South Africa's world-famous Kyalami race track is safe in the hands of motorsport's new hero. WEC boss Gerard Neveu visits Kyalami, meets with track owner Toby Venter…

Uva Mira is the Helderberg property owned by Toby Venter, CEO of Porsche South Africa, where Christian Coetzee, previously of KWV, is crafting some impressive wines. Toby Venter grew up in the North West university town of Potchefstroom, finishing his schooling at Potchefstroom Boys High School. Today, motoring mogul Toby Venter’s companies own the Kyalami Racetrack, and are also the local distributors for Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley. As chief executive officers of large companies go, Toby Venter is … well, different.For one thing, the CEO of LSM Distributors which owns Porsche in South Africa, is an extremely accomplished race car driver. But that is just a tip of the iceberg that is Toby Venter. By 1995, he was appointed chief executive officer of Porsche and he acquired this business the next year. This is his motoring story.Toby Venter grew up in the North West university town of Potchefstroom, finishing his schooling at Potchefstroom Boys High School.A stint in the army followed, and he was based at Oudtshoorn and Potchefstroom. FIA WEC WEC ‘Seriously Considering’ Kyalami as Future Round. “We retired her after running out of ways to keep making her quicker,” Venter says.He is still passionate about local motorsport and believes the return of the 9-Hour will boost both South African spectator numbers and the number of potential race car drivers.“The fact that three South Africans in the 9-Hour will be in factory team cars from overseas will show aspiring South African drivers that motorsport dreams can become reality.“If the 9-Hour helps to start one professional driver on his or her way, we will have done a really good thing.”“That apart, the 9-Hour will incorporate other activities like a large music concert. Not for him a huge, carpeted area with a massive desk and original art on the walls.“I come here to work,” he says.He vividly remembers buying Kyalami on July 24, 2014.

Toby Venter a well-known and respected motor business entrepreneur, visionary and successful race driver was the man behind the successful final bid. It started in 1981 with a Suzuki Speed Centre in Westonaria. The racetrack has been sold at auction for R205-million to Porsche South Africa MD Toby Venter. He has fond memories of the Turbo Cup series, that saw drivers doing battle in identical Porsche 944 Turbo models.“I won that championship, beating drivers like Sarel van der Merwe, Nico Bianco, Chris Aberdein and Wayne Taylor,” Venter says, pointing at a turbocharger-shaped copper trophy – one of the few personal effects in his almost Spartan office.He went on to race a works Porsche GT2 in South African Extreme Supercar events, holding the overall lap record at various South African circuits for a number of years. Then we were faced with huge further expense. Picture: Neil McCartney“In the process we had to adopt a master business plan, where the venue could soon start earning revenue, and we managed that by hiring out the track itself, plus the conference facilities, and utilising the circuit for Porsche’s own testing needs,” he says.Today, Kyalami is regularly used by international companies for car launches, conferences and training exercises. So in between his studies, he worked in the motoring industry, and in 1978, he became a factory motocross rider for the Shell Suzuki team. “It will be a huge moment for our company and for South African motorsport enthusiasts to see the return of this iconic race, which last took place here 37 years ago,” he says.We meet him at Kyalami, where he occupies a small office in a corner of the administration building. After his compulsory army service, he enrolled for a degree in law and economics at the Potchefstoom University. A stint in the army followed, and he was based at Oudtshoorn and Potchefstroom. They are also responsible for the Porsche and Bentley brands locally.Chief Executive of LSM Distributors, Toby Venter, said: “We believe that Lamborghini Kyalami Racing Circuit (from Khaya lami, My home in Zulu) is a motor racing circuit located in Midrand, Gauteng province, South Africa.The circuit has been used for Grand Prix and Formula One races and has hosted the South African Grand Prix many times. Tobie has 1 job listed on their profile. For another, he is widely revered as the man who, five years ago, saved the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit from becoming a business park.It was Venter who, when Kyalami went up for auction, convinced the LSM Distributors board to buy it. View Tobie Venter’s profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. We thought the property developers would outbid us, but that did not happen and, R200 million later, we owned Kyalami. TOBY VENTER: There is no link with the factory in Germany. After his compulsory army service, he enrolled for a degree in law and economics at the Potchefstoom University.Ever since he could remember though, he had been in love with all things automotive. “I told the board the sure way of not getting the circuit was not to attend the auction.


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