Motorsport is notoriously reserved for members with big budgets and even bigger sponsorship agreements. Being part of a winning team is usually only achieved by the top echelons in society resulting in it being a very exclusive club. Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM), which specializes in designing and manufacturing Ford Ranger cross country racing vehicles in South Africa and around the world, has embarked on a journey to assist in developing a new generation of motorsport technicians and engineers focusing on diversity and empowerment.
“As one of the leading teams in cross country racing, we have an important role to play in creating new opportunities for all South Africans, but especially black South Africans to enter the field of motorsport. In what has traditionally been a white-dominated sport, there’s great interest from a much broader spectrum of South Africans is not only attending races and supporting the various teams and manufacturers, but also playing an active role in building and maintaining cars, as well as competing as drivers or navigators. With this in mind, we initiated an empowerment project at NWM in 2019 by giving Wiseman Gumede, our workshop driver for almost 10 years, the opportunity to join the team as a race weekend technician,” Neil Woolridge, Team Principal, NWM.
Although preparing and running top-level racing vehicles can be an exciting, fast-paced and very rewarding endeavour, when things go wrong it can be very difficult. This does not deter Gumede which has a keen interest in the mechanical aspect of the vehicles, having worked on his own car at the Neil Woolridge Motors 4×4 Centre facilities. Gumede has learned a great deal working at the facilities with the guidance of the company’s experienced technicians. Gumede is eager to learn more and take on more challenges presented by the unpredictable world of racing.
“Wiseman learnt a lot over the past season in which we won our second consecutive Class T championship. He was more than up to the task, even when it required working long hours and late nights to replace parts or repair damage incurred during a race – often in dark, cold and even wet conditions. He has shone and learnt a great deal, and we’re delighted that he has become an integral part of this close-knit racing team,” Neil Woolridge, Team Principal, NWM.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunities being given to me by Neil Woolridge Motorsport. I’m learning so much and exposed to so many new things, and it’s fantastic to be part of such a professional and successful team.” Wiseman Gumede, Technician, NWM.
According to Woolridge, this decision is the tip of the iceberg as the team plans to get Wiseman into the racing seat of a Class E vehicle to compete in the national championship and ultimately learn about and experience the cross country racing scene. Ultimately the NWM team would like to see Gumede compete in a Class T Ranger V8 in the national championships and has already taken the steps in creating a budget and approaching sponsorships to see this happen.
Furthermore, the Neil Woolridge Motorsport company is continuously addressing the shortage of skilled fabricators and welders as they have employed eight full-time staff of colour and has trained them in the respective fields. Specifically trained on the new FIA chassis homologation methods, Byron Chetty and Duran James, now understand and adhere to the methods which ensure traceability and accountability, and guarantees the highest quality of work and materials on the chassis builds.
Responsibilities which forms part of the new FIA chassis homologation methods involves recording material certificates for welding rods and tubes used for each chassis, documenting the welding settings, taking before and after photos of the critical welds, and even performing non-destructive dye penetrant tests to ensure full weld penetration.
“We are delighted that Byron and Duran are now fully qualified welders, and are part of our team that produces vehicles of the highest standard to cope with the rigours of top-flight cross country racing,” Neil Woolridge, Team Principal, NWM.
“We continue looking for new opportunities to bring more people of colour into the sport. This is essential to ensure that the series attracts more competitors and technicians, as well as growing the support base of enthusiastic spectators and fans. This will also help broaden the appeal for potential sponsors, and will help ensure that the sport is viable and sustainable for the future,” Neil Woolridge, Team Principal, NWM concluded.
