Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy (Gazoo Racing Toyota DKR Hilux T1 +) could win the weekend's South African Rally-Raid Championship take place around Bothaville. Picture: Andre Viljoen.
This weekend will see rounds four and five of the 2022 South African Rally-Raid Championship take place around Bothaville in the Free State.
The pair of events on Friday and Saturday, each to count for full championship points, will present teams with a tough challenge, since time to remedy vehicle damage will be extremely rare.
In the Production Vehicle Category, the battle at the front will continue between Gazoo Toyota teammates, Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings and Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy in identical DKR Hilux T1+ bakkies.
They will be supported by teammates Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy-Lyle and Shameer Variawa/Danie Stassen.
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Taking them on will be teams like the Horn brothers, Johan and Werner (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota Hilux), Gareth Woolridge/Boyd Dreyer (NWM Ford Castrol Ranger T1+), plus Lance Woolridge/ Elvéne Vonk, in an identical Ranger T1+
Front runners in the T1 class should include Eben Basson/Leander Pienaar (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota Hilux) Nissan Navara teams, Daniel Schröder/Ryan Bland and Jürgen Schroder/Stuart Gregory.
There will be the four Red-Lined teams of Philip Botha/Roelof Janse van Vuuren and Johan de Bruyn/Gerhard Schutte in Nissan Navaras, plus Chris Visser/Albertus Venter and Thomas Bell/Wade Harris in REVO machines.
Others to watch must include Gary Bertholdt/Juan Möhr (Toyota Hilux), Nicholas Pienaar/Carl Swanepoel (Super Energi Nissan Navara) and Schalk Burger/Henk Janse van Vuuren (King Price Mercedes Benz X-Class).
Fighting in the new T1.2 Class for two-wheel-drive vehicles should be Lance Trethewey/Leonard Cremer (King Price Century CR6), Ernest Roberts/Henry Köhne (JCP Steel Century CR6), Malcolm/Frans Kock (JCP Steel Century CR6) and Dewald van Breda/Adriaan Roets (Century CR6).
Four Class T teams have entered, Jayden Els/Armand du Toit (King Price Renault Duster), Christo Rose/Tiaan Swart (Ford Ranger), Johan/Sean van Staden (KEC Renault Duster) and Hendrik/Heinrich du Plessis (Ford Ranger).
Leading the Special Vehicle Category will be Tim Howes/Gary Campbell (Timdrew Property BAT Spec 4), chased by Lood du Preez/Chris Visser Jnr (Farmers Meat Stryker), Trace Price Moore/Shaun Braithwaite (BAT Venom) and LC de Jager/Rikus Hattingh (Porter).
Topping Class G for Side-by-Side Can-Am Maverick vehicles are Geoff Minnitt/Gerhard Snyman (Hydro Power), Werner/Ian Mostert (Moto-Netix), Glen Theron/Craig Galvin (Moto-Netix), Peter Walter/Pierre Jordaan (Can-Am), Cecil/Elardus Larney (Can-Am) and Francois de Wit/Ewald van Rensburg (Can-Am).
The action on both days will takes place from Nampo Park where the Race Headquarters, the start/finish as well as the Designated Service Park will be situated.
On both days, competitors will take on the short Pirelli Qualifying Race at 07:30 to determine the starting order for the race that will start at 09:30.
The races will consist of a 166 kilometre loop and a 172 kilometre loop on Friday and Saturday respectively to be completed twice. The event can be followed on the RallySafe App.
