Tense battle expected in Vryheid

There is a kind of a gunfight at the OK Corral feel to the buildup to the second round 2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC), the PS Laser ProMac Vryheid 400, set to take place on May 24 and 25 in the Vryheid area of northern KwaZulu-Natal with both Toyota and Ford throwing plenty of spanners at getting their respective racers ready.

Following a stellar performance at the Nkomazi 400 in Malalane last month, where TGRSA secured a one-two finish, the team is enthusiastic about maintaining their strong start to the season.

Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Elvéne Vonk emerged victorious in Round 1, closely followed by teammates Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy in second place. As they gear up for the next challenge, TGRSA will once again feature their seasoned teams: Henk Lategan with Brett Cummings, Giniel de Villiers with Elvéne Vonk, Guy Botterill with Dennis Murphy and Saood Variawa with Francois Cazalet, all piloting the latest GR Hilux EVO models.

The upcoming Vryheid 400 features diverse and demanding terrains such as farmlands, rocky stretches and scenic landscapes and marks the debut of the Vryheid area in hosting a round of the SARRC.

The event begins with a 14 km Castrol Qualifying Race on Friday, May 24, at 09:30 followed by a 38 km loop for Stage One at 13:00. On Saturday, participants will face Stage Two, a 175 km route starting at 08:00. 

After completing this stage once, there will be a mandatory 30-minute service break at the Designated Service Point (DSP) at the airfield before tackling the stage again. The race concludes at the Vryheid Airfield, where the podium ceremonies will also be held.

TGRSA Team Principal Shameer Variawa expressed his excitement for the Vryheid 400, stating: "We are looking forward to the Vryheid 400 and are excited to tackle the new terrain. Our crews have been preparing diligently, and we are confident in their abilities to deliver strong performances. The opening round was a great success, and we aim to build on that momentum this weekend."

Giniel de Villiers currently leads the Overall Championship standings, with Guy Botterill in second. Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings are eager to accumulate points after a challenging first round.

The Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) Ford Rally-Raid Team will also compete in Round 2 of the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC).

Despite a promising start in Malalane, the team faced minor technical issues which have now been resolved, allowing them to return to the championship fight at this new event.

Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert (#234) showed great pace in their updated Shell-liveried NWM Ford Ranger at the previous race but were hindered by a broken driveshaft, finishing 11th in the Ultimate class. Their performance after the vehicle was repaired suggests they will be competitive in Vryheid.

Reigning champions Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (#200) were contenders for a podium finish in Malalane until a water pump failure forced their retirement. They aim to come back strong at their home event.

NWM Ford team principal Neil Woolridge commented: "The performance of our two cars at the season-opener in Malalane was fantastic and both of the crews were on it right from the start. Unfortunately, we had two separate technical issues which were firsts for us, but we are confident that these have been diagnosed and rectified, and we are looking forward to the prospect of an all-new race in Vryheid."

The NWM-supported privateer team of Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen (#241) will also compete, having finished eighth in the Ultimate class in the opening race.

Fans can track the race action using the RallySafe app, available for download on iOS and Android devices.

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Records shattered at Simola Hillclimb

KNYSNA, South Africa, 5 May 2024 – There was lots of adrenaline-fuelled action and drama at the 14th running of the Simola Hillclimb which took place in Knysna at the weekend.

Robert Wolk earned his first King of the Hill title in the Single Seater, Sports Car and Sports Prototypes category, while Dawie Joubert claimed the Modified Saloon Car win for the first time. JP van der Walt entrenched his domination of the Road Car and Supercar category by taking his fourth consecutive title.

After several years as one of the Simola Hillclimb’s leading single-seater competitors, Wolk and the InvestChem team battled through a series of technical niggles throughout the weekend with the 1989 Pillbeam MP58 – a specialised hillclimb car, albeit 35 years old, which is now powered by a thunderous modern Infinity Indycar V8 engine.

He posted the Pillbeam’s fastest official time of 37.133 seconds during the Class Finals, despite not completing three of the six qualifying sessions due to electrical issues. His fastest run for the 1.9 km standing start sprint was completed at an average speed of 184.203 km/h. In the thrilling all-or-nothing Top 10 Shootout, he crossed the timing beam in 37.403 seconds to take the top prize.

“It was a fantastic weekend, even though we had our issues with the car,” Wolk said. “In the Top 10 Shootout we were dealing with an engine problem, so I couldn’t go as fast as I would have liked, but we made it count in the end.”

It was a clean sweep of the top two places for the InvestChem outfit, as team owner Ian Schofield claimed the runner-up spot in the Top 10 Shootout with an impressive time of 40.938 seconds in the 2018 Mygale SJ Formula Ford – slashing an impressive 1.1 seconds off the time he set in the Class Finals.

Rui Campos posted his best time of 41.379 seconds in the final shootout, finishing third in the Ford V8-powered Shelby CanAm. Unfortunately, six-time winner Andre Bezuidenhout was forced to withdraw from this year’s event after his record-setting Gould GR55 suffered engine damage during pre-event testing, but he retains both the class C and outright Simola Hillclimb record of 34.161 seconds.

Modified Saloon Cars

The most powerful and wildest tin-top cars in the country fall into class B for Modified Saloon Cars. Fans were expecting an almighty battle between the two wild all-wheel drive Nissan R35 GT-R machines of five-time winner Franco Scribante and last year’s runner-up, Reghard Roets.

However, the tables were turned when Dawie Joubert was consistently at the top of the pile in his lightweight Lotus Exige, which is powered by a twin-turbocharged Ferrari 488 engine. Having sorted out the technical issues that plagued the car in previous years, Joubert wrapped up the six qualifying rounds with the fastest time of 38.291 seconds.

He was a mere six-hundredths of a second ahead of brother Charl in the Honda V6-powered Lotus Elise (38.354 sec). The penultimate qualifying runs saw the dramatic retirement of both Scribante and Roets with drivetrain damage on both GT-Rs, leaving the final duel to play out between a trio of rear-wheel drive cars, including 2021 winner Pieter Zeelie in the Toyota MR2 Super GT.

