 after he was up into 3rd place by the time they got to turn 3. Race 2 ended under a safety car after another competitor hit the wall. A solid day’s racing for this car’s first circuit outing in a very long time.
The feature race of this event is the South African TT Endurance Race, “the one everyone wants to win.” Won by some of the biggest names in SA Motorsport, our own Peter Lindenberg won it in 2009. James Temple won the race in our Shelby Daytona Coupe in 2021 and 2023 and was after his 3rd title. He qualified on pole and led from start to finish, not without some very stressful moments. The team managed to pit both cars (Djurk Venter #24 and James Temple #33) under an early safety car. The #33 had a burst water pipe, which we macgyvered together in the short time we had whilst he was stationary, still uncertain if the car would finish the race. It was the longest 45 minutes for the drivers and team as we watched the water spray onto the windscreen every passing lap. It was thanks to the high-performing Castrol oil, which was the only thing cooling the engine, that the #33 finished as winners of the 2025 SA TT. Djurk’s #24 ran smoothly, and his race was seamless, albeit with a drive through pitlane before pitlane was ‘open’. Clocking some of his fastest-ever times in his Daytona Coupe, Djurk finished 4th overall and with a class C win for the team.
In just 5 days’ time, we are at Redstar Raceway for round 2.
Although these results are a tribute to the hard work and dedication of a professionally run race team, none of this would be possible without you, our partners. Quality brands, trusted performance, industry leaders, innovators – we thank you for leading the pack with us in 2025.
The Lindenberg Racing Team
