Porsche MD Toby Venter saved the day when he bought the racetrack for R205-million at auction on July 24 2014
The world-famous Kyalami racetrack has been sold for R205-million at the High Street Auction to Porsche South Africa and its MD Toby Venter - who spoke directly to Wheels24 with his story.
Porsche South Africa spokesperson Christo Kruger told Wheels24 moments before the gavel fell: `Yes, Toby Venter's Porsche South Africa has bought Kyalami.`
Venter, an avid racing driver too, paid R205-million for the encumbrance-free land - and the race track.
Venter told Wheels24: `Kyalami is saved and that was the main reason I bought it, and yes for SA Motorsport too. It would have been a tragedy if the racetrack was lost. We all have a role to play and every single motorsport enthusiast needs to know the track is saved.
`We'll be integrating some of Porsche SA's business units with the racetrack, but other manufacturers are most welcome too.`
Venter said that Porsche South Africa was the sole buyer of the track and that the goal is to `preserve Kyalami as a racetrack for as long as possible`.
He said: `It's just a huge privilege to have been able to make this purchase and a great day that the track has been saved.`
The Kyalami property covers about 35ha. It opened as a race track in 1961 and was rebuilt in the early 1990's as part of a commercial development but changed again after Formula 1 abandoned the rebuilt circuit in 1993.
One of the most famous races held at Kyalami was the 1977 South African Formula 1 GP in which race marshal Frederick Jansen van Vuuren and driver Tom Pryce were killed.
Via Wheels 24