Dawie Joubert’s advantage grew in the Class Finals, finishing 1.095 seconds ahead of Charl, with Zeelie half a second further back due to a turbocharger boost pipe coming loose. Dawie ultimately wrapped up a faultless weekend by securing the King of the Hill title with a time of 38.405 seconds (at an average speed of 178.102 km/h). He finished just a tenth of a second ahead of Zeelie, with Charl Joubert taking the final step of the podium on 39.524 seconds.

This made it first rear-wheel drive car win in three years, and brought Dawie to within 0.276 seconds of Franco Scribante’s current Modified Saloon Car record of 38.129 seconds from 2022 – an astonishing feat, considering the traction advantage the GT-R has with its sophisticated, race-developed all-wheel drive system.

“I’m very happy. The car was exceptionally well prepared by the team and gave me a lot of confidence,” Joubert said. “We were in the fight from the first run, and it was a perfect weekend. This is such a great event that just gets better and better each year.”

In class A for standard production vehicles, JP van der Walt at the wheel of a Porsche was once again an unbeatable combination as he claimed his fourth consecutive King of the Hill victory in a 2021 911 Turbo S.

Having dominated the entire weekend, Van der Walt not only walked away with the prized title, but he set a new record for the class in the process. His final time of 42.935 seconds in the Road Car and Supercar Top 10 Shootout was 1.159 seconds faster than the previous record of 44.094 sec which was set by Reghard Roets in 2019 in a road-legal Nissan R35 GT-R.

“The weekend was actually very stressful, as pushing this fast destroyed the tyres, and I had to skip some of the qualifying sessions and also change my driving style for the last two runs,” Van der Walt said. “The car just didn’t want to turn in properly on the worn tyres, so I had to brake earlier for the corners to get a clean and fast exit. Reghard helped with a lot of tips to get the best time, and Clint Weston gave me a bit of a run for my money, but we had lots of fun.”

Weston was behind the wheel of the mightily powerful but heavy 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT63 E-Performance 4-door hybrid, and he certainly earned the biggest cheers from the record number of spectators with his exhilarating four-wheel drifts through most of the corners up the 1.9 km Simola Hill.

The provisional results placed him second with a time of 44.434 seconds, although he was 0.3 seconds quicker in his prior run in the Class Finals. Garth Mackintosh finished third in his 2017 McLaren 720s.

Class Finals

There were exciting class battles throughout the field for individual honours, including the new class B10 for modified street-legal cars. The 2024 Simola Hillclimb certainly produced a spectacular show for the fans in attendance, as well as the large number of online enthusiasts watching the livestream from around the world.

The class winners were:

Road Cars and Supercars (provisional results, subject to final confirmation)

A1: Thomas Falkiner – Suzuki Swift Sport:                            53.784 sec

A2: Nico Nel – BMW M135i xDrive:                                       56.928 sec

A3: Farhaad Ebrahim – Toyota Supra:                                  45.264 sec

A4: JP van der Walt – Porsche 911 Turbo S:                        43.513 sec

A5: Dayaan Padayachey – Porsche Cayman GTS:              49.322 sec

A6: Gordon Nicholson – Audi R8 V10 Plus:                           47.003 sec

A7: James Temple – Shelby Mustang Super Snake:            47.833 sec

A8: Clint Weston – Mercedes-AMG GT63 E-Performance:  44.134 sec

Modified Saloon Cars

B1: Shuaib Dhansay – Ford Fiesta:                                       57.850 sec

B2: Daniel Rowe – Volkswagen Polo SupaCup:                   44.058 sec

B4: Dawie Joubert – Lotus Exige (Ferrari V8):                      38.966 sec

B5: Aldo Scribante – Audi S4:                                                41.413 sec

B6: Paul Munro – BMW M3:                                                   46.874 sec

B7: Pieter Joubert – Lotus Exige (Mercedes-AMG V8):        43.373 sec

B9: Arnold du Plessis – Nissan Patrol Black Hawk):             54.457 sec

B10: Steve Clark – Nissan R34 GT-R:                                  43.544 sec

Single Seater, Sports Car and Sports Prototypes

C2: Ian Schofield – Mygale SJ Formula Ford:                       42.048 sec

C3: Robert Wolk – Pillbeam MP58 (Infinity Indycar V8):       37.133 sec

C4: Josef Kotze – Birkin S3 (Toyota):                                    54.411 sec

C6: Rui Campos – Shelby CanAm (Ford V8):                       41.826 sec

Spirit of Dave Charlton Award

Each year the special ‘Spirit of Dave Charlton’ award is given to the person or team that reflects South African race legend Dave Charlton’s spirit of impeccable attention to detail, meticulous preparation and commendable performance.

For the 2024 King of the Hill, the award went to Team Scuderia Scribante, headed by brothers Silvio and Aldo Scribante from Gqeberha.

Words: Colin Mileman

Images: Rob Till

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Franco claims King of the Hill

KNYSNA, South Africa, 3 May 2024 – Franco Scribante wrote his name in the Simola Hillclimb record books once again by securing his seventh Classic Conqueror title at this year’s extremely competitive Classic Car Friday on May 3, 2024.

The intense battle between Scribante, who last won the title in 2021, and reigning champion Andre Bezuidenhout proved as thrilling as the thousands of attending fans expected. However, it was Scribante who held the advantage in each of the practice and qualifying sessions throughout the day in his rapid 1970 Chevron B19, and he repeated the feat in the Class Finals when he edged out his rival by 0.328 sec with a time of 41.796 seconds to claim the class H9 win.

In the final all-or-nothing Top 10 Shootout, Bezuidenhout’s challenge faltered when the Lola’s gearbox got stuck in third gear coming out of Turn 3, and he was relegated to sixth place overall. In scorching hot conditions, Scribante’s car bogged down slightly as he launched the Chevron off the start line for the crucial last dash, but he gave it absolutely everything on the remainder of the tight and twisty 1.9km Simola Hill course. He recovered to cross the timing beam in 41.937 seconds (at an average speed of 163.1 km/h) to earn a hard-fought Classic Conqueror victory.

“After two challenging years we’re back and I’m very happy to take the win,” Scribante said. “Our game plan for today was to take the fight to our rivals from the first run and that’s what we did by leading every session. It all came together in the end and it’s a fantastic result.”

Charles Arton, the 2015 winner, enjoyed his trip back to the podium with second overall in the Top 10 Shootout with his 1979 March 79A, having set his best time of the day at 43.586 seconds. He also earned third place in class H9, behind Scribante and Bezuidenhout.

