The Phakisa 400 proved no challenge for multiple-time SA Rally-Raid champions, Henk Lategan and navigator, Brett Cummings.
They secured the overall and the FIA Ultimate T1+ titles in their Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Hilux IMT EVO.
The team posted the fastest time after the Castrol Qualifying Race on Friday, September 13, while they also set the fastest time in stage 1 on the same day and started first for the two remaining 180km stages on Saturday as the overall leaders.
It was an all TGR podium with Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy in a similar vehicle finishing second, two minutes and six seconds behind their teammates after losing time with a puncture early on the last day. An error cost Giniel de Villiers and Elvéne Vonk 25 seconds on the first day, while they also had to manage overheating issues. The team persevered and rounded off the podium, one minute and 48 seconds behind Botterill and Murphy.
Intense dust and the wind again played a major role in the race, while the technical and fast, but very enjoyable routes tested competitors to the limit.
The reigning champions and winners of the 2023 event, Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer in a Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Ranger T1+ finished just off the podium in fourth place in 06:04:50 and were followed by the German driver, Daniel Schröder and his SA navigator, Henry Köhne in their WCT VW Amarok placed fifth in a time of 06:09:50.
The Blignaut brothers, Fouché and Bertus of #TeamHilux Rally-Raid in their Toyota IMT EVO finished in sixth place in 06:11:34.
Jayden Els and Johann Swemmer of King Price Xtreme brought a borrowed Century Racing CR7 home in seventh place overall despite not having had much time testing the vehicle before the race.
The leading Adventurer T1 team, the Heinlein pairing of Gerhard and Rudi in a Red-Lined Motorsport VK56 took their first class win of the season after an incident-free race.
Eben Basson and Leander Pienaar in a #TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota and class leaders finished second in the class with 06:24:40 on Saturday, just over four minutes behind the class winners, after a clean run. They were followed by Johan and Sean van Staden in a Renault Duster who finished 10th overall after having to manage engine problems halfway through the race.
Lady Luck was not on the side of Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert of Neil Woolridge Motorsport and their Ford Ranger T1+ in the Free State. The team finished 14th overall and were ninth in the Ultimate T1+ Class after a tough day on the track that saw them racing towards the back of the field due to being unable to complete the race on Friday.
Chris Visser and Albertus Venter in their Red-Lined Motorsport REVO T1+ GTR retired with brake issues.
The seventh and final race of the series will wrap up on November 8 and 9 at the Renault KEC Racing Rayton 400 from Legends Adventure Farm situated on the R515, Rhino Park.
Source: SA Rally-Raid / Photos: Dave Ledbitter
