Hannes De Vos, Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, Red Square Reload

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters:
Hannes De Vos #15

—Dream another dream, this dream is over/ ... —Van Halen , The Dream is Over (?)
—Zwartkops Raceway.

Johan Fourie, Kawasaki ZX10R, Kawasaki ZX10R Masters

We were young once

Jaco Gous, Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, Red Square Reload

Jaco Gous #43

—Superbike train: Jaco Gous, Johan Le Roux, Michael Smit, Stuart Russell, Sid Farinha, Raymond Keel.

Tony Klem, Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, Red Square Reload

Tony Klem #13

—"The unknown future rolls toward us. I face it, for the first time, with a sense of hope. Because if a machine, a Terminator, can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too." —Sarah Connor, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. (?)

JB Schoeman, Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, Red Square Reload

JB "Toppie" Schoeman #23

—Kawasaki ZX10R, Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters Cup.

Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters: we were young once

It is late Wednesday afternoon; seven more days before the thunder returns to Zwartkops Raceway. I try my finest to write something for the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters, but my dear mind struggles to see the light in the vastness of its own dark expanse. This happens from time to time: the emptiness. The only solution I can think of right now: a sixer of Grabbie’s Cloudy Alcoholic Ginger Beer. It tastes absolute fantastic, very refreshing, served of course—iced cold. Desperate times calls for desperate measures.

Earlier today: I stand in front of Tops’ (at Spar) display fridge (where you can find it), searching for inspiration for my next Red Square pre-race feature … Then, I saw it: the 1801 Elephant. There’s an old elephant on the front and top of the Grabbie’s frosted brown glass bottle. And you know what they say: "elephants never forget ..." Maybe this will shed some light ...

—For the ill-informed: Grabbie’s and Red Square share the same Halewood International product mix, and, both are spirit coolers. Red Square is also the main/title sponsor of the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters Cup.

Here I am typing away, after a few frosty elephants, to write what you read right now:

Braai Day, 24 September is just around the corner. Although most South Africans prefer to call the day: Braai Day (or National Braai Day); it is actually Heritage Day. Super thunder awaits the thousands who will be descending on Zwartkops for the third last round of the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Master Cup/the Extreme—motorsport—Festival. To keep spectator attention glued to the track, the organisers will also throw in: Thunderbikes (1000cc + 600cc), Silverton Bolt & Nut Brunch Run Challenge, Extreme Supercars—this is a must see; the VW Challenge, BMW Car Club Racing, etc. With ten different motorsport categories, I can’t see why you should stay at home.
Admission: Adults—R90; Students—R60; U12—FREE.

Pack the suntan-lotion, earplugs (you gonna need it), braai, charcoal, camping chairs, pre-loaded cooler box, mix, chops, steak, wors, sunglasses, gazebo ... What did I forget? OH! The wife, girlfriend?
Let me tell you this, and I don’t want to repeat myself: ‘it ... is ... going ... to be ... ABSOLUTELY ... spectacular—the Extreme—motorsport—Festival!’

If you are in the vicinity of the Red Square Kawasaki garage on Thursday (you definitely can’t miss it), come say hello; come meet the Masters, take a few selfies; insatiable Facebook needs your invaluable posts, dearly! Mark (Weitz) might even score you a freebee out of his icy coolers (I said, might).
He sees to it that the young of mind, old in body (that’s why they are called Masters), gets Red Square Reload(ed) during both excruciating heats ...
Now, with everything in tune, and the calmness encapsulating their true egos, they impatiently wait for the red lights to drop. With 24 Kawasaki superbikes on the grid, you will be astounded out of your skull.

—For a foretaste of what awaits you on Thursday, come see the Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters is action, on Wednesday, 23 September, at the illustrious Zwartkops Raceway. Remember—it’s FREE. A full motorsport practice programme is scheduled for the entire day.