Rui Campos made history too by powering his 1974 Porsche 911 RSR to third place in the final shootout with a time of 46.730 seconds – making it the first-ever tin-top car to claim a spot on the Classic Conqueror podium. Campos was rewarded with the class H8 victory too.

James Temple finished fourth in the Top 10 in the roaring 1965 Shelby Daytona Coupe and took the class H6 win, with Robert Wolk ending fifth overall in the 1979 Van Diemen RF Formula Ford. With Bezuidenhout having to settle for sixth place as he limped the car across the line, Anthony Rix ended seventh (50.586 sec) in the 1969 Lola T70 Mk3B, while Craig Wessels rounded out the results with a time of 51.179 seconds in his 1983 Porsche 911 RSR IROC.

In the other class results, Rob Prece won H7 in his 1980 Volkswagen Golf (51.170 sec), with H5 going to Ian Kilburn in the 1972 Datsun GX Coupe (53.856 sec) and Porsche specialist Gavin Rooke taking the H4 class win in his 1973 911 (52.204 sec).

While Andre Bezuidenhout endured a difficult 2024 Simola Hillclimb – including the withdrawal of his unbeaten Gould GR55 from King of the Hill due to engine failure during pre-event testing – the family name was held high by his son, Jandre. Driving his dad’s first race car, the 1985 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup, Jandre comfortably took the class H3 win with a time of 52.925 seconds.

In class H1 for the ‘golden oldies’, which is contested on a handicap basis, Callum Price emerged victorious in his 1946 Austin Special, after finishing closest to his target time (101.35%). He narrowly beat Gero Lilleike in the 1931 Ford Model A who ended on 101.83%.

Spirit of Dave Charlton Award

Each year the special ‘Spirit of Dave Charlton’ award is given to the person that reflects South African race legend Dave Charlton’s spirit of impeccable attention to detail, meticulous preparation and commendable performance.

For the 2024 Simola Hillclimb, the award went to Farouk Dangor, the owner of Speedy Car Sales and a former competitor in the South African Touring Car and Production Car championships. Dangor’s passion for racing is embodied in the Speedy Car Sales motorsport museum which features many of the cars that he raced over the years, as well as a host of racing memorabilia.

Words: Colin Mileman

Images: Rob Till

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Backdraft gets national status

Backdraft Racing has been granted National Championship status for 2024 by Motorsport South Africa and will contest the South African Endurance Series (SAES) as the National V8 Roadster Championship with 15 cars expected to make the start at each of the six rounds.

This adds another feather to the SAES cap, giving the series its fourth National Championship category to run alongside the SA GT Championship, South African Endurance Championship, and the Index of Performance Championship.

Backdraft Racing is headed up by former South African Driver’s Champion and Daytona 24-Hour winner, Tony Martin who says: “The idea of identical cars in a cost-contained formula evolved as a concept to add a new dimension to the SA Endurance Racing Series and being granted national status is confirmation it has worked.

“It is not a gimmick, and the cars are all prepared to within a couple of horsepower of each other and are identical in every other way. They are extremely competitive, and over the past couple of years we have constantly refined and improved the cars in terms of reliability and the cost to run them - and all 12 of our cars finished the Nine Hours of Kyalami at the end of last year.

“I am extremely excited with this development, and we hope to be able to grow the field and there is quite a lot of interest coming from foreign competitors.”

The South African Endurance Racing series consists of six events - two rounds at Kyalami and one each at Red Star Raceway, Aldo Scribante and East London - and are a mix of between three and 5-hour races except for the final at Kyalami, that will be a marathon 9-hour event.

Backdraft Racing Manager (and cousin to Tony), Brian Martin adds: “This will add a whole new dimension to the series and hopefully will attract more people to come and race in our class with the rest of the endurance field.

“The Backdraft Roadsters are open-top racers powered by a 300 hp Lexus V8 engine driving the rear wheels and they are raw, powerful, and purpose-built race cars. There are no electronic aids such as traction control or anti-lock braking. They are true driver’s cars.”

For the 2024 season some of the cars will run with a closed roof and Tony Martin says: “We will run comparisons between the open top and closed top and then get a consensus from the various teams, but I think the closed top has a really nice look and feel to it.”

The cars that will contest the national series were previously classified as Class E. That now falls away to be replaced by the Roadster designation while the other classes (A, B etc) running highly modified versions of the Backdraft cars will continue unchanged.

CEO of the Southern African Endurance Series – Wayne Riddell says: “This is just reward for the hard work put in by the Martin’s. When we took over the series, Roger Pearce told me the Backdraft Roadsters were a good bunch of guys that need some small refinement to become a great class. I took this information to heart and have worked closely with the Durban based guys and they have harnessed my commitment and delivered without failure.”

Riddell went on to say: “Our series needs to be the starting point for young South African racers, who want to follow in the footsteps of the Van Der Linde’s brothers, Kelvin and Sheldon and Jordan Pepper. We currently have the likes of Stewart White, Mikaeel Pitamber and Kwanda Moekona, all racing in our series, as well as competing in endurance races overseas.

“I have been informed that we have other youngsters who have raced with us last year, also racing in Europe this year. This is where I think the National V8 Roadster National Championship class will come into its own.

“The Backdraft stable now offers a reliable car at cost effective pricing to youngsters who want to enter the series, and now that it is a National Championship Class, I expect to see an increased demand for the Roadster cars.”

Endurance racing has always been an integral part of South African motorsport from the very early days at long-gone circuits such as Grand Central to the Springbok Series of the 70’s and, of course, the Nine Hour that attracted top teams and drivers from around the world.

The SAES series has grown from very humble beginnings 14 years ago under the guidance of Roger Pearce and in 2021 the SA GT class joined his stable the following year when Wayne Riddell took over the helm of the series under the new ownership, he was able to secure that the SA GT category became a national championship followed by the Overall Endurance and Index Of Performance the following year. The addition of the V8 Roadster class now makes it 4 National Championship classes in the Series.

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Simola Hillclimb entries close soon

If you are hankering to get to the top and quickly, there are just a few days left to lodge your entry for the 2024 Simola Hillclimb, whether it be in the ‘Golden Oldies’ category or that rip-snorter you have been pouring your heart and soul into.

