The 2022 South African off-road car racing season officially kicks off in Parys on Saturday, 19 February with the 2022 Weiveld 300, round one of the Inland Off-Road Championship (TIORC). For adrenaline junkies, the event promises an action-packed day of motorsport action as competitors open their 2022 championship bids.
The event marks the first off-road racing event to officially welcome spectators back since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Up to 2000 spectators are allowed to attend with Covid-19 safety protocols in place. The Production Vehicle Category battle for the 2022 championship looks set to provide fans with a season of thrilling racing. Among the leading contenders who have already confirmed their commitment to the series are the FIA Class TreasuryONE/CIM Lubri Fuel pairing of Hennie de Klerk and Adriaan Roets, who will use the season to prepare for their 2023 Dakar campaign. De Klerk completed the world-famous Dakar event in 2018, clinching the Rookie title and is planning a return to the world’s toughest race in 2023.
A newcomer, Johan de Bruyn, will start his first full off-road car racing season campaigning the Odor Cure/Red Lined Motorsport VK56, with the experienced navigator, Gerhard Schutte, guiding him along the way. De Bruyn is no novice to motorsport and his experience on tar, racing Porsches, should provide some spectacular sideways action on the dirt. As the event precedes the start of the 2022 national championship series, there is also a strong possibility of some surprises in the FIA Class line-up with national contenders using the Weiveld 300 as a testing opportunity. A new entry in Class T for 2022 will be series favourite, Jannie Visser, who has traded his familiar Toyota Hilux for a BMW X3, supported by Caltex Havoline and Star Lubricants.
The BMW was initially built for the multiple South African champion, Hannes Grobler, who enjoyed some success. We are sure Visser will soon get to grips with the improved suspension and power that Class T provides him. Visser will be up against the Puma Lubricants Toyota Hilux, driven by Ronnie Botes in Class T, so he will have to work to stay ahead in the class championship. The battle for Class S honours for the season will most likely be a duel between two Barberspan Motor Club crews. Lourens van Wyk and Gielie le Roux will campaign the ex-Visser Caltex Havoline supported Toyota Hilux and couldn’t wish for a more reliable vehicle to support their move to Class S.
They will be up against the HUD Racing Nissan Navara with Dave Huddy behind the wheel. Class D provided the closest battle of the 2021 season and the leading five-litre four-wheel-drive machines are once again lined up to duke it out for class honours in 2022. Reigning Class D Champions, Gerhard and Rudi Heinlein started 2021 as novices and came out victorious as class cham- pions in their Sirkel-N Landgoed/Laeveld Agrochem Toyota Hilux. They will be back, intent on defending their cham- pionship. They are expected to return to the fray in 2022, hoping to clinch the championship that has narrowly eluded them over the past few seasons.
Theuns du Toit and James O’Mahoney waged a close-fought battle for Class D honours but, having missed a couple of the opening rounds put them on the backfoot. They couldn’t regain the class lead in their N1 4X4/Propeller Centre Toyota Land Cruiser. The Class E Championship for four- litre four-wheel-drive bakkies is set for a battle between HUD Racing’s Rod Cook in the Nissan, who is in fine form and newcomers from Tosca, Danie Pretorius and Jannie de Klerk, who joined the class in the ex-Propeller Centre Toyota Hilux at the tail-end of the 2021 season. They enjoyed solid performances over the final three rounds of the championship. Route director, Adri Roets, explained that competitors can expect a challenging route at this year’s Weiveld 300. “Good rainfall in the area surrounding the Weiveld Farmers Hall during the December/January season has ensured that we can provide competitors with a challenging route that is well-suited to the four- wheel drive production vehicles,” said Roets. For more information and regular championship updates, please follow www.facebook.com/TIORCSA.
