Story: Staff Writer
This weekend sees the return of the Absa Off-Road Racing Championship to Pilanesburg for the Sun City 400.
PRODUCTION VEHICLES
Privateers Chris Visser/Japie Badenhorst will be looking to extend their Production Vehicle championship lead in Round Four of the Absa Off-Road Racing Championship. The Pilanesberg race also represents the halfway point in the Absa series, and from here on in every point will be a precious one.
Only a handful of competitors have a 100 percent finish record and there is additional pressure on crews who already have a DNF to their names. Crews have to drop one result at the end of the season, and an early DNF creates unwanted pressure.
Visser/Badenhorst,(RFS/Visser Transport Toyota Hilux) are in this situation, but two wins so far see them five points clear of veteran former champions Hannes Grobler/Hennie ter Stege. Grobler/Ter Stege have a 100 percent finish record this season, and will be out for the first time in the diesel RFS BMW X5, which made its debut on the recent Atlas Copco Sugarbelt 400. Chris du Plooy was at the wheel of the BMW’s debut but, as expected, hands over the car to Grobler/Ter Stege. The BMW showed early potential, but Grobler/Ter Stege, given the teething problems Ford Racing encountered with the Ford Ranger TDCi, could have their hands full.
Where Ford is concerned, Neil Woolridge/Kenny Skjoldhammer will fancy their chances on an event where conditions are likely to suit the factory Ford Ranger. The pair will also want to build on their historic Toyota Dealer 400 win, and that victory represents the lone factory success so far this season.
Team Castrol Toyota Hilux crews Duncan Vos/Rob Howie and Anthony Taylor/Robin Houghton look to be finally running into some sort of form. Both crews have been upstaged this season by Toyota privateers, and that is a situation they will want to address.
After a disappointing Atlas Copco Sugarbelt 400 outing, Gary Bertholdt/Andre Vermeulen (Atlas Copco Toyota Hilux) will be keen to bounce back.
Nissan’s challenge this year is being spearheaded by brothers-in-law Mike Whitehouse/Mathew Carlson (Regent Racing Nissan Navara) and have put together an enviable reliability record. Terence Marsh/Buks Carolin (Regent Racing Navara) will be disappointed with their returns so far this season, and Sun City provides the opportunity to turn it all around.
Kobus van Tonder/Freddie Kriel (Uni Freight Ford Ranger) and Louw de Bruin/Riaan Greyling (Ruwacon Ford Ranger) have had their poor moments this season.
On the Class D front, Cliff Weichelt and son Louis make a welcome return in a new N1 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser. The pair will again lock horns with Dewald van Breda/Johann du Toit (Northam Toyota Hilux) who so far this season have had matters all their own way.
There is also a welcome return from former Class E contenders Deon Venter/Ian Palmer who move up a Class in the 4×4 Mega World Toyota Hilux. Three quality crews in evenly matched machinery make for an interesting race.
Gerald le Roux/Willem Pretorius (Ruwacon Ford Ranger), teenager Lance Woolridge/Ward Huxtable (Ford Racing Ranger) and Pikkie Labuschange/Rikus Erasmus (4×4 Mega World Toyota Hilux) all have a victory to boast about this season, with experience leaning the way of Labuschagne/Erasmus.
SPECIAL VEHICLES
Shameer Variawa/Siegfried Rousseau (Total Porter) currently have a comfortable 14-point cushion at the top of the overall championship. This is courtesy of two wins so far this season, and while Variawa/Rousseau will again be among the favourites, there is a string of other crews who have winning potential. Among them is Evan Hutchison (Motorite BAT) who last year won this event with Achim Bergmann in the Motorite Revo1 4×4. This time around Hutchison will be partnered by Darryl Curtis, and will be hoping for a repeat of last year’s result.
Kallie and Quintin Sullwald will want to make a good impression on new sponsors, Elegant Fuel, and will be out to improve on last year’s third place.
Class P leaders Johan van Staden/James Rossouw (Atlas Copco BAT) currently lie second in the overall championship. This is due to their historic win on the Toyota Dealer 400, and one cannot see the Class A crews coming unstuck in the Pilanesberg.
The Sullwald brothers, Herman and Kallie, partnered respectively by sons Wichard and Quintin, also come into the equation. Herman and Wichard have had their moments in the SVR, while Kallie and Quintin bounced back into form on the Atlas Copco Sugarbelt 400 and both crews are due a win.
Clint Gibson/Gary Campbell (Gibson Racing SVR) are capable of an upset, and Colin Matthews/Alan Smith (Century Racing BAT) will again be fighting the reliability bogey that has plagued them in recent seasons.
Nardus Alberts, now partnered by son Louis in the Wrapsa BAT, has a couple of wins to his credit and Naeem Moosajee/Rayhaan Bodhanya (Maxxis/Tyre Rack Porter) will be looking for a return to form. Jimmy Zahos/Stefan Coetzee (Cobalt Racing Porter) and Bevan Bertholdt/Danie Stassen, now in a BAT, ooze aggression and could also ruffle a few feathers.
Lesotho crew Keith du Toit/Ashley Thorn (BAT) will be looking for a good run with newcomers Guy Henley/Geoffrey Crow (Century Racing Jimco) and Neil Meyer/Leon Muller (Zarco Magnum) unknown quantities at this stage.
Among the Class B contenders are the Makenete brothers Keith and Andrew (Zarco), the Century Racing BAT pair of Simon Beckett/Steve Harris and Johan de Klerk/Louis Pretorius (Zarco).
The Class P battle is as appetising as the Class A confrontation. There is a blend of youth and experience and it is a given that a contingent of Class P runners will work their way into the top ten.
The fight between van Staden/Rossouw and the Bezuidenhout brothers, Johan and Deon, in the Adenco BAT, is mouth watering. Brothers Gary and David White (Ruwacon BAT) are also back in harness while Mark Corbett and Rudi Balzer, in the Century Racing CR3 are starting to show signs of challenging for wins.
Also a part of the mix is a quartet of veterans who bring loads of experience, and some friendly rivalry, to the party. Richard Schilling/Chris Davies (Aceco), Archie Rutherford/Craig Doubtfire (Regent Racing Jimco), Bodo Bertholdt/Philip Herselman (Atlas Copco BAT) and Ernest Corbett/Warwick Goosen (Century Racing CR2) are all tough competitors.
And, lest one forget, Corbett and Goosen won Class P last year. There is a morsel for the younger crews to chew on!
Race control and the start/finish and designated service point will all be located at the Sun City complex. The Donaldson Prologue to determine start positions will start at 11.30 on Friday 16 July and the race at 8:00 on Saturday 17 July.
The race is spectator friendly with viewing points all within easy access of Sun City. Public access to the start/finish, designated service point and spectator areas is free of charge.
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