Entries close on January 31 and slots for what will be the 14th running of the event from May 02 to 05 are filling up fast. 

Looking for a top quality pre-owned car - click here

“The Simola Hillclimb is an invitational event where all of the applications are reviewed according to strict criteria to ensure we deliver an exciting and diverse line-up of cars and drivers across the various classes,” says sporting director Geoff Goddard.

“We have had a superb response from Simola Hillclimb regulars and several new competitors, which has no doubt been bolstered by the high profile and success of the 2023 even and to date we have received around 140 applications, split between Classic Car Friday and King of the Hill.

“The more applications we receive the better we are placed to choose a line-up that keeps the event fresh and engaging for the spectators that attend, as well as for the many fans around the world that watch the livestream.”

Classic Car Friday allows for a maximum of 65 competitors while King of the Hill is restricted to 84 entries. Successful applicants will receive a formal invitation by February 9.

The Simola Hillclimb showcases some of the most extreme, valuable and fastest cars in the country and an equally impressive line-up of local and international drivers. Competitors vie for glory on the tight and twisty 1,9 km Simola Hill course which is located in one of South Africa’s most scenic towns along the world-renowned Garden Route.

The event comprises Classic Car Friday on May 3 for the ‘golden oldies’, as well as two days of roaring King of the Hill action on May 4 and May 5 for modern road and race cars that range from mild to completely wild.

One of the big innovations for this year is the addition of the new class B10 for Modified Street Cars. This allows enthusiast owners with modified or tuned street-legal cars to compete for class honours.

One of the main drawcards for fans attending the Simola Hillclimb is they can get close to all the action, with numerous spectacular viewpoints located along the  course, either in the formal grandstands or the open grassed areas. For the ultimate Simola Hillclimb experience, VIP Hospitality packages are available with an unrivalled view of the start line complemented by first-class catering.

The main event is supported by an extensive array of activities and attractions to enthral fans of all ages throughout the weekend including car shows and displays, the extremely popular parade laps through Knysna, regular demonstration runs, a variety of vendors in Gasoline Alley and a delectable range of local food and beverages.

Ticket sales and upgrades are open and are all seamlessly processed through the event website for General Entry, VIP Hospitality, VIP Parking, Turn 2 Grandstand or Esses Grandstand seating, as well as Pit Access tickets.

Colin Windell

Proudly CHANGECARS

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Coertse grabs Dullstroom honours

Weather, infringements and off-road excursions meant plenty of surprises in the two final rallies of the South African National series – two day, two rallies and changes in the lead right up to the finish but it was a huge event for the Mazda 2 pairing of Chris Coertse and Greg Godrich who emerged overall winners on both days.

Friday:

What should have been a straight fight in the dust on the fast special stages around the trout-rich town of Dullstroom in Mpumalanga, turned into a fight for surival for many of crews contesting the final two rounds of the 2023 South African National Rally Championship.

Clear skies and bright sunshine greeted competitors at the start of the TRACN4 Rally and all eyes were on the expected tussle between the NRC 1 Rally Technic Mazda 2 of Chris Coertse and Greg Godrich and the NRC 2 Just Tools Volkswagen Golf crewed by Benjamin Habig and Barry White – this fight for second overall in the series with the actual champion having been crowned at the previous event.

“It would be nice to claim that second place, but our goal the whole season has been to win the class,” said White.

It all went wrong for them shortly after the start of first special stage when the Polo lost drive and could not be recovered until all the cars had passed, forcing their retirement for the day and leaving the way open for the Maza duo to forge ahead.

However, the big mover of the morning was the Salom Toyota Auris of Theuns Joubert and Schalk van Heerden who stormed through the opening stage to win by 10 seconds from Coertse/Godrich with newly-crowned SA Champions JJ Potgieter and Tommy du Toit in the NTT Toyota Delmas Hyundai R4 visibly taking things easier than their normal all-out charge.

Potgieter/Du Toit

“I was taking it easier,” said Potgieter, “but we were also battling with a misfire that kept us off the pace.”

Stage 2 was a blinder for Mandla Mdakane and Kes Naidoo in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Starlet and they howled through taking 10 seconds from Joubert/Van Heerden and 14 seconds from the Mazda – just reward, perhaps for a troubled season that saw the Starlet retire from several events.

However, the pair made an error during the clock-in procedure at the start of the stage and were then penalised by four minutes, dropping them to the back of the field and this was compounded at the end of the day when and engine problem meant they could not get the car back to the parc ferme.

By the end of Stage 3 Joubert and Van Heerden had extended their lead to 17 seconds over the Mazda with Potgieter/Du Toit now slotted into third place ahead of Gerald Klopper and Etienne Lourens (GK Racing Toyota Auris) fourth overall and the leading NRC 2 contender ahead of Gustav Potgieter/Armand du Toit (Atlas Oil Ford Fiesta R2).

Stage 4 saw much o the same but with Mdakane trying to eat up as much of his deficit as possible and racking up third quickest time  over the 12, 6 kilometres of Safcol Highway 2 – this pulling them up to seventh overall.

Then, the weather intervened and a sudden, short rain and lightning storm descended with the cars in Stage 5 where everything changed as the gravel road turned into an ice-rink, setting off a chain of events started by Gerald Klopper who lost a wheel and veered off into a tree, leaving the car in a vulnerable position.

With Lourens waving oncoming competitors to slow down, Gustav Potgieter stopped on the stage (after having been stuck in the mud for more than minute earlier) without realising George Smallberger/Shaun Visser (Shield Q20 Volkswagen Polo) had closed right up.

“I saw him stopped on the stage and tried to go around but with the mud and the slide we ended up beached on the edge of the road and lost plenty of time trying to get free.” Said Smallberger.

Joubert/Van Heerden

But, it was up front where the real drama happened as Theuns Joubert suffered a front left tyre puncture and with 10 kilometres of stage left, decided to continue. The delaminating tyre then dmaged the front end of the car but they made it to the flying finish, losing 58 seconds in the process.

This giffted Coertse a 35 second lead overall, cemented by the fact the Clerk-of-the-Course then cancelled the final stage of the day for safety reasons.

So, Coertse/Godrich took top step of the podium from Joubert/Van Heerden and Potgieter/Du Toit with Mdakane/Naidoo fourth on the road but excluded because of the engine issue on the way to the overnight parc ferme.

