The weekend of 19 and 20 August, 2022, saw the running of the inaugural #TeamHilux Rally Raid in the area surrounding the Gauteng town of Bronkhorstspruit. While portions of the route had been used during previous events, the name of the race was all-new – but the rally-raid proved as challenging as ever. A high attrition rate played havoc with the Special Vehicle crews, though the cream again rose to the top as former champions Tim Howes and Gary Campbell (Timdrew Property BAT Spec 4) took the category win.
Two tough race loops of 160km each marked the second day of the #TeamHilux Rally-Raid in Bronkhorstspruit, as chilly weather gripped Southern Africa. With the mercury barely above freezing point, the race got under way at 08:00 on Saturday. Two race loops, split by a compulsory 30min visit to the Designated Service Park (DSP) was on the cards – it may have sounded straight-forward, even to the most experienced crews. But the route proved to be tougher than many had anticipated, with the dusty conditions adding to the challenge.
Despite this, Howes/Campbell proved their class by finishing first not only in Class A, but in the Special Vehicle Category overall. They set a time of 5hr 47min 58sec over the three race loops, besting the second-placed Class A crew of Lood du Preez and Chris Visser Junior (Farmers Meat Stryker) by more than an hour. Only the two Class A cars completed the race, as Sandra Labuschagne-Jonck and husband Jaco Jonck (KEC Racing BAT Viper) were forced to retire when a lower control arm broke, mid-way through day two of the event.
Class P saw only two starters in the event, both of whom retired before reaching the chequered flag at the Soetdoring Restaurant, near Bronkhorstspruit. Quentin Lessing and Noel Acton (Century CR-T) rolled their car on four separate occasions during the first of Saturday’s race loops; while Guy Henley and Bryan Schwim (CR2) had a coming-together with another competitor in thick dust, and were forced to withdraw from the remainder of the race.
This left the crews in the side-by-side Class G machines, who ensured an exciting finish to the weekend. The three top-scoring crews came home less than 5min apart after two days of racing, with Geoff Minnitt and co-driver Gerhard Snyman (Hydro Power Equipment Can-Am Maverick) emerging victorious. They had Peter Walter and Pierre Jordaan just two minutes behind them, with former champion Werner Mostert, now partnered with son Ian, rounding out the Class G podium in their Moto-Netix Racing Can-Am Maverick.
Next up for the SA Rally-Raid Championship is the double-header at Nampo, which takes place on 30 September and 1 October 2022, in the area surrounding the Free State town of Bothaville. This will represent rounds four and five of the 2022 SARRC, with a final double-header in Parys bringing the season to a climax later in the year.
Images: Andre Schoeman
