| www.motorsport.co.za | 03 September 2010 |
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The Donaldson Nissan team lost a battle but won the war at the recent Highveld 400, round six of the Absa Off Road Championship, at Carnival City. Pre-race favourites Duncan Vos and Ralph Pitchford, in one of three Donaldson Nissan Navaras, limped home eighth overall and sixth in the premier SP Class. It was enough, however, to settle the Production Vehicle championship in favour of Vos, for the second year in a row, and Pitchford. With two events left to run – the Toyota Dealer 400 in Mpumalanga and the RFS 400 in Magaliesberg – the focus now shifts to a tight battle for the runner-up slot. A single point separates Gary Bertholdt and Andre Vermeulen, in the Atlas Copco Toyota Hilux, and Ivar Tollefsen and Quin Evans in a second Donaldson Nissan Navara. The Atlas Copco crew made history at the Highveld 400 by becoming the first SP Class privateers to win a national race. In the process they snapped a five event winning streak by the Donaldson Nissan squad. Tollefsen and Evans finished a gutsy fourth at Carnival City to salvage precious points. The pair fought back from a disappointing prologue and also battled with a constant overheating problem during the race. Veteran Hannes Grobler and Juan Mohr, the current co-driver’s champion, will also be part of the runner-up battle. They were forced to retire from the Highveld 400 but are only 16 points behind Tollefsen and Evans. The Highveld 400 also brought about a change in the pecking order in Class D. Second place in class was enough to take Potchefstroom pair Dewald van Breda and Johann du Toit (Northam Toyota Hilux D4D) to the top of the championship. Van Breda now leads Cliff Weichelt (N1 4x4 Toyota Hilux D4D) by just two points. After starting the season on a high note with three wins in a row Weichelt has now been hurt by three successive non finishes. Nissan scored their second successive Class D win when Coetzee Labuscagne and Johan Gerber took the honours in the Raysonics Nissan Hardbody. By contrast to Weichelt the Raysonics crew suffered four non finishes in a row and have bounced back with two successive victories. Fifth place at Carnival City keeps Pikkie Labuschagne and Rikus Erasmus, in the 4x4 Megaworld Toyota Hilux, at the top of the Class E championship. There are, however, going to be close fights in the two remaining events. Their first win of the season at Carnival City lifts reigning champions Jannie Visser and Joks le Roux (RFS Toyota Hilux) into second place – just six points behind Labuschagne and Erasmus. Early championship leaders Deon Venter and Ian Palmer, in the second 4x4 Megaworld Toyota Hilux, were second on the Highveld 400 and are only two points behind Visser and le Roux. The Toyota Dealer 400 is next on the agenda on October 2 and 3 in Lydenburg Picture: Ivar Tollefsen and Quin Evan Photographer: Danie van Jaarsveld/www.motorpics.co.za |
