Some close racing is on the cards at round seven of the Northern Regions Off Road Championship at Carnival City on Saturday, August 28.
The event is the penultimate round of the Northern Regions series and will be run alongside the national championship 4×4 Mega World 400 as part of a project by the SA National Off Road Car Racing Associations to promote the sport at grass roots level. The national race will be run over two laps of a compact 175 kilometre course, with the regional competitors completing one loop.
Among the Special Vehicles battle will resume in Class P where Kobus Bekker and Phillip Pienaar (Raceco) will again lock horns with the likes of Marius and Jolinda Fourie, in a BAT, and former Blue Bulls scrumhalf Coetzee Labuscagne and daughter Sandra. Bekker and Pienaar currently lead the Special vehicle championship but are under pressure from Wolf-Peter Pfumfei in the WPP.
Pfumfei heads up the Class B challenge but faces some stiff competition. Johan de Klerk/Louis Pretorius (Zarco), veteran former national champion Giel Nel and Jaco Jonck (Zarco Truggy) and Mick Oosthuizen and Greg Higgins (VW Baja) will all fancy their chances.
On the Production Vehicle front most of the action should centre around Class E. Championship leaders Chris and Anneline van Jaarsveld (Ford Ranger) clash with two Toyota Hilux crews in Ian Boshoff/Douw Grobler and Gene Boshoff/Lotter Klein in what should be a good contest.
Class D crew Jack and Sarel Oosthuizen, in a Land Rover, will also be in contention. The tight route should add to the interest and will produce some spectacular racing.
The 4×4 Mega World 400 is spectator friendly with 19 viewing points along the route. Entry to spectator points as well as race headquarters and the designated service point at the Carnival City complex is free of charge.
The race will start at 08:00 on Saturday, August 28.
– Credit: www.saoffroadracing.co.za