After all the enthralling motorcycle and supercar action have died down (on Thursday afternoon), you know what I’m talking about: the sun hanging low in the west; the thunder has traded places with silence; there’s a ringing sound in your ears; your Ray Bans have left white rings around eyes, in contrast with your charcoaled face; you imprint three rows of footsteps in the dirt back to the car. Then only will you realise what a wonderful day you have had. —PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE—

After the sun has fallen off the horizon right next to Zwartkops Raceway, the Aces Café will come alive with the animated spirits of the ZX10 Masters; washing away the heat, sweat and dust, with a few Red Square spirit coolers (what colour is your Red Square?).

Afterwards (to sooth the pain), Hannes De Vos, skinny-braai-master, will flip a ton of steak on the fire, and we will reminisce about days gone by, days to come, podium positions, what went wrong, what went right, lifting a few Red Squares before dusk. Laughing, drinking, eating, and looking up at the stars ...
Concluding the day as one of the best superbike outfits in the country. I look forward to this (National) Braai Day!

If you page trough old family photo albums (dated before February 4, 2004), nowadays Facebook (my sarcastic definition of it: ‘the lonely lives of sedentary hypocrites.’), you will come across stupid hairstyles (for some it never changed), dull attire, cars with wheel caps, and bikes (motorcycles) with the aerodynamics of a garage door ... SMILE. Then only, will you realise how the times have fast forwarded, how old you have become. Time waits for no man.

To be a true Master, except from the obvious: pulling the scale at 35 plus; you must be able to race a Kawasaki ZX10R superbike full throttle, negotiating the thunder through some for the toughest racetrack turns in South Africa. Oh, and before I forget: you must be super fit and definitely agile.
If you would like to become a 2016 member, please contact Lynette Fourie at: 012 804 1974. This is one of the BEST motorcycle clubs in South Africa—backed in full by RED SQUARE.

Maybe their weary bones and receding hairlines stand as evidence, but their minds are still very young. With eight turns, five right, three left, there awaits two gruelling heats of ten laps each at Zwartkops Raceway. Here, we will separate the wheat from the chaff. Spectators can look forward to a spectacular thunder throttle. (As I type this, a chill runs down my spine; to counter balance this chilling effect, I just lift another Grabbie’s out of the fridge.)

The Zwartkops starting grid spewed out the following fearless entries, (this racetrack is no easy feat when it comes to superbike action; on a lighter side however, Stewart MacLeod still holds the track record: 01:03.791.) nemesis Graeme van Breda (with 280 points), Pieter "the Terrier" De Vos (231), Kyle Robinson (189), Tony Klem (168). Will Klem be able to even, or better his second place podium of the previous race meeting, or was it just a fluke? Let me think ... Thirteen is coming down the black pipe—with a force!
Raymond Keel #33 (98), André Denoon #58 (96). It is with sadness that we wave our good friend and fellow rider goodbye. Let’s play out with Vangelis: (click here).
Stuart Russell #83, in seventh place, with 96, and on the Broccoli Brinjal Kawasaki ZX10R, it is Johan Le Roux #44, in eighth.
In their wake is: Stewart Christie, Peter Clark, Hannes De Vos, Hennie Du Plessis, Sid Farinha, Appanna Ganapathy, Jaco Gous, Ian Harwood, Allen McGuire, Abrie Marais, Rodney McLachlan, Mike McSkimming, JB Schoeman, Henk Schuiling, Hano Van Der Merwe and Michael Smit.

I flip over the last few pages of the photo album. Take the last sip from the brown Grabbie’s ginger bottle, trying to make sense of everything: fleeting time, grey sideburns, worn down teeth, wrinkled eyes and migrating birds ... "All things arise, cease, change and become different ..." I look up, wondering, expectantly waiting for tomorrow, as it should be. In the vastness of our—young—minds, we can endure many things ...

The summer is here, today we will race as if it is nineteen-seventy-six—we were young once. —Godspeed! •