Thus, Gustav Potgieter finish fourth ahead of Lynton Swatton and Tommy Coetzee (RBS Plumbing Toyota RunX).

Saturday:

Overnight the weather cleared and Saturday dawned bright and clear with Joubert/Van Heerden following the TRAC N$ catchline for the event of ‘going all out’ and they opened proceedings – much of which involved the previous day’s stages in reverse – with an eight second advantage over Potgieter/Du Toit and taking 29 seconds from Coertse/Godrich.

Back in the running, Habig and White ran a conservative fifth quickest on the stage a second behind Gustav Potgieter and five ahead of the Johan Strauss/Elzaan van der Schyff Agri Online Subaru WRX that was forced to withdraw before the start of the Friday even with engine problems.

“It is still not properly sorted,” said Strauss “and there is a throttle problem. If I drive slowly there is some response but if I try to go quickly it does not respond.”

With the Hyundai now cleared of its misfire, JJ Potgieter decided it was time to get moving and raced through the second stage two seconds to the good over Joubert with Coertse maintaining an edge over Habig who headed the NRC 2 class.

The AR Panelbeaters Ford Escort Cosworth of Anton Raaths and Marie Ducasse had a good run to notch up fifth place on the road.

The rally then looked as if it was settling into a pattern with Joubert/Van Heerden taking the top honours on Stage 3 followed by Potgieter/Du Toit with Coertse and Habig in close attendance – Potgieter then upped the pace to take Stage 4 to set up the scene for the final stages by reducing Joubert’s lead to just 0,1 seconds after the former lost time in the stage due to a faulty oil temperature sensor caused the engine to go into limp mode.

Coertse was just 1min07 sec off the lead at this point.

Mdakane/Naidoo

However, this time it was not the weather to influence things – Car 0, which has the task of going through the stage ahead of the field to check the marshals are in place, arrowing is correct and no spectators are in dangerous places, had a mechanical issue. This is then followed by Car 00 half an hour before the first competitor enters the stage.

Stage 5, which was also being run as Stage 6, had to be cancelled to allow Car 00 to do the work of both lead vehicles.

This stage, a repeat of Stge 2 from Friday, featured a downhill run to a shallow water splash with a disconcerting bump on the exit and Habig – not having done the stage the previous day – came flying in, uymped, got hugely sideways, corrected and went up on two wheels.

He landed back on the road but minus a wheel and carried on to finish the stage. However, he transgressed regulations by driving on a public road on three wheels then replacing the wheel in the control area of Stage 6, resulting in his exclusion.

Stage 6, Lakenvlei, worked for Coertse who took 1,8 seconds off Joubert with Potgieter third quickest through the 27,4 kilometre section just ahead of Habig who would have been third overall at that point had it not been for the exclusion he was yet to hear about.

Habig/White

The final stage of the event and the season, Legends, saw Coertse again take the stage win, this time taking 11, 9 seconds off Joubert to end up as overall winner for the day and second overall in the National standings behind Gustav Potgieter who ended on the third step of the podium for the day and first car in the NRC 2 category.

JJ Potgieter finished fourth overall, ahead of Magriet Potgieter and Rikus Fourie (Ford Fiesta R2) and Bruce Swatton/Adrian du Plessis (RBS Plumbing Toyota Auris S2000).

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Elite motor sport series launched

Picture, if you can, a car accelerating from zero to 300 km/h in just a shade over nine seconds, propelled by 2 000 brake horsepower. That is just what the electric Lotus Evija can do and it is the centrepiece of a new motor sport initiative between a local and a Chinese consortium.  

The announcement, made a few hours ahead of the BRICS Summit, at Sandton Square, had founding members of the new Elite World Cup consortium – Tokyo Sexwale, Liu Yu and Stephen Watson in the spotlight.  

“The Elite World Cup is not just a racing competition,” says Sexwale, Co-founder of the Elite World Cup. “It is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation and sustainability.”  

Stephen Watson, Co-founder of the Elite World Cup, says: “The Cup is called Elite for a reason as we will engage and invite experienced international racing car drivers that have competed across F1, Indy Car, NASCAR, WRC and the likes. We want the drivers and teams who have established themselves and represented their countries in various prestigious motorsport championships around the world.”  

Scheduled to start in September 2024, the race programme will run in the so-called ‘off season’ for all the other major championships and teams from around the world will compete in a series of 8-10 World Cup race weekends.  

The consortium is aiming to have 25 cars on the grid – all identical and prepared by the organisers and issued to the teams ahead of each race.   Watson says five countries have committed to the series – South Africa and China, naturally, and considering the launch even featured Emerson Fittipaldi speaking from Monterey in California, Brazil is also a likely player.

While Watson was not saying who the other countries are, he did acknowledge they were in conversation with Colombian ex-F1 driver, Juan Pablo Montoya. 

According to Yu, one asks three primary questions when it comes to the selection of electric hypercars: how big is its performance, how far is its range and how rapidly can you recharge?.

As a road car, the Lotus already holds fast to its reputation as a striking manifestation of elegance and raw power. With 2 000+ bhp (brake horsepower) and acceleration of 0 to 300 km/h in just over 9 seconds, it is as brutal as any car can be.  

As the motor sport industry embraces the transition to electric power, the Elite World Cup stands as a beacon of change. By fostering competition, collaboration, and breakthroughs in electric vehicle technology, this event will drive advancements that have far-reaching implications for the automotive industry and beyond.  

“We have run Team China in many prestigious racing championships since we first started racing internationally in 2004,” says Yu. “The automotive landscape has evolved significantly, and as the electric car industry is growing rapidly in China, we’re excited and proud to be at the forefront of this Elite revolution in sports,” says Yu.  

The Chinese connection goes even further considering its car giant, Geely, owns Lotus (as well as Volvo and Aston Martin).

https://bit.ly/3EbB2aE

Ford confident ahead of Parys clash

A 1-2 finish in the 1 000 km Botswana Desert Race in June has given the Ford Castrol Team a new level of confidence going into the double-header Parys 400 on August 18 and August 18.  

As rounds four and five of the extremely competitive South African Rally Raid Championship (SARRC) Gareth Woolrige and Boyd Dreyer (#277) took their EcoBoost V6-powered T1+ NWM Ford Ranger to the top step of the podium at the three-day Botswana marathon race, and are looking forward to returning to the Free State event where they earned their first overall SARRC win last year.

Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer

The Desert Race victory handed the young pair the championship advantage, and they currently lead the Production Vehicle title chase with 86 points, 15 ahead of the Toyota crew of Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings, and a further three points ahead of third-placed Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy (Toyota).

Additional confidence comes after having competed at the Baja Spain Aragon in July. They finished a commendable 11th overall in their T1+ Ranger against the top rally raid competitors in the world.  

Two-time Dakar Rally winner Nani Roma and co-driver Alex Haro were classified 6th overall in the second T1+ Ranger, with this crucial outing forming part of the build-up to the 2024 Dakar Rally for the NWM, M-Sport and Ford Performance joint venture.  

NWM Ford Castrol teammates Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert (#234) secured their first podium of the SARRC season by finishing as runners-up in Botswana. This gave them a solid points haul and placed them fifth in the Production Vehicle battle on 41 points – just 20 points behind the Toyota crew of Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy-Lyle.  

“All the hard work, intensive testing and long hours the team has put into the development of our T1+ Ranger have certainly paid off, and this sets the scene for a thrilling remainder of the 2023 season,” says team principal Neil Woolridge.  

“Having just come back from Spain where Gareth and Boyd finished 11th, and ran as high as second in one of the stages until they lost time near the end with a puncture, shows just how competitive we are this year, both locally and internationally. 

“Going into the Parys event leading the overall SARRC Production Vehicle and T1+ rankings is fantastic for the team, and the back-to-back races in Parys will be an important opportunity to continue building on this momentum. We have no doubt that our rivals will come out with all guns blazing, so we will be giving it everything for this event.”  

The NWM-supported privateer team of Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen (#241) are also eager to capitalise on the two races in Parys, having shown impressive pace in their first season with the T1+ Ranger.  

As two full one-day races, the action kicks off on Friday 18 August, with the race headquarters and designated service park (DSP) located at the Afridome Showgrounds on the outskirts of Parys.

Competitors will complete a 32 km qualifying sprint (including 8 km of liaison), starting at 07:30.  

The top 10 finishers then do a draw to determine starting positions for the main race. This is followed by the full race loop of 173 km which commences at 09:30 and is repeated twice, split by a mandatory 30-minute service interval.  

A separate route is lined up for the Saturday race which follows a similar format, including a 16 km qualifying race with 13 km of liaison. The main race loop comprises 190 km (with 20 km liaison), once again completed twice with a service stop in between.  

https://bit.ly/45ortk0

Colin-on-Cars - Action aplenty expected in East London

The fearsome Potters Pass – the fastest corner in South African motor racing – awaits the GR Cup at the weekend when the series visits the iconic East London Grand Prix Circuit for the first time.

The GR Cup driven by Netstar, part of Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, heads to East London for the fifth round of the 2023 season. The stage is set for an adrenaline-fueled showdown as six of the country's top motoring writers once again take the wheel of the stock Toyota GR86 cars, only slightly modified for track use.  

Located within sight of the Indian Ocean, the East London Grand Prix Circuit offers a picturesque backdrop to racing action that is usually intense. The circuit is renowned for its challenging nature and features high-speed corners such as Potter's Pass and Rifle, where drivers must exhibit exceptional skill and bravery to navigate the demanding right-hander, before braking hard for the following series of corners.  

Following the races of the previous rounds, the familiar faces of Mark Jones (Citizen), Denis Droppa (TimesLIVE), Setshaba Mashigo (ASAMM), Chad Luckhoff (Auto Trader), Reuben van Niekerk (Jumping Kids/Wheels24), and Brendon Staniforth will return to continue their battle for GR Cup glory.  

In an exciting addition to the event, Mario De Sousa will join the competition as a guest driver. De Sousa is no stranger to the world of motor racing, having previously participated in the GR Cup, driving the GR Yaris in Gqeberha last year.

However, this will be his first opportunity to unleash his skills behind the wheel of the GR86.  

As the championship reaches the latter half of the season, Setshaba Mashigo leads the GR Cup driven by Netstar standings with an impressive 47 points, holding a 15-point advantage over Mark Jones, who sits in second place. Denis Droppa occupies the third position with 24 points, just one point ahead of fourth-placed Chad Luckhoff. Reuben van Niekerk follows in fifth place, while Brendon Staniforth rounds out the standings in sixth place. 

"We are thrilled to bring the GR Cup to the prestigious East London Grand Prix Circuit," said Riaan Esterhuysen on behalf of Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa. "With the drivers' skills, the thrilling GR86 cars, and the rich racing heritage of the circuit, we are set for an electrifying event that will keep fans on the edge of their seats."

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Colin-on-Cars - Ford dominates in the desert

The Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) Ford Castrol Team scored an emphatic one-two finish in the EcoBoost V6-powered T1+ Ford Rangers at Round 3 of the South African Rally Raid Championship (SARRC), which was held in Jwaneng, Botswana, from 23-25 June 2023.

As the longest and toughest event of the year, the Toyota Gazoo Racing Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race is a three-day marathon event which covers almost 1 000km of racing through semi-arid terrain, characterised by unforgiving thorn bushes and lots of soft sand.

Despite the punishing conditions destroying bodywork on all the competitor cars and pushing the crews to the limit, the pair of NWM Ford Castrol T1+ Rangers ran almost fault-free throughout the weekend. The team wrapped up each of the three days on top of the overall standings to beat arch-rival Toyota – a team that currently holds the SARRC, Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) titles.

“This was a perfect weekend for us, and what a fantastic way to follow up our recent announcement that we will be going to Dakar Rally in 2024, in partnership with Ford Performance and M-Sport,” said Neil Woolridge, NWM Ford Castrol team principal. “We’re up against the world’s best rally raid team in the toughest conditions we face in our local championship, so dominating all three days and finishing first and second is an amazing result.

“We’ve been pushing extremely hard to develop our car this year, the team has been training hard and we’ve been practising changing key components like the differential which we swapped out on Lance’s car during the 30-minute service on Sunday due to a small oil leak,” Neil says. “Our drivers and navigators didn’t put a foot wrong the whole weekend, and we didn’t even get a single puncture. It’s immensely rewarding to see all of our hard work and long hours paying off with such a great result.”

Lance Woolridge and co-driver Kenny Gilbert (#234) set the wheels in motion for the NWM Ford Castrol squad by topping the timesheets during Friday’s 61km sprint qualifying session, with team-mates Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (#277) placed fifth. A mere 23 seconds separated the top five competitors.

On Saturday the crews faced two loops of a 220km route east of Jwaneng through narrow, tight and twisty tracks lined by punishing thorn bushes and trees that decimated the bodywork of the vehicles, and had the drivers and co-drivers extremely busy for each stage kilometre. 

Although the cars looked decidedly worse for wear at the end of the day – which resulted in the team working until the early hours of Sunday morning to repair the damage – the pair of Ford Rangers were mechanically sound and had stamped their authority on the proceedings. Gareth and Boyd worked their way into the overnight lead with a margin of 2 min 54 seconds over Lance and Kenny, who were almost four minutes ahead of Toyota’s Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings.

Two loops of a 214km route west of Jwaneng remained for Sunday’s thrilling action, with more open and faster terrain providing some relief for the competitors, as well as the mechanics. Other than the rear diff replacement due to the minor oil leak on Lance’s car – which was swapped out within the allotted 30-minute service interval – the T1+ Rangers had a hassle-free run to the finish line while many of their rivals faltered with punctures, damage and mechanical issues.

Gareth and Boyd set an astonishing pace and cemented their advantage to claim a confident victory, with their team-mates backing them up and finishing 3 min 42 seconds adrift after more than 11 hours of flat-out racing over the three days.

“We couldn’t have scripted it better,” Gareth said. “A one-two for the team at the Desert Race, which is the toughest event of the year, is really special. It’s indicative of all the work we’ve been doing on the car, and we still have several upgrades that will be coming later in the year that we can look forward to.”

There was delight for Lance and Kenny too, as they celebrated finishing second overall to hand the NWM Ford Castrol Team a dominant one-two result, which also secured the pair’s first podium finish together since joining forces for the 2023 SARRC season. They ended 4 min 37 sec ahead of the third-placed Toyota of Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy-Lyle, and more than 21 minutes ahead of Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy in another Toyota.

“With us winning prologue on Friday, having Gareth and Boyd leading on Saturday, then wrapping it all up with our cars finishing first and second overall is a dream result for the team,” Lance said. “I think the last time a brand other than Toyota won the Desert Race was about seven years ago, so to get a one-two today for Ford is amazing.

“We could never have done it without our fantastic team. They worked until 03:30 this morning to fix all the damage from the route conditions, and were up again at 5am to get the cars ready for the day,” Lance said. “So they are the real heroes this weekend.”

NWM privateers

Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen (#241) in the NWM-supported privateer T1+ Ford Ranger were among the top contenders during Friday’s qualifying loop, finishing an impressive seventh overall, just over a minute off the leading time set by Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert.

Unfortunately, they were hampered by a driveshaft issue both on Saturday and Sunday, but their qualifying pace was certainly noteworthy and outgunned several of the far more seasoned SARRC competitors.

There were two V8-powered NWM Ford Rangers competing in Class T, and both crews made it to the finish line. Hendrik and Heinrich du Plessis (#T16) took the class win and finished this arduous race in a highly commendable 12th place overall, while Bernard and Minette Johnstone (#T22) joined them on the second step of the podium, having crossed the line 25th overall.

2024 Dakar Rally

Ford Performance is set to expand its global motorsports effort by competing in the legendary Dakar Rally, one of the toughest off-road competitions on Earth.

A purpose-built, race-ready Ford Ranger T1+ will compete in the 2024 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in the Rally Raid T1+ class. Ford Performance is collaborating in a comprehensive test and development program with M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport to prepare for what is expected to be an extremely tough challenge come January 2024.

Words and Images: Colin Mileman

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Colin-on-Cars - Ford ready for the desert

Knowing the deal is done for Pietermaritzburg’s Neil Woolridge Motors to be the builders of the official Ford foray into the Dakar Rally makes its efforts at the upcoming Toyota Gazoo Botswana Desert 1000 even more significant than usual.

Over the past three years, the Desert Race has taken place in Upington in the Northern Cape as a result of travel and logistics restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. For 2023, the Toyota Gazoo Racing Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race (TGR 1000) heads back to the diamond mining town of Jwaneng, which hosted the event for several years before it was moved to Selebi-Phikwe in 2019.

Its unique status as a three-day marathon event sees the action commence on Friday with a short 61 km qualifying loop to determine the starting order for the main race. The top 10 competitors then draw their starting positions, with the strategy regarding road position for the opening loop being a key consideration.

On Saturday the competitors will complete two 220 km loops to the east of Jwaneng, separated by a mandatory 30-minute service stop at the designated service park (DSP), located at the Jwaneng Sports Complex which also serves as the race headquarters.

Sunday sees the teams tackle two runs through a 214 km race loop west of Jwaneng, with a 30-minute service stop in between. The overall times for the weekend will determine the final results.

“The Desert Race is extremely popular in Botswana. We have a loyal and enthusiastic following in the country, and we know the fans are eager to see the SARRC return this year,” says Neil Woolridge, team principal of the NWM Ford Castrol squad.

“We have enjoyed good results at the Desert Race, and our team has been buoyed by last week’s announcement that we will be competing at the 2024 Dakar Rally with our T1+ Ranger, along with Ford Performance and M-Sport. 

"Over the past year, we have conducted a series of in-depth tests with M-Sport to further develop our T1+ Ranger for the Dakar Rally, and our results in the opening rounds of the 2023 season have shown that all of this hard work is paying off,” Woolridge says.

Gareth Woolridge and co-driver Boyd Dreyer are the leading NWM Ford Castrol contenders in their #277 T1+ EcoBoost V6-powered Ranger, having scored back-to-back podium finishes at the season-opening Nkomazi 400 in Malalane and the Sugarbelt 400 in Eston.

Accordingly, they are currently tied for second place in the Production Vehicle championship, along with the Toyota crew of Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy.

“Gareth and Boyd are busy with another test session in Morocco currently and will arrive in Botswana on Thursday, having had the benefit of thousands of kilometres of testing over the past couple of months. So they will be very well prepared to go for it the moment the flag drops in Jwaneng,” Woolridge says.

Lance Woolridge and co-driver Kenny Gilbert (#234) have had a tough start to their first season together, but have shown impressive pace on several occasions. They are currently eighth overall in the championship and are aiming to maximize their points haul at this crucial event – especially with the prospect of 45 points up for grabs for the class win, in place of the normal 30 points for the shorter events.

The NWM-supported privateer team of Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen (#241) is eager to get back in the action in their T1+ Ranger after missing the previous round. They are currently 13th overall in the standings, having finished an impressive seventh at the opening round of the season.

Fans can follow all the action and track the position of the crews throughout each of the 2023 season’s seven races using the RallySafe app, which can be downloaded free of charge for iOS and Android devices from the relevant app stores.

2024 Dakar Rally

Ford Performance is set to expand its global motorsports effort by competing in the legendary Dakar Rally, one of the toughest off-road competitions on Earth.

A purpose-built, race-ready Ford Ranger T1+ will compete in the 2024 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in the Rally Raid T1+ class. Ford Performance is collaborating in a comprehensive test and development program with M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport to prepare for what is expected to be an extremely tough challenge come January 2024.

https://bit.ly/3Xep7Bg

Colin-on-Cars - SA racers take on Le Mans Classic

Three South African racers will be part of what is billed as ‘the world’s biggest retro motor race’ – the Le Mans Classic 2023 that takes place on the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France, from June 29 to July 2. 

South Africans Jaki Scheckter, Paolo Cavalieri and Maurizio Bianco will count among the 1 000 drivers to take to the circuit in this legendary classic endurance event.

The team, representing Pablo Clark Racing, will be driving a 1971 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Group IV Competizione (Daytona).

Le Mans Classic will feature cars dating back 100 years, to 1923, up to 1981. The PCR-entered Daytona will race in the fifth category for cars built between 1966 and 1971.

According to Scheckter, the team will go straight to qualifying to determine the grid for race 1.

“Le Mans Classic works a little bit differently from what we know today,” he explains. “Each grid/plateau race starts roughly every hour and has three sub-one-hour race sessions over the 24-hour period.”

Sheckter has not driven the circuit before.

“If you think piloting a 50-year-old car in excess of 250 km/h without practice sounds daunting, you’d be right!” says Scheckter. “Fortunately, though, technology is the salvation of the day.”

Thanks to a simulator at the Pablo Clark workshop, which has been bootstrapped with a classic wooden Ferrari wheel and gated gearbox to its right, the drivers have been able to replicate what awaits them in a few days’ time.

“It’s not just a video game,” says Scheckter. “The Asseto Corsa program that runs the simulations has the Daytona topping 280 km/h down the Mulsanne Straight before reaching the chicanes – a fact confirmed by drivers who have taken the same Ferrari around the circuit.”

This high-end simulator is the exact same one on offer for attendees of the Pablo Clark Racing Pit Crew Challenge.

Cavalieri and Bianco will also drive a 1964 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 litre straight-six in a separate class at the event. The Jag will go up against early 60s stalwarts in grid 4, which includes Shelby Cobras as the main opposition alongside Ferrari’s last overall Le Mans victor - the sleek 250 LM.

This isn’t Pablo Clark’s first international racing event (the team previously competed successfully in the ICGT 9 Hour at Kyalami, and Bianco has raced at Le Mans before), but it will certainly strike a chord with lovers of classics.

“What better opportunity to show the world who Pablo Clark Racing is, while giving the skillset of team members in their arsenal the opportunity to enjoy the event, marking its important centenary?” says Scheckter. “Just as the Daytona managed in the GT class in its heyday, we trust it will dominate against opposition from GM and their Corvette, Ford, Porsche and De Tomaso at the end of the month.”  

Keep an eye out for the PCR team in the epic 24-hour race, which is set to draw 8 500 club cars and more than 200 000 spectators!

https://bit.ly/3NBepBN

Colin-on-Cars - Time to step up

It is nearly time for someone to step up and be part of the Dakar legend – and the Toyota 1000 Desert Race in Botswana is the place to do it.

The race moves back to Botswana and kicks off in Jwaneng on June 23 and, officially known as the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race, or TGRSA 1,000 Desert Race for short, the third round of the 2023 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) offers arguably the biggest single prize of the year: Free entry to the Dakar Rally.

The TGRSA 1000 Desert Race has consistently been the longest and toughest motor sport event on the African continent, and as such offers the type of test that is in line with the gruelling Dakar Rally itself.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA are again aligning with the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), organisers of the Dakar Rally, to offer Dakar hopefuls the opportunity to win a free entry to the race.

As before, as this initiative is known, the Road to Dakar is open to all privateers who haven’t previously taken part in the Dakar Rally. The winning competitor can choose to enter the next Dakar or the following one, effectively giving the team a maximum of 18 months to prepare for the race.

This means that crews who have previously won the Dakar Challenge or Road to Dakar but haven’t been able to take up their prize, are eligible to win again in 2023.

In order to further level the playing field for competitors, the organisers of the Dakar Rally have set a rule that both the driver and navigator must be Dakar rookies, neither having taken part in the Dakar Rally before.

Crews hoping to follow in the footsteps of previous Road to Dakar winners need to specifically register for the challenge before the TGRSA 1,000 Desert Race starts. Past winners of the race-within-a-race include Thomas Rundle, Gary Bertholdt, Jason Venter, Hennie de Klerk, Terence Marsh, Jaco van Dyk, Eben Basson and most recently Yannick Panagoitis.

“We are proud to once again host the iconic Desert Race, this time back in Botswana, where the race is one of the biggest sporting events on that country’s calendar,” says Toyota SA Motors Vice-President for Marketing, Glenn Crompton.

“Toyota has been an integral part of South African rally-raid racing for many decades, and our Dakar-winning Hilux T1+ has become a point of pride not only for the company but for South Africans in general. This year, we are again pleased to offer a rookie crew the opportunity to share in the Dakar dream, by hosting the Road to Dakar in Botswana.”

This year’s TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race will take place on 23-25 June, in the area surrounding the town of Jwaneng in southern Botswana.

This area has played host to the race on multiple occasions in the past, though the last time was in 2018, before a move to Selebi Pikwe in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 Desert Race to be cancelled, and the town of Upington, in South Africa’s Northern Cape, hosted in 2021 and 2022, with the race returning to Botswana for 2023.

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