A Gauteng-to-KZN journey is a leisurely road trip for some tropical beach time for most South Africans. But for Czank Racing, their N3 journey in March was anything but a holiday.
After a two-year break from circuit racing, the team returned to competition this year with the first event of the Backdraft Racing Series at Dezzi Raceway, near Port Shepstone.
One of the most picturesque circuits in the world, Dezzi Raceway ' s idyllic location belies its technical challenge. Not only does it have challenging elevation changes( like all truly great circuits do), but it also features several tight-radius corners that reward skilled drivers who can manage their apex fever.
THE CHALLENGE OF COASTAL RACING
Beyond the technical challenge of Dezzi Raceway’ s layout, its tropical coastline location also presented environmental challenges for Craig Czank and his team. Being effectively at sea level, the Backdraft Racing Series cars, powered by 4.0-litre naturally aspirated V8s, benefit greatly from the denser, more oxygen-rich air at sea level compared to racing at Gauteng altitudes. That means better throttle response and a more linear power delivery. But its location, just a few hundred meters from the beach, also exposes Dezzi Raceway to afternoon cross-circuit coastal winds, something the Czank Racing team rarely encounters in Gauteng. And then there’ s the KZN humidity, which can be stifling when waiting in the pitlane, even in an open-top racer like the Backdraft Roadster.
WIND AND MORE WIND
After settling in and setting up for the weekend’ s racing, Craig quickly familiarised himself with Dezzi’ s layout, finding his flow. The peak humidity during Friday’ s testing was incredible, but Craig’ s decades of experience racing South African summers in fireproof overalls helped him retain focus in the sweltering conditions.
On raceday, those southern KZN summer tradewinds were blustery, layering another challenge for all the racers. But this is what makes racing in South Africa so unique: the circuit diversity is so amazing. From high-altitude circuits in Gauteng to coastal circuits, with unrivalled views.
For the Czank Racing Team, a gearbox issue meant Craig had to retire 40 minutes from the finish in the main race. That meant a third-in-class finish for the weekend. Not the result Czank Racing wanted for Craig’ s return to circuit racing after two years, but the experience of racing again at Dezzi had value deeper than the timing sheets and weekend rankings.
Proof of Czank Racing’ s dedicated social media following and authentic relatability as true racers meant the team met so many new friends on the journey down. And at the Dezzi race weekend. And although racing is a world where everyone obsesses about tenths of seconds, it ' s the camaraderie that’ s timeless – and matters.
THE RACER’ S CIRCUIT IS NEXT
Round two of the Backdraft Racing Series is scheduled for the last weekend in April at another coastal circuit, the fearsome East London Grand Prix circuit.
Images: Backdraft Racing Series / Jeff Latham
WORDS IN ACTION 35 MARCH 2026