Words and photos by Deon vdl Photography.
Zwartkops Raceway was the venue for the penultimate round of the Sunbet ZX-10 Masters Cup, with scorching temperatures and equally fiery on-track action making for quite a spectacle. It was also an emotional day for #1 Clinton Seller, who says goodbye to King Price Extreme after a very successful stint with the team.
Race 1
Following a lengthy recovery, #1 Clinton Seller was back on the grid and wasted no time reminding everyone what he could do. He stormed to pole position by more than a second, setting himself up for a memorable start to his final race day with King Price Extreme.
A full grid of 23 bikes lined up, ready to go. Lights on, lights off, and they were away! Seller launched into the lead as the pack charged towards Turn 1, with battles breaking out throughout the field. Riders went elbow to elbow around the scorching Zwartkops circuit, giving spectators plenty to shout about.
Upton sliding into the kitty litter.
#88 Damion Purificati had #66 Daryn Upton breathing down his neck until lap four, when Upton slid off into the gravel, bringing his race to an early end. #64 James Barson moved into third place, but his race also took a turn for the worse when he found himself in the gravel on lap eight.
Out front, Seller had matters well under control. The chequered flag waved him home to a comfortable victory, with Purificati taking second and #60 Trevor Westman completing the top three.
Race 2
Unfortunately, Upton’s day was over before Race 2 could get going, as he had to return to the pits and retire before the start. Barson, meanwhile, got his bike sorted and made it back onto the grid.
With the field safely through Turn 1, the second race soon developed into another cracking battle. Barson and #4 Hein McMahon went head-to-head for third place. Things got decidedly lively between #57 Renatus van Niekerk and #166 Reginald Seale.
Further down the field, a three-way scrap had spectators glued to the action as #45 Tyron Piper, #82 Henk Kruger and #3 Alfie Swanepoel went toe to toe, refusing to give one another an easy ride.
As the laps ticked away, Seller once again showed his class to secure the overall win. A perfect day to end his partnership with the King Price group.
Purificati claimed second, while Barson edged out McMahon in the fight for third, with McMahon crossing the line just behind him in fourth.
One of the closest finishes of the day came from Piper, Kruger and Swanepoel, who crossed the line separated by just 0.229 seconds. That’s racing!
Overall results.
1st #1 Clinton Seller
2nd #88 Damion Purificati
3rd #60 Trevor Westman
4th #4 Hein McMahon
5th #31 Keith Agliotti
Class A. The Torque class. 35-40 year olds.
1st #1 Clinton Seller
2nd #60 Trevor Westman
3rd #4 Hein McMahon
Class B. Midrange class. 41-50 year olds.
1st #88 Damion Purificati
2nd #45 Tyron Piper
3rd #82 Henk Kruger
Class C. Top-End. 51 and upwards.
1st #64 James Barson
2nd #166 Reginald Seale
3rd #3 Alfie Swanepoel
One Round to Go!
With just one round remaining, #88 Damion Purificati has already secured the 2026 championship. In fact, he wrapped up the title at the previous round in Cape Town, meaning the final outing will be about finishing the season on a high rather than fighting for the crown.
The ZX-10 crew will head to Red Star Raceway on 28 November for the season finale, joining Red Star Social Racing and the MSA Short Circuit GP for what promises to be a fitting end to the season.
With Seller signing off from King Price Extreme on a high and Purificati already crowned champion, there’s still plenty to look forward to when the ZX-10s line up for the final time this season.
