Saturday Features
There was a time when South African racing drivers could only dream of owning the latest Ferraris, Lotuses and Coopers competing overseas. During the 1950s and early 1960s, importing purpose-built racing cars was simply beyond the reach of most local competitors.
So South Africans did what South Africans have always done best – they built their own.
Working from backyard garages, workshops and engineering firms, an extraordinary generation of designers and craftsmen created racing cars that were every bit as innovative as their overseas counterparts. Some would even go on to compete with distinction internationally, while others became legends of South African motorsport.
Top of the Hill 2026 celebrates that remarkable era with one of the finest collections of locally-built competition cars seen together in recent years.
Among them is Rod Green’s 1933 MG Magna, representing the machines that formed the backbone of South African racing during the 1950s. The uniquely South African Protea Ford, one of only thirteen ever built, returns in the hands of John ten Doeschate, while the iconic GSM Dart and GSM Flamingo V8 remind us that South Africa once produced its own sports cars long before international manufacturers dominated the market.
Spectators will also see the remarkable Dovey 626, a car that never reached production despite its advanced design, the thunderous Lolette V8, campaigned internationally by Eric and Lola Brokoven before returning home to contest the South African Nine Hour and Sports Car Championship, and the beautifully engineered Thompson Special, now raced by Michael Kernick.
Completing this remarkable collection is the 1969 Marauder, driven by John ten Doeschate – a car many regard as one of South Africa’s most underrated specials.
Together, these machines represent a golden era when South African ingenuity overcame limited resources to create racing history.
Grandma’s Shopping Cars?
When most people think of an Austin A35, they picture a small family car quietly making its way to the local shops.
Jonathan du Toit and Seef Fourie Jr see something rather different.
Their beautifully prepared Austin A35s demonstrate just how capable these lightweight little cars become when placed in the hands of enthusiastic racers. Despite producing only modest power, their nimble handling and willingness to be driven flat-out have made them firm crowd favourites wherever they appear.
Don’t be fooled by their appearance – these little cars are guaranteed to produce some of the closest and most entertaining battles of the weekend.
Slowest Car… Biggest Smile?
Not every Top of the Hill competitor is chasing outright speed.
Karyn Pitcher arrives in perhaps the event’s most charming entry – a tiny 1958 Austin Metropolitan affectionately known as “Noddy.”
While she may well collect the unofficial award for the slowest ascent of the hill, Karyn carries an extraordinary family legacy. Her grandfather, Bill Jennings, built the legendary Jennings Healey and won the South African Drivers’ Championship three times during the 1950s.
Sometimes motorsport history isn’t measured by lap times.
Sunday Features
GT-R Royalty
Few performance cars have earned the reputation of Nissan’s GT-R. This year, spectators will be treated to two very different interpretations of the Japanese icon.
Arnold du Plessis brings his fearsome 2022 Nissan Black Hawk, while Reghard Roets returns in his spectacular Nissan GT-R R35, a familiar sight at the sharp end of the timing sheets.
Both cars represent decades of Nissan engineering evolution—and both are certain to produce breathtaking runs up the hill.
Racing Runs in the Family
Some families enjoy weekends together around the braai. Others go racing.
Top of the Hill once again welcomes several well-known motorsport families whose passion has been passed from one generation to the next.
The Schofields have become synonymous with success in South African motorsport, with Andrew Ian Schofield competing alongside overall contender Robert Wolk, another driver whose name has become almost inseparable from the event thanks to the spectacular Gould GR55.
The Scribante family is also strongly represented, with Aldo, Silvio and Franco Scribante all tackling the hill in very different machinery, proving once again that motorsport is often a family tradition rather than simply a hobby.
Shelby Thunder
One of the standout sights on Sunday will undoubtedly be the impressive line-up of Shelby Super Snakes.
Led by Anton Pommersheim, Deon Smit, Joshua O’Callaghan and Paul Malatji, these modern American muscle cars combine over 800 horsepower with an unmistakable V8 soundtrack.
They may all wear the same badge – but expect each driver to be chasing every last fraction of a second.
