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Classic Car Friday made the 1.9km "hill" come alive with the sound of roaring engines in Knysna.
Thousands of spectators are making their way to the usually quiet and picturesque town, and the place is already jam-packed with traffic and ferociously fast cars. It's a petrolhead's nirvana out here.
Classic Car Fridays are always a treat and a great way to start off this adrenaline-filled three-day motoring event. Loads of activation stations with simulators for everyone, great hospitality and motorsport fans from all walks of life, all just enjoying the smell of burning rubber and racing fuels, and watching everyday heroes - and international ones - rip up the track, all hungry to clinch the King of the Hill crown.
READ | Knysna Hillclimb to come alive with Mika Salo, Solberg brothers, and hot new SA cars
What a thrill to witness Andre Bezuidenhout smash the last run of the day and claim his first Classic Conqueror's title in his 1976 Lola Cosworth T460 vehicle with a phenomenal time of 41.715 seconds in the all-or-nothing top 10 shootout.
Here are just a few pictures of some of the action. Click on the arrows on the image below to scroll through the gallery.
Bezuidenhout also dethroned six-time Friday champ Franco Scribante, who was topping the timesheets until an unfortunate blown engine on his 1970 Chevron B19 in qualifying. A double blow for him since he was not allowed to compete last year either due to a technical issue with his car.
"I always say, leave the best for last. It was a difficult day for us, as we just weren't dialled in for the first couple of runs, then we broke the sump plug just before the final practice session, Bezuidenhout says.
"It was very close in qualifying, and in the Class Finals, I thought we had it in the bag, but it was a big disappointment as the car bogged down and I was slow off the start.
"But that's motorsport, and fortunately in the last run for the Top 10 Shootout I recorded my best time of the day, and it’s fantastic to win my first Classic Car Friday title."
2022 winner Ian Schofield took the second spot on the podium in his 1977 March 77B, with 2015 champion Charles Arton claiming the final podium position in the 1979 March 79 B.
Arton also received the Spirit of Dave Charlton award for fully restoring his 2015-winning 1979 March 79B that was extensively damaged in a fire.Take a walk with us through the pits and on the track on Day 1 of the Simola Hillclimb.
