Page 19 - Porsche Club Central Magazine Oct 2020

The topic - Porsche Racing over the last decade – Experiences – The taste of Champagne and Trail and Retributions. We acquired the company of Toby Venter, CEO of Porsche South Africa and successful local Porsche racer as well as a past competitor in the Porsche Asia Cup series. He was joined by Saul Hack who raced Porsches around the globe including the Porsche Super Cup as a curtain raiser to FIA Formula One races. The Panelist was be led by, Johnny Koen, who is a well-known Porsche Enthusiast.
Saul Hack who just completed the 2019 Porsche Super Cup racing with the German Lechner Team shared some of his experiences. The Porsche Super Cup is a curtain- raiser to FIA Formula One races. Saul started to race Porsche Cup cars in local events and was highly competitive and a regular class winner. The extreme competitiveness of the teams and drivers, all with the same highly regulated equipment was highlighted. Saul also explained the experience to go out and drive around the unforgiving Monaco track.
Toby Venter, who started his racing career in a Porsche 944 Turbo Cup car in the South African leg of the Porsche Turbo Cup World series, told us how he got to love the brand as a 12-year-old that at the time was taken for a drive in a family friend’s Porsche. When he turned to
car track racing, he won his first race in a 944 Turbo
Cup against stiff competition. In 1988 he won the local
Porsche Turbo Cup series
competing against the likes of Sarel Van Der Merwe, Nico Bianco, Wayne Taylor and other accomplished drivers. His racing path took him to a number of international circuits. He also took part in the Porsche Asia Cup series. Locally he became known for his Porsche 993 Turbo GT2 Evo who rarely missed a win. He still owns the car today.
Toby also told the attendees the rocky path he had to endure to make Porsche in South Africa a profitable brand again. Since he started to trade Porsche cars from bond store in Johannesburg in 1995 the business grew to become ultimately what is Porsche South Africa today and the establishment of LSM (Pty) Ltd who owns the rights to import and distribute Bentley and Lamborghini cars
in South Africa. The LSM portfolio also includes Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and Uva Mira Wine estates.
More noggins to follow. Watch this space!
PORSCHE CLUB SOUTH AFRICA - CENTRAL