| www.motorsport.co.za | 03 September 2010 |
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Duncan Vos and Ralph Pitchford (Donaldson Nissan Navara) take on the final round of the Absa Off Road Championship for production vehicles, the RFS Magalies 400, in Gauteng this weekend (November 6 and 7) as the newly crowned national off road champions and winners of the premier class SP.They will be aiming to win the season-ending event for the second year in succession and take their total wins this year to six out of eight. Nissan Motorsport is aiming for its seventh win of the season (Hannes Grobler and Juan Mohr won the Nissan Sugarbelt 400 in KwaZulu Natal in May in a Donaldson Nissan Navara) and its 58th from 72 races since entering off road racing in 2001. Grobler, national champion driver with Nissan in 2003, 2004 and 2006, is locked in a battle for runner-up honours with Nissan Motorsport team-mate Ivar Tollefsen (who is second with 82 points) and Toyota Hilux driver Gary Bertholdt (third with 73 points). Grobler is fourth with 62 points and, with a maximum of 25 points on offer for an outright win, has his work cut out to haul in his Norwegian team-mate. While Pitchford has wrapped up the co-drivers’ championship, Tollefsen’s co-driver Quin Evans (82 points), Grobler’s co-driver, 2008 champion Juan Mohr (62 points) and Bertholdt’s co-driver Andre Vermeulen (61 points) will squabble over who takes the overall honours for the season. “Last year’s event was made particularly difficult by the rocky terrain and if the route is dry it will be very dusty this year,” said Glyn Hall, general manager of Nissan Motorsport. “We’re hoping it will be rougher than last year. While Duncan is under no real pressure, Ivar will be doing his best to finish second in the championship and Hannes will be pushing hard to score a win in his final appearance for Nissan.” Privateers Terence Marsh and Pieter Groenewald (Regent Racing Nissan Navara) have improved with every outing in their first season together in the premier class SP after moving over from the special vehicle category where Marsh is a past champion. They will be aiming to at least equal or better their best result of third overall in the Highveld 400 in August and improve their overall position in the championship of sixth. Nissan privateers Coetzee Labuscagne and Johan Gerber (Raysonics Nissan Hardbody) are currently third in the class D championship. Two class wins have been counter-balanced by four non-finishes and the runners-up in last year’s championship will be aiming for a fast finish to the season. Former circuit racing champion Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie (Ferodo Nissan Hardbody) will be confident of a strong finish in their first season together after winning class E in the recent Toyota Dealer 400. It was their second class win of the year, but four non-finishes have spoilt a debut season in which they have consistently been the fastest combination. They are fourth on the log with 52 points, 38 behind Jannie Visser and Johan le Roux (Toyota Hilux), but still within striking distance of second-placed Deon Venter and Rickus Erasmus (Toyota) on 72 points and Pikkie Labuschagne and Ian Palmer (Toyota) on 69 points. Picture: Duncon Vos, Ralph Pitchford High Resolution images can be downloaded from www.quickpic.co.za |
