Car spinning: South African motorsport set for boost with government backing

Spinning’s unique combination of stunts, acrobatics and burning rubber has made this Southern African motorsport an addictive experience for the likes of teenager Violet Chabaku.

Since originating in townships during the Apartheid era, when criminals showed off stolen cars and celebrated the lives of the recently deceased, it has evolved into a thriving sub-culture.

Families are drawn to regular meetings where noise, smoke and precision driving thrill the crowds, often in the thousands, and create stars of those who leave their seat behind the wheel to clamber upon the chassis of a vehicle – or even exit it entirely.

“I really enjoy the adrenaline,” Chabaku told BBC Sport Africa.

“When I started I was super-excited to know everything. I wanted to do the stunts immediately.”

As with most high-speed motorsports, spinning comes with inherent risks. A mechanical glitch or mistimed stunt while balancing yourself on the bonnet, sunroof or a door handle can result in serious injury.

According to Samkeliso Thubane, a top South African spinner nicknamed Sam Sam, the secret is knowing how to calculate your vehicle’s movement.

“You are controlling a car that’s not in control,” he said.

“We know how to avoid anything that can go bad. Because we practice we are able to perform perfectly.”

Chabaku’s own worries diminished as she learnt the art near her home in the Free State Province.

“A lot of people fear it’s too dangerous or something might happen to them,” the 19-year-old explained.

“When I bumped the car for the first time I think my life flashed before my eyes.

“It was scary at first because you make a lot of mistakes. But once I got the hang of it, the fear is not there anymore.”