Bronkhorstspruit tough going for Rally-Raid contingent

Massive dust clouds, close racing and a large spectator attendance typified Saturday’s #TeamHilux Rally-Raid around Bronkhorstspruit.

The event, round three of the 2022 South African Rally Raid championship, was won overall by reigning champions Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings in their Gazoo Racing Toyota Hilux T1+.

They finished 21 seconds ahead of teammates Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy, with Johan and Werner Horn (Gazoo Racing Toyota Hilux T1+) third, another nine minutes in arrears.

Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy-Lyle (Gazoo Racing Toyota Hilux T1+) finished fourth, followed by the Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Castrol Ranger of Gareth Woolridge/ Boyd Dreyer.

Class T1.2 for rear-wheel-drive FIA cars went to Ernest Roberts/Henry Köhne (JCP Steel Supplies CR6), followed by French crew Mathieu Serradori/Loic Minaudier (Century CR6) and Lance Trethewey/Leonard Cremer (King Price Xtreme CR6).

Eben Basson/ Leander Pienaar (#TeamHilux Toyota Hilux T1) took Class T1 from Chris Visser/ Albertus Venter (Red-Lined REVO) and Daniel Schröder/Ryan Bland (Nissan Navara).

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Class T saw youngster Jayden Els and Armand du Toit (King Price Renault Duster) piped Johan/Sean van Staden (KEC Renault Duster) for the win, with Christo Rose/Arno Olivier third in their Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Ranger.

A high attrition rate played havoc with the Special Vehicle crews, where former champions Tim Howes/Gary Campbell (Timdrew Property BAT Spec 4) took the category and Class A wins from Lood du Preez/Chris Visser Junior (Farmers Meat Stryker).

The side-by-side Class G machines saw the three top-scoring crews finish less than  five minutes apart after two days of racing, with Geoff Minnitt and co-driver Gerhard Snyman (Hydro Power Equipment Can-Am Maverick) emerging victorious.

They had Peter Walter and Pierre Jordaan just two minutes behind them, with former champion Werner Mostert, now partnered with son Ian, rounding out the Class G podium in their Moto-Netix Can-Am Maverick.

Next up for the 2022 South African Rally-Raid Championship will be the double-header at Nampo, which is set to take place on 30 September and 1 October 2022, in the area surrounding the Free State town of Bothaville.

This will represent rounds four and five of the championship with a final double-header in Parys bringing the season to a climax later in the year.