It’s been one heck of a season! Not only did Speed Stars take the country’s biggest names and give them a chance at being a race ace, they also gave you the public an opportunity to be a part of the action. And after twelve episodes and twenty-four competitors, we are left with our six fastest stars to battle it out for that top step on the Speed Stars podium!
Strap yourselves in – we are geared up for a cracker!
Our six finalists were decided by the fastest lap time set in their two-lap head to head race they competed in in our weekly star matchups. These times were revealed at the end of each episode and went onto the Speed Stars leaderboard. This is our Top 10 for this season:
Sandro Godinho (Public) 1:23.741
Maps Maponyane 1:24.127
Chad Luckhoff (Public) 1:24.929
Richard Stirton 1:25.159
Wayde van Niekerk 1:25.196
Akani Simbine 1:25.226
Jonathan Boynton-Lee 1:25.780
Werner Kok 1:26.149
Chris Bertish 1:27.133
Shikar Singh (Public) 1:27.148
And it went down to the wire with our six qualifiers only being finalised in our last guest pairing of the season, when Richard Stirton blasted into fourth position overall, ending the hopes of a final for Jonathan Boynton-Lee.
As the times clearly show, our top six are evenly matched and we are set for an intense and closely fought final!
In the season finale, our six qualifiers will compete against each other in a series of elimination challenges to determine the four stars making it through to the semi-finals, which will see them back on track in the familiar two lap head to head race format. The winners go through to the final and a shot at winning the second season of Speed Stars! As if the pressure isn’t enough, up for grabs is that trip overseas with Michelin for a real racing driver experience with their 2017 Michelin Pilot Sport Experience. The winner will also receive a timepiece from Swiss manufacturer, Fortis, valued at R30 000-00.
Want to join the winner of Speed Stars on that trip? All you need to do is head to www.speedstars.co.za predict the person you think will win this season and you are in with a shout – it’s that simple!
But the good news doesn’t stop there – Michelin and Speed Stars are giving you another chance at winning that incredible trip overseas by entering through our media partner, Independent Media. Check out this week’s motoring supplements in The Star, Pretoria News, Daily News, The Mercury and The Cape Times for entry details.
The biggest name in world athletics, a sprinting sensation, SA’s Mister Cool, two star finds and a guy with a voice…this is a show finale you do not want to miss! Watch a winner being crowned on Ignition DSTV 189 at the following times:
26TH NOVEMBER @ 19:30
27TH NOVEMBER @ 07:30
28TH NOVEMBER @ 01:30
29TH NOVEMBER @ 09:30 & 21:30
30TH NOVEMBER @ 06:30 & 18:30
1ST DECEMBER @ 13:30
2ND DECEMBER @ 15:30
Speed Stars is also available on DSTV Catch Up.
RICHARD STIRTON ENDS SEASON ON A HIGH NOTE
For Richard Stirton and Gavin Edwards, competing against each other is nothing new. The last time they went head to head was in the finals of The Voice South Africa, with Richard coming out on top as the winner of the show. Would things be different on the Speed Stars track? Gavin was certainly hoping for payback but it would seem Richard is as talented a driver as he is a musician!
Richard not only beat Gavin in the two-lap race but he posted a lap time that saw him book a spot in next weeks Speed Stars final! His time of 1:25.159 was the fourth fastest time of the season, finishing ahead of international speedsters, Wayde van Niekerk and Akani Simbine by the slimmest of margins!
Gavin posted a respectable lap time of a 1:28.022 and that sees him ending the season right in the middle of the pack, in 12th position on the leaderboard.
Both have albums in store now and are receiving fantastic airtime on local radio stations, so it seems the battle continues, this time for music chart domination! Good friends, top chaps, talented muscians…
For a full breakdown of our leaderboard as it currently stands, head to our website: www.speedstars.co.za
The Finals of the Speedstars 2016 season at Zwartkops Raceway, courtesy of Michelin, Opel, Fortis and Fairway hotel
WINNING IS EASY WITH SPEED STARS
Congratulations to Athenkosi Vumazonke who won the Advanced Driving Course with Opel in our weekly viewer competition.
Richard Stirton continued his winning ways when he and his team of Akani Simbine, Sarah Kozlowski and Jade Hubner won the Tyre Changing Challenge, netting R2500-00 for the Sunflower Fund.