Zimpapers Logo

Collin Matiza

IT was a fun-filled day as Mass Kirk ruled the roost during the 2024 CarGuard 4×4 Mud Fest at Donnybrook Park Raceway in Harare last week..

This year’s event was oversubscribed in all the classes in terms of participants, but the cold weather on Saturday morning affected the spectator attendance as only 120 adults went through the gates.

This did not stop Kirk, who had his wife Lisbeth as his navigator, from showcasing his 4×4 driving skills in the mud at the Donnybrook circuit.

Yes, as is traditional for a festival of such nature, there was mud, lots of it!

First place in the Special Class went to Kirk with his wife Lisbeth in a Courna Korna, a special vehicle indeed as it has two steering wheels.

The low temperatures couldn’t “cool down” Kirk, and neither could a deluge of rain. His Courna Korna was just a class above the rest.

A Courna Korna is a special vehicle. Born a city council police vehicle in 1978, it was bought by a club member in the early 90s, shortened, and modified for competition.

It was later sold to Kirk and Karsten Nielsen who converted it to a four-wheel steer used in 4×4 competitions till the Covid-19 period.

It was rebuilt during the this period into the current “resurrection”. The car’s current specs are a 4-litre Cruiser 3F engine, four airbags, individual suspension, two fiddle brakes, 35 inch tyres, and a hydraulic four-wheel steering.

“It has always been an inspiration for me and its fans to show that the seemingly impossible can be possible with faith, ingenuity, and perseverance,” Kirk said after Saturday’s race.

First place in the Standard Modified Class went to Trevor Butler with his brother Wayne as navigator, in a Swamp Donkey, a modified Mitsubishi Jeep.

In the Long Wheel Base Class, Jason Odendaal came first in his Hilux Surf with only one touch to a marker over all the courses.

The Mud Run was in two sections.

The prize for the fastest time through the mud in the Long Wheel Base Class was taken by Margie Gibson in her Land Rover Defender.

For some added fun, the special and modified vehicles decided to run a round-robin on the mud, with a change of the driver and navigator before returning to the finish line. This was won by Trevor and Robbie in a Swamp Donkey.

Mike Gill in a Stubby entered with the youngest navigator of the day, Aiden Collet, and they did very well, competing with the long wheelbase section.

This year’s CarGuard Mud Fest was organized by the 4×4 Club and their secretary, Carol Weare, said the event was a success despite the poor attendance by the spectators.

“The attendance was a bit low, I think due to the cold weather conditions but the event itself was a huge success as all the top local 4×4 drivers and their navigators were in attendance and the competition in all the classes was stiff,” said Weare.

“They all had fun and they are now looking forward to our next big event which will be held next month at Brondesbury Park near Mutare. It will be a Historical Jamboree. We will be returning to this site where the first 4×4 event was held in this country in 1994.

“All roads will be leading to Brondesbury Park for what is going to be our biggest 4×4 event of the year.” Meanwhile, one of Zimbabwe’s top main circuit racing drivers Dylan Pragji had a “fantastic weekend of racing” at Kyalami Race track in South Africa during this past weekend.

After being placed fourth in the first race, Pragji was pushed to the back of the pack to sixth position on the starting grid for reasons he still doesn’t understand.

But keeping a cool head and driving like a champ in an extremely competitive South African circuit, Pragji got a podium (position three) at prize giving to the cheering crowd, proving he deserves his driver’s seat in the Toyota Gazoo Bucket List Racing Team.

“It was a tough build-up to this race day and with a competitive group of drivers but could not ask for a better overall experience!” Pragji said after the weekend’s race at the famous Kyalami track.