Tony Klem #13

—Bite me!
—BMSC, Border Motorsport Club, East London Grand Prix Circuit.

Tony Klem #13

—Kawasaki ZX10R.

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

—Red Army "Class of 2015".

Red Square (Spirit Coolers / Reload)

—Sleep when you're dead!

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters: distant thunder

The year has finally reached its apex. From here it is a rollercoaster ride down to December. Already we are planning holiday destinations, what to cook for Christmas, working on excuses to avoid certain family members and unsavoury "friends". As a youngster time had taken forever to pass which was good, naturally making school work an arduous journey of thinking and scheming to get through a day. The older we get it seems as if time has no mercy, running at an unforgiving pace. Days become shorter, before we realise, our coffee has turned cold; sitting by a warm fireplace, comforting our old bones, nursing a Crabbie’s to take up some of the slack ... This is an economy that does not get much thought, understandably it is depressing as hell, but, before that steps in and grab us by the gonads, we will race a few more times; the rollercoaster ride is far from over, and we are loving it—at this age.

The year is 1978: John Edward Halewood, has just founded Halewood Vintners, today Halewood International.
They are one of the largest independent drinks manufacturers in the UK. Halewood South Africa is better known for Red Square Reload, Red Square Spirit Coolers, Crabbie’s and Carlsberg—click here to experience their whole product mix.
Red Square is also the main/title sponsor of the Kawasaki Masters, officially known as the—Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters. But you already knew that! One of the best amalgamations in South African motorcycle racing history.

(FYI: The Red Square brand has won the Sunday Times Top Brands Award in the Alcoholic RTD category—for the sixth time in a row.) Pack the cooler; stock up good with your favourite Red Square Spirit Coolers—the Red Square Kawasaki Masters are heading down to East London and I can already hear the distant thunder (or maybe it’s just the traffic outside).
Do these superbikes sound the same as inland? Does Red Square tastes the same here as there? Will avid superbike spectators appreciate it as much as I do? I really don’t know. But please send my regards when you’re down at their garage.

From Thursday the 9th of July, you will find them in action at the BMSC (click here to view the Google map). Friday is their official practice day, with four sessions lined-up; Saturday (the 11th of July), thunderous action, spread over two animated heats.

—The BMSC STARTING GRID will host: Graeme Van Breda; Pieter "the Terrier" De Vos, who currently lies in second place on the combined points roster, on 169, eleven points shy of Graeme Van Breda’s top spot. In distant third is Kyle Robinson, on 120. With only five race dates left, hoping he has something magical concealed in his BERiK racing suit. In fourth is Tony Klem, on 103, with Raymond Keel in fifth. And last of the top runners in sixth on 70, is André Denoon.

(Sadly Johan Le Roux # 44, will not join the Red Army in East London, he took an extremely bad spill in Port Elizabeth, when he stepped on Tony Klem’s devilishly—Bridgestone Battlax R10—tail. He suffered a broken pelvis in two places, bruised ribs, and a hole in his elbow. Red Army life is not for the faint hearted.)

/ We'll be singing/ When we're winning/ We'll be singing/ I get knocked down/ But I get up again/ You're never going to keep me down/ ... —Tubthumping (I get Knocked Down) by Chumbawamba (?).

Also featuring on the ribbon of black are: Stuart Russel, Jaco Gous, Sid Farinha, Michael Smit, Hennie Du Plessis, Rodney McLachlan, Abrie Marais, Mike McSkimming, Hannes De Vos, Hano Van Der Merwe, Ian Harwood, JB Schoeman, Henk Schuiling, Chris Marais and Jason Joshua.

The ribbon of black has her own kind of rhythm, a rhythm only felt by those who truly appreciate the Kawasaki thunder-cloud. Most of my Readers have fallen in love with this type of motorsport genre: the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R "Masters" Cup. There are other motorcycle racing classes too: Thunderbikes, Silverton Bolt & Nut Brunch Run Challenge, SuperGP—but none so bold, organised and professionally set up as the Red Square Kawasaki Masters. The Red Army runs on Red Square Reload; the Red Army runs on Red Square (pick a colour); they run on Crabbie’s, Carlsberg (only after the official races/practice sessions). Standing at the helm, keeping their heads cool and minds focussed, are Stevedores Johan Fourie and Mark Weitz (Gauteng Sales Manager, Halewood Int. SA); and sticking the superbike action good to the tarmac is—Bridgestone.

The fabric of the Red Square Masters Club is not just made up of thunder, blood, sweat and tears (if they shed a tear, I said if, it’s normally with tinted visors down). Behind this amazing motorcycle racing outfit are ordinary people like you and me. Hmm ... not quite, they have more mustard than most. In our midst we have IT gurus, a diamond dealer, tyre expert, bolt and nut aficionado, air conditioning and ventilation mechanic, a dent doctor, an undiscovered Hollywood mob boss, a catering equipment manufacturer, and various other interesting professions that make up this enthralling mix. From Monday to Thursday they blend in to the ordinary world, inconspicuously passing us on congested highways, attracting no attention whatsoever; Fridays and Saturdays, their alter-egos give rise to something spectacular—the delicate sound of thunder ...

Even though I will not be there to experience the thunder first hand, I will definitely listen out for the distant thunder in the late Saturday afternoon breeze. Sound travels at 343.59 m/s (in dry air at 20 °C), this is 1,237 kph. Discounting noise-pollution and wind direction, I might hear the Kawasaki thunder in less than an hour, sigh. Or! Alternatively I could settle for the DSTV remote (SS8/208, 2Wheels) and a fridge fully stocked with Red Square. —Godspeed! •

Abrie Marais #48

—Kawasaki ZX10R.

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

—Unload, (Red Square) Reload.

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

—Canned Kawasaki ZX10R superbikes.

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

—Bunk Bed: Mike McSkimming top; Graeme Van Breda bottom. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)". (?)

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, BMSC, Border Motorsport Club, East London Grand Prix Circuit, South African Motorsport, 2015/07/06.