Tribute to a legend

A championship battle that unfolded until the last race on the calendar is exactly how motorsport legend and Shelby South Africa part-owner Peter Lindenberg wanted to retire from a phenomenal motorsport career. After missing the first two rounds of the V8 Legends of the 9-Hour Championship due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, Lindenberg achieved a winning streak in his 1965 Shelby GT 350 Mustang and made it to the final race at Zwartkops less than five points behind. of the championship leader. Starting second on the grid for the opening round on November 13, Lindenberg won his class and then used his vast experience in round two to control the race and do exactly what was needed to claim the points advantage and to be crowned champion. “What a way to end the championship and end my motorsport career on a high note,” Lindenberg said after the race. “I’m not sad. Actually I’m comfortable because it’s the right thing to do now. I’m extremely privileged to have run for the past 43 years. One of the main things I believe in is in sports is when to go out, and now is the right time for me. His multiple achievements in motorsport are impressive. During his athletic career. Lindenberg has won 23 national championships. His global influence on sports in which he competed has also earned him the respect of his peers and industry stakeholders. “Lindenberg’s larger than life presence behind the wheel will be sadly missed by everyone, but he will continue to shine in motorsport for years to come,” said Doreen Mashinini, general manager of marketing for Ford South Africa. “His competitiveness and passion for the Ford brand have left an indelible mark on South African motorsport, and we wish him well as he enters the next chapter of his life as well as his continued commitment to Shelby South Africa. . ” Lindenberg has received his Springbok colors 39 times, as well as numerous international records and championships that have been added to his collection. Despite a busy schedule between water skiing and power boating in the mid to late 1970s, he also found time to compete in a few semi-competitive auto racing events. His earliest memory of auto racing was in the Sigma Celebrity Challenge in 1976 – an event that paired sports celebrities with auto journalists. Lindenberg quickly adapted to the challenge and won the event, catching the attention of fellow South African racing legend Tony Viana. Two weeks later, Viana had succeeded in convincing Lindenberg to concentrate on motor racing. Over the years Lindenberg has driven many high performance Fords at the biggest events in the country. However, Fords were a part of Lindenberg’s life long before he got serious about their race. Besides his very first car being a 3.0-liter Ford Capri V6, Lindenberg’s childhood was surrounded by Ford. His late father would tow their family trailer with a Ford Fairlane – a car Lindenberg drove many years later in various historic motorsport events. Lindenberg’s father also owned a Mustang in the early 1970s. Competing in categories like Group 1 and Group N, Lindenberg raced iconic Fords like the Escort XR3 Perana and the Capri Perana. “I owned a lot of these really powerful modified Fords including the Basil Green Gunston car that I had for about 34 years, I also owned a Sierra XR8, nicknamed ‘The Animal’, which Willie Hepburn built, as well as the famous – ex-Peter Gough – Escort, number Y151 “, recalls Lindenberg,” The good thing about all these cars is that they were really South African. You haven’t had them anywhere else in the world, so I was very lucky. One thing about a Capri Perana and an XR8 is that for a slightly above average price you get a rocket! ” Progressing to the first WesBank Modifieds was another highlight for Lindenberg, in which he campaigned in a Ford Telstar V8 and later a Mustang. “I’ve won a lot of races and championships,” he said, reflecting over the decades. In 1994, Lindenberg won the SA WesBank Modifieds Championship, followed by two runner-up positions in the late 1990s. He won the Sascar title in 2005, then two more championship titles in the South African National Oval Championships in 2006 and 2007. The final stages of his motorsport career took place in the popular Historics category, in which he drove several legendary Fords such as the Ford GT40 and a Shelby GT 350 from 1965. While auto racing has rewarded Peter with many irreplaceable memories, his off-road ideas helped create a better future for motorsport. Alongside Jimmy Price, Lindenberg was instrumental in the creation of sites such as WesBank Raceway, as well as the establishment of the popular Sascar series which was created to level the playing field and make motorsport more accessible thanks to approved parts and reduced operating costs. Lindenberg continues to maintain his passion for Ford and motor racing through the Shelby South Africa dealership in Gauteng and the Shelby Modshop in the Western Cape, which he runs alongside his two daughters, Paige and Chiara. Source: QuickPic