Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

—LTR (2015/08/08): Tony Klem, Johan Fourie (Manager), Graeme Van Breda (#1), Kyle Robinson.
—Zwartkops Raceway.

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

—Starting Grid.

Graeme Van Breda #41

—1 + 1 for the day.

Tony Klem #13

—Heat one + turn one = 2nd place.

Pieter De Vos #17

—Jongingozi Super Master. Mata au hi made (Until the day (we) meet again).

RED SQUARE STARTING GRID LINE UP:

Graeme van Breda, Pieter De Vos, Kyle Robinson, Tony Klem, Johan Le Roux, Michael Smit, Rodney McLachlan, Jaco Gous, Hennie Du Plessis, Sid Farinha, Stuart Russel, Raymond Keel, Stewie Christie, André Denoon, Hannes De Vos, Appanna Ganapathy, Abrie Marais, Hano Van Der Merwe, Peter Clark, Ian Harwood, Mike McSkimming, JB Schoeman, Jason Joshua, Henk Schuiling.

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters: coriolis

Friday:
I’m stuck—traffic congestion! Is there another way? Maybe.
All kinds of thoughts trickle through my grey matter. My sedentary state gives me plenty of time to think. Slowly but surely Zwartkops is getting closer, beckoning in the distance, and then, the waterfall stops, only one thought remains. Over and over it refrains in my head ...
Then for a moment it subsides, I see Zwartkops, and I’m glad to be home.

With my cool-box Reload(ed) with Red Square, I can’t wait to get track side, to feeling the thunder vibrating in my heart and soul. After a long dry spell of no motorsport, I’m so glad to be back, looking forward to a whole weekend of silence. Then Johan Le Roux looks up at me and utters out loud: "Silence!" And in reply I said: "Yes!" (One day he will understand.)

One by one the Red Square Kawasaki superbikes get evenly arranged throughout the race garage. In the background a well-known song plays to an inattentive Friday Slacker crowd:
/If I lay here/ If I just lay here/ Would you lie with me/ And just forget the world?/ Forget what we're told/ Before we get too old/ Show me a garden/ That's bursting into life/ ... /Let's waste time/ Chasing cars/ Around our heads/ ... —Snow Patrol, Chasing Cars.

The day starts at a somewhat slow pace, as if the Masters have some kind of fear of what lies ahead: two gruelling heats of 10 laps each. My head seems to think that fear has dumped then into this state of lethargy, but, my heart wouldn’t buy it. The Red Army has already completed 12 heats, and with five still to come, it is expected that they would look somewhat weary.
And yet, if you converse with them, they have this kind of (muffled) excitement in their voices.
With my Circadian rhythm back on the clock, I look forward to the—THUNDER!

On the north side of the Red Square garage, at the back, nemesis Graeme Van Breda, is setting up camp. Everything is in tip top shape, just like his hairdo. Flanking him is Ian Harwood, Mike McSkimming, Jaco Gous and Michael Smit. In the south-west corner Jason Joshua, newbie to the Club, sets up his superbike in the demarcated area with the help of ever friendly Robbie Breakspear.

On the south side (opposite number forty-one), Pieter De Vos and JB Schoeman take up positions. This is like a Church: The Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters form these small animated clusters inside this symbiotic structure. And this is how they will group for the remainder of the season, always in the same place, with the same neighbour, supporting each other in every way. And if time permits them to race next year again, they will do it in exactly the same way.

The main entrance of the Red Square race garage houses the two larger groups. To the north: Johan Le Roux, with his newly wrapped Tandoori Masala Broccoli Brinjal Kawasaki ZX10R, takes up first slot. Next to him Peter Clark, Tony Klem, Stuart Russell and Abrie Marais.
Opposite: André Denoon, Hano Van Der Merwe, Kyle Robinson, Raymond Keel, Sid Farinha and Rodney McLachlan.

After their first practice session, Johan (Fourie), stevedore and manager of the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, came into the garage with a "the cat had milk" expression on his face. Very excited in his own way, he congratulated Sid Farinha #57, with his excellent performance, throttling out a time of: 01:05.473. (Inside the confines of the Red Army camp, you will never find a dull moment.)

Later that afternoon, I watched the last Red Square Kawasaki practice session from the top of the main Zwartkops pavilion. Those lingering on track appeared frail on the throttle, as if they are trapped in a state of terminal frost (also the title of a great Pink Floyd song). Surprisingly, Kyle Robinson gave it his all, flying down the main straight with every passing lap, as if tomorrow doesn’t exist. Confirming that predictions, as I did with my pre-race column, are deceitful. Could he take two chequered flags away from Graeme Van Breda tomorrow? We’ll see. I stand proudly, as the sessions head to an end, to be associated with such a great outfit. For the ill-informed: I do the features and photos for the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters Cup.

I zip my cooler open, lifting my last Red Square Reload from the ice. I take a few large mouthfuls, discard the red bottle in the rubbish, and wipe the white off my face, just to return to the belly of the carbon monoxide snake (out on the R55), heading (to my other) home with a heavy heart ...

I draw myself a long hot bath. Light a candle (you never know when Eskom is going to flip the big switch) and pour a copious amount of Radox Herbal into the bath. The herbal fragrance fills the ill lit bathroom. I immerse myself into the hot water, relaxing every muscle and bone, and my mind returns to that one though ...
The (bath) overflow is connected to the chain, which is connected to the bath-plug, which is connected to a Coriolis. I slowly reach for the chain, lifting the plug gently, and it all drains out clockwise ... gone forever (never to return) ...

Saturday:
It is not even 7 o’clock, and already my phone is ringing non-stop. I’m late this morning, and people are waiting for their promised motorsport tickets (at a scrawny old caravan). (Surely the track owners can erect something better.)
I would like to thank Johan and Lynette Fourie—of Silverton Bolt & Nut—for the ticket contribution. It made a world of difference, to a spectrum that has never seen motorsport up close. And did they enjoy it? Of course they did—it was out if this world.

The Masters wait impatiently for their first heat. There is no time for trivial conversation. Their minds are focussed, their heartbeats raised (and they are not even on the grid yet); they think of nothing, except winning (or losing, or crashing). Johan Le Roux, Peter Clark and André Denoon look hesitant today. They will not say it out loud, their eyes, their sombre facial expressions tell more than you think. All three took heavy spills over the past few rounds. Today they will either man up, or throttle with great caution. The garage stifles me; I pick my gear up and head off to turn five.

Superpole (a timed event to establish starting grid positions for motorcycle racers/riders) yielded the following starting grid: #41, #17, #18, #13, #44, #49, #42, #43, #61.

I have made certain predictions in my previous article, of who will occupy the top six places on the roster for heat- one and two. After the first chequered flag, I was gobsmacked with the way Tony Klem excelled from always being third or fourth on the roster, to a very prestigious second place. It was definitely uncharted territory for him. He has worked tirelessly throughout the year, definitely deserving this second place on the podium. Congratulation—Number Thirteen! One thing that elude Tony thou, was Rider of the Day. Hennie Du Plessis was crowned with this exquisite title.
Afterwards we spoke about the order of things (Tony and I), how he has upset the balance (within this symbiotic structure), with everybody wondering, what happened to the "real" Tony Klem? ...

Race One (top six): Graeme Van Breda (with a best lap of—01:04.059), Tony Klem, Pieter De Vos, Kyle Robinson, Johan Le Roux, Michael Smit.
Race Two (top six): Graeme Van Breda (01:04.247), Kyle Robinson, Tony Klem, Pieter de Vos, Johan le Roux, Hennie Du Plessis.

By this time, Graeme Van Breda has reached a very comfortable lead over Pieter De Vos. With the season reaching the twilight stage, I definitely hope that Pieter will be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat (very soon), before the final chequered flag drops.

The sun is touching the brim of the horizon. Poignantly watching how a whole Red Army camp gets vacated in minutes. A race garage that once contained dreams and aspirations is now empty.
The day is gone; the motorcycle racing is over, only the kinetic energy in our minds still run. It is time to leave this behind, and go home.

Please circle these dates: 23 + 24 September 2015, for round seven of the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters Cup, at the illustrious Zwartkops Raceway. After this, it's downhill to Killarney (Cape Town), then back for the final round at Zwartkops Raceway.

I would like to thank everybody for a great weekend, especially Johan and Lynette Fourie, also Mark Weitz and his wife, Tracey. Then, I would also like to thank those who find inspiration in my articles, those who enjoy reading my words ...

(And to Johan Le Roux’s Mother, of the Great Beyond Retirement Village (and I say this with utmost respect), I would like to dedicate this song to her—Glenys Lynne, Ramaja. I can already hear Johan responding—UNBELIEVABLE!)

I lie in bed, it is late. It was a long and arduous weekend, but a very successful one. As I close my eyes for the last time, I can only think of one thing: "How many years do you think I have left racing?" —Stuart Russel.
Thank you, for this inspirational thought. —Godspeed! •

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

—Family: JB Schoeman, Pieter De Vos, Hannes De Vos.

Kyle Robinson #18

—Sunset dreams.

Johan Le Roux #44

— Tandoori Masala Broccoli Brinjal Kawasaki ZX10R.

SPONSORS:

—Red Square (Title Sponsor), Frontier Diamonds, JPVDM Brokers, Jongingozi, Fantech, Rand Blower, Lani Industrial, TRP Distributors, BTS Electrical, IVID, Count Air, Van Breda Motorcycles, Avidan, 1st Tek Electrical, Silverton Bolt & Nut, Dent Doctor Witbank, Platinum Auto, Trace Tec, iSolve Business Solutions, Eastern Veterinary Hospital, Air Systems, Shakti Racing, Fuel Gas Catering—

Extreme Festival, Zwartkops Raceway, Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, South African Motorsport, 2015/08/08.