Cross Country season kicks off

A full entry of Production and Special Vehicles will tackle the 400km event, to kick off what promises to be a memorable season.

Topping the entry in Class T will be the factory Castrol Toyota squad.

Reigning champions Anthony Taylor and Dennis Murphy, plus Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie in Dakar specification Hilux bakkies.

They will face off against the Atlas Copco Ford team, fielding Dakar Rangers in the hands of Gary Bertholdt and Siegfried Rousseau, plus Manfred Schroder and Japie Badenhorst.

Privateer teams chasing the factory vehicles should include Thomas Rundle and Juan Mohr (Godrich Toyota Hilux), Johan van Staden/Mike Lawrenson (Atlas Copco Nissan Navara), Sarel van Biljon / Philip Herselman (Toyota Hilux), Christiaan du Plooy / Henk Janse van Vuuren (RFS Ford Ranger) and Hennie de Klerk / Johan Smalberger (RFS BMW X3).

Others to watch will include the Regent Racing Nissan Navara entries of Mike Whitehouse / George Myburgh and Terence Marsh / Marius Roberts.

Class S should see front runners in the Ruwacon team’s Jannie Visser / Joks le Roux (Toyota Hilux), Pieter Ruthven / Hansie Rheeder (Toyota Hilux) and Louw de Bruin / Riaan Greyling (Ford Ranger).

Taking them on will be the Regent Racing squad’s Archie Rutherford / Gerhard Schutte and Jurgen Schroder / Mike Abramson in Nissan Navara entries.

Deon Venter / Ian Palmer (4×4 Mega World Toyota Hilux) and Luke Botha / Jason Rathbone (Force Fuel Toyota Hilux) will also come into the reckoning.

Topping the Special Vehicle field in Class A will be defending champions Evan Hutchison and Danie Stassen, in their Motorite BAT Viper.

They will chase a hat trick of title wins, but other teams will have different ideas, led by Philip de Vries / Johan Viljoen (Conqueror Porter), Quintin / Kallie Sullwald (Elegant Fuel BAT Venom) and Hermann / Wichard Sullwald (Elegant Fuel Stryker).

Also chasing podium places should be Marius / Jolinda Fourie (PHB BAT) and Colin Matthews / Martin Hermida (Century Racing CR4).

Fighting for mid-field Class A positions should be teams like Jimmy Zahos / Alan Smith (Cobalt Racing Stryker), Daniel Brookes /Gavan Gray (Ducatis Properties BAT) and Brett Parker/VZ van Zyl (Sizanani Jimco).

The Class A ranks will also be bolstered by the experienced Lance Trethewey and Geoff Minnitt (LTE BAT) plus Arthur Barnes / Anthony Usher (BAT Venom) and Keith du Toit/ Xander Mare (Maxxis Liqui Moly BAT).

Class P champions John Thomson and Maurice Zermatten (Zarco) will be back to defend their title against racers like Coetzee / Sandra Labuschagne (Chemsystems Zarco).

Meanwhile John Telford, partnered by Andrew Makenete will return to action in the Calcamite BAT. Regent Racing will enter the fray with a Jimco in the hands of Sean Reitz / Adriaan Roets, while veterans Rob Wark and Ashley Thorn will be in a (K9 Aceco).

Race headquarters, the start/ finish and the designated service park will all be located at the La La Nathi resort on the outskirts of Harrismith.

Friday’s qualifying race to determine grid position will start at 11.30am and Saturday’s race at 8.30am.

– Special Correspondent