AFRICA RACE TOGETHER FOUNDATION TO LAUNCH AT KYALAMI 9-HOUR

Kyalami, Johannesburg, South Africa

The Africa Race Together Foundation is the brainchild of Xolile Letlaka, a successful businessman and motorsport enthusiast. The mission of the non-profit foundation is to initiate sustainable investment in talent, communities, events and organizations to grow motorsport both at a national and international level.

Through his Into Africa Mining and Exploration business, Letlaka became the title sponsor of the Stradale Racing Team, whose driver Charl Arangies, became the SA GT Challenge Champion in 2021.

He quickly realized that motorsport has no future without diversity so he formed a development VW Polo Cup team, giving talented South African youngsters a chance to hone their skills through a progressive ladder of opportunity, starting from karting.

Through his initiative, he has already given both Stuart White and lady-racer Lonika Maartens an opportunity to compete overseas to further their careers.

Letlaka formed the first all-Black African team to compete in the famous Kyalami 9-Hour, recruiting Tschops Sipuka and Philip Kekana as co-drivers as a homage to their missed international racing careers despite their obvious talent behind the wheel, after he himself became an accomplished racing driver in a short space of time.

Adopting his credo of “lift as we rise”, the A.R.T Foundation aims to attract passionate and capable youngsters into the sport across all structures including engineering, mechanics, catering, logistics and media.

The Foundation will embark on a roadshow, visiting High Schools and tertiary institutions across South Africa to identify talent in the Maths, Science and Technology fields with a view to offering bursaries to further their careers and recruit students into the motorsport industry.

The pilot programme has already borne fruit with the establishment of an all-Black crew of drivers, mechanics and engineers who competed in the East London round of the 2021 SA Endurance Series in a Backdraft Roadster, funded by Into Africa.

The duo of Kwanele Letlaka and Xolela Njumbuxa recorded a fourth place finish on their circuit-racing debut, also recording a credible fourth place finish in their class.

In addition to his sponsorship of the Into Africa Mining Stradale Team and A.R.T Foundation leadership, he has also become the first Black motorsport promotor, registered with Motorsport South Africa, after acquiring the rights to the South African Endurance Series, the business responsible for running the SA GT Championship and Southern African Endurance racing. Letlaka has already made his mark by gaining National Championship status for the SA GT Championship, which features a seven round calendar in 2022.

The A.R.T. Foundation will be revealed on the grid just minutes ahead of the Kyalami 9-Hour on Saturday.

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