Bronkhorstspruit preparing rough carpet for Rally-Raid Championship

Bronkhorstspruit will host round three of the 2022 South African Rally-Raid Championship this weekend, with the #TeamHilux Bronkhorstspruit 400 expected to play a major role in the outcome of this year’s title chases.

Going into the event, Shameer Variawa and Danie Stassen (Gazoo Racing Toyota Hilux T1+) lead the overall Production Vehicle championship, closely followed by other Gazoo Hilux T1+ teams like defending champions Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings, Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy, Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy-Lyle and the Horn brothers, Johan and Werner.

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Chasing them will be the two Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Castrol Rangers T1+’s of Lance Woolridge/Elvene Vonk and Gareth Woolridge/Boyd Dreyer.

Leading the FIA T1 class will be the #TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota Hilux team of Eben Basson/Leander Pienaar, facing off against teammates Fouche/Bertus Blignaut, Gary Bertholdt/Juan Möhr (Toyota Hilux), Philip Botha/Roelof Janse van Vuuren (Red-Lined Nissan Navara), Chris Visser/Albertus Venter (Red-Lined REVO), Johan de Bruyn/Gerhard Schutte (Red-Lined Nissan Navara), Thomas Bell/Wade Harris (REVO) and Hennie de Klerk/ Adriaan Roets (TreasuryOne Volkswagen Amarok).

The new FIA T1.2 class for two-wheel-drive vehicles will see two French teams in action. Mathieu Serradori and Loic Minaudier, will man a Century CR6 while Jerome/Maxime Galpin will tackle the event in their Century CR6, like class leaders, Brian Baragwaneth/Rodney Burke.

Others in the locally built CR6 buggies will include Lance Trethewey/Leonard Cremer (King Price Xtreme), JCP Steel team Ernest Roberts/Henry Köhne, Malcolm/Frans Kock, plus Dewald van Breda/Johann du Toit.

Jayden Els/Armand du Toit (King Price Xtreme Renault Duster) lead Class T, chased by Johan/Sean van Staden (KEC Renault Duster) and the Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Ranger team of Christo Rose/Arno Olivier.

Leading the Special Vehicle category will be Tim Howes/Gary Campbell (Timdrew  BAT Spec 4), chased by people like Trace Price Moor/Alaric Smith (Tip Top Milk BAT Venom), Lood du Preez/Chris  Visser (Farmers Meat Stryker), Sandra Labuscagne-Jonck/Jaco Jonck (KEC BAT Viper).

The Class G Side-x-Side Championship is led by Werner/Ian Mostert (Moto-Netix Can-Am), challenged by Geoff Minnitt/Gerhard Snyman (Hydro Power Can-Am), Glen Theron/Craig Galvin (Moto-Netix Can-Am), Cecil/ Elardus Larney (Can-Am) and Peter Walter/Pierre Jordaan.

The #TeamHilux Bronkhorstspruit 400 will start on Friday at noon from the Soetdoring Restaurant. Teams have to complete a short 15 km Pirelli Qualifying Race that will determine the starting order for a 83 km Loop One which commences at 14h00.

Soetdoring Restaurant just outside Bronkhorstspruit will host the Start/Finish, Race Headquarters plus the Designated Service Park on both days.

On Saturday, 20 August the race will continue at 08h00 when teams take on the first of two 160 km loops in the order of Friday’s results. There will be a compulsory 30 minute service break between the two loops at the DSP.

Spectators are welcome and can experience the racing action from various vantage points on the route. The race can also be followed on the RallySafe App.