What South African Rally Raid Championship Round 3 Preview
Where Jwaneng, Botswana
When 23-25 June 2023
Community South Africa National
Desert Race beckons for five-car Red-Lined team
Red-Lined Motorsport heads back to Botswana for the first time in several seasons with a five-car team ready to tackle the ‘Big One’ in the South African Rally Raid Championship. The occasion is the Toyota 1000 Desert Race, which returns to the Jwaneng area in Northern Botswana over the weekend of 23 to 25 June.
Chris Visser and Albertus Venter will once again be chasing that elusive T1+ podium as they continue to develop the team’s new Dragon Energy powered REVO T1+. Visser is a previous winner of this prestigious race and has over the years produced a formidable Desert Race record. “The Desert is one of my favourite races,” Chris admitted. “We’re really are getting the hang of our Red-Lined REVO T1+ in its prototype V8 guise and cannot wait to take on the demanding Botswana sand!”
Red-Lined also heads to Botswana looking to build on its string of five FIA T1 class successes on the trot as Johan de Bruyn and Gerhard Schutte are keen to get back to winning ways aboard their OdorCure REVO T1. “We started the season on the front foot, but the last race was tough, so we are focused on getting back out front this weekend,” Johan pointed out. “This is a long, hard race, so the real focus is on a good finish and points haul.”
Also, out in a Red-Lined REVO T1 and fresh off a debut win at the Sugarbelt 400, are T1 class championship leaders Nicolas Pienaar and Carl Swanepoel in their Super Energi version. They are determined to build on their strong start to the Championship. “Our strategy is more of the same!” Nicolas warned off his a double podium start to the season.
Dutch teenager Pim Klaassen meanwhile makes his South African Rally Raid Championship debut aboard his dad Dave’s DaklaPack Rallysport VK50 with local notes man Wade Harris showing him the way. Red-Lined Academy driver Klaassen will be making his national championship debut in Botswana after his first ever rally raid event earlier in the year in a Northern Regions event.
Last but not least, father and son pairing, Rudi and Gerhard Heