30 Jan Adrian Pheiffer – RIP

FMM is sad to report that South African motorsport legend Adrian Pheiffer passed away peacefully on Thursday 29 December, aged 91. Adrian was the man primarily responsible for the formation of the Western Province Motor Club (WPMC) and the creation of the Killarney circuit in Cape Town, including saving the facility – which is now an internationally recognised venue – from closure in 1965.

A qualified motor mechanic, he began racing in 1956 in a Ford-engined special and, on handicap, managed to beat the SA national champion in his debut race. He also took part in several Pretoria to Lourenço Marques rallies, during which time he met one of the event’s marshals, Jutine ‘Kuki’ Nycamp, with whom he soon dated and married and the couple were active in the sport throughout their lives.

From the mid-1950s, Adrian successfully raced in many events around South Africa and neighbouring countries in a wide variety of cars – single-seaters, sports and saloons, winning two WP titles with the latter – including taking part in the 1961 Formula 1 Series and the 1962 South African Grand Prix in East London in a Cooper-Alfa. He also started the Kape Kart Klub and formed the first formal karting organisation in Africa.

After retiring from competition, Adrian became actively involved with the formation and administration of the WPMC. Apart from editing and contributing to the club’s magazine/newsletter ‘The Blower’ for many years, he was also a regular motor sport correspondent for a number of newspapers and, later, online media sites, and compiled and wrote the superb book ‘Killarney: 50 Golden Racing Years 1960 to 2010’.

Adrian received numerous prestigious awards for his many achievements, including a WPMC Lifetime Achievement Award and lifetime membership of the club, the SAGMJ Motoring Journalist of the Year title in 1992, the SAGMJ Colin Watling Award for Service to Motorsport in 2010, and a special Lifetime Achievement Award from Motorsport South Africa in 2014.

Adrian and Kuki finally retired to Darling, Western Cape in 2018. Kuki passed away in 2020, and thereafter Adrian was looked after by their son Roy and his wife Michelle. A celebration of Adrian’s life took place, appropriately, at the Killarney Clubhouse on January 12 and was attended by a large gathering of family and friends. Speeches were made by Dr Greg Mills, Des Easom, Dave Abrahams, Denis Joubert and Nigel Payne along with Adrian’s three sons, Dale, Earl and Roy Pheiffer. A satisfying note is that in his last days, Adrian learnt that Killarney’s lease had been extended for another 15 years, meaning that he knew the legacy of what he had been so instrumental in creating was continuing for many years to come.

FMM extends its sincere condolences to Dale, Earl and Roy and their respective families.

Adrian Bernard Pheiffer – thank you, and RIP.