Icy cold weather, clouds of dust and a huge spectator turnout was the hallmark of round three of the Special Vehicle category at the recent #TeamHilux Rally-Raid Bronkhorstspruit.
Despite the small entry and a few late withdrawals, the action was fierce and the jostling for positions in the Overall and Class championships was a hard fought affair
Topping the Overall Special Vehicle championships are former champions Tim Howes and Gary Campbell (Timdrew Property Development BAT Spec 4) with a healthy 41 point lead over the rest of the pack, and only a single point separating Geoff Minnitt/Gerhard Snyman (Hydro Power Equipment Can-Am Maverick) from third placed Werner and Ian Mostert (Moto-Netix Can-Am Maverick).
Trace Price Moor and Shaun Braithwaite have slipped to fourth, having missed the event due to business commitments and now trail the Mostert’s by one point. Lood du Preez and Chris Visser junior (Farmers Meat Stryker) have moved up one spot to fifth place while new comers Glen Theron and Craig Galvin (Moto-Netix Racing) are in sixth with a score of 33, they are only six points in areas of du Preez/Visser.
Ernest Roberts and Henry Köhne, who competed in the Special Vehicle category at the Mpumalanga 400 are in seventh with the top ten in the Special Vehicle Overall standings concluded by Quentin Lessing/Noel Acton (CR-T) and Peter Walter/Pierre Jordaan, level pegging on 18 points, with wife and husband team Sandra Labuscagne-Jonck and Jaco Jonck (KEC Racing BAT Viper) three points adrift with a score of 15.
In Class A the top three steps of the podium belong to Howes/Campbell 101 points, du Preez/Visser jnr. 71 points and Price Moor/ Braithwaite (TipTop Milk BAT Venom) with a tally of 65.
In Class P the Eastern Cape businessmen, Quentin Lessing/Noel Acton lead the championship by 15 points from brothers, Keith and Andrew Makenete who have progressed to Class A and Guy Henley/Bryan Schwim who earned five points for starting the event.
In Class G the musical chairs scenario between current Class leaders Geoff Minnitt/Gerhard Snyman and Werner and Ian Mostert respectively on 94 and 93 points is sure to continue.
Glen Theron/Craig Galvin fill the number three spot on 49 points with Peter Walter/Pierre Jordaan, who have only competed in one event this year occupying fourth, 21 points in areas of Theron/Galvin. Himmel who puts in sporadic performances is on equal points with reigning champions Cecil and Elardus Larney and holds down the fifth and sixth spots in the championship.
New comers Francois de Witt and Ewald van Rensburg are in seventh position.
Those who earned valuable points so far this season will view round four and five of the SA Rally-Raid Championship at NAMPO PARK on 30 September and 1 October as the ideal opportunity to consolidate and grow their standings, while those lagging behind will have their sights firmly set on accumulating good points and possibly up setting an apple-cart or two.
Images: Andre Schoeman
