With over 20 identical cars all powered by Nissan's acclaimed V6 powerplant, South Africa's only sportscar national championship series has all the ingredients of a Hollywood script.

The Vodacom Sports Prototype series heads to AA Kyalami's third round of the Vodacom Power Tour with two drivers vying for the championship.

Currently holding a 15-point advantage is former motorcycle racer Neil Lobb in the DK Woodcraft entry. Lobb has proved both fast and reliable, having won six of the 11 races held so far. Four second places further prove his consistency. The other driver in the title hunt is George Ferreira, a wily former champion who has been racing at national championship level for two decades. Sponsored by PAK 2000 he has only a single win so far this season, but a string of second and third places have put him in a strong position. Both have scored points in every race.

A mid-season hiccup has left reigning champ, Bernard Tilanus (Micro-Imaging) some 40-points adrift of the leaders, but with 20-points on offer, it ain't over yet. Alan Eve (Shell/Odes Autobody) and Melvill Priest (Revlon 24-Seven) are separated by two-points in fourth and fifth places. On sheer pace, Priest has the edge, but his somewhat untamed youthful temperament has seen him in the barriers, coupled with a few mechanical failures his position does not represent his speed. Eve, on the other hand, has been racing for over a decade and drives with the aim of bringing the car home in a good points scoring position.

Holding sixth is Autohaus backed Francois Gerber. Somewhat erratic, but very determined he is also a former champion and more than capable of running in front. Likewise Dave Beattie (Bidvest/Steiner Services) could upset the applecart. Having cut his teeth in the hard as nails British F2000 series of the early '80s, he has been hobbled by mechanical gremlins. Having spent the season racing Formula Fords, Marco da Cunha is back in the fray and in his few VSP outings in the past he proved quick and a tough challenger. Terry Voller (DK Lamminates) and Clive Kennerley (Standox) are two more drivers capable of top six places.

Further back, the usual closely contested mid-field battle will resume with the sibling rivalry between Colin Frost (Strocam Projects) and Trevor Frost (Strocam Mining). Then there's Richard Wood, Richard Benningfield, former off-road racer Harry Roscoe, Steve Desilla, Neville Jordan (Vodacom), Mark Attieh (SmartCall) and Durbanite Ben Havenga in the superbly turned out Panelrite car. Last, but not least, Gary Green (Brad Green Cars) has found more speed, thanks to a rigorous testing programme.