Driver 24 – Eric Sadler
Every race car has a story. For Eric Sadler, his started in 2021 with a used Mk1 Volkswagen Golf purchased from a local racer at Mahem Raceway.
At the time, the Golf was a Stock Rod. Eric, however, had much bigger plans.
Together with his dad, Bennie, owner of Bensa Performance Motorsport, they set out to build something very different — a full-body, front-wheel-drive race car capable of taking on the highly competitive 2.1 Modified class.
And they were going against the odds.
While much of the competition consisted of purpose-built, space-frame, rear-wheel-drive cars, the Sadlers chose to develop the Mk1 Golf around its own strengths.
The body was extensively converted to fibreglass to reduce weight, while major suspension modifications were carried out to improve the car’s performance through the tight corners of oval-track racing.
Then came the heart of the build — the engine.
The team initially developed a VW 1.8 8V, with Eric making his first race start in 2023. The competition was tough, but the team knew development would take time.
That’s where the relationship with STK Performance began.
Bennie contacted Simon from STK Performance for advice on engine development and performance upgrades. From that point, STK became part of the journey, supplying performance components, technical advice and guidance as the team continued developing the car.
The results soon started to show.
The Golf began bringing home podium finishes and multiple trophies, proving that a well-developed front-wheel-drive Mk1 could compete with some serious competition.
The team eventually built a 2.0 VW 8V, using a camshaft and rev kit supplied by STK Performance. With continued guidance from Simon, Eric and the Bensa Performance Motorsport team pushed the combination further.
Their hard work paid off with a 7th-place finish in the 2024 National SA 2.1 Modified Championship.
But the development didn’t stop there.
For 2025, the team took on another challenge — developing a VW 16V KR engine to take their performance to the next level.
With Simon and STK Performance continuing to provide technical input throughout the engine’s development, the team worked to extract as much performance as possible from the 16V combination.
The move eventually led the team toward a new chapter in 2026, with Bensa Performance Motorsport moving into the Silvercup 2.0 class and taking on longer circuits such as Zwartkops Raceway, Kyalami Raceway and RSR.
And the story of the original 8V didn’t end there.
Rather than retiring the engine, it was installed into Eric’s brother’s Mk1 Golf, which now competes in the C Class of Silvercup 2.0.
The result?
Another podium for the 8V — and Eric’s brother’s first-ever podium finish, taking 3rd place at Zwartkops Raceway.
From a humble Stock Rod to championship competition, multiple trophies and podium finishes, the Bensa Performance Motorsport story is a great example of what happens when passion, engineering, development and the right technical support come together.
STK Performance is proud to have been part of the journey.
A huge congratulations to Eric, Bennie and the entire Bensa Performance Motorsport team — and here’s to many more podiums ahead.
Built to perform. Developed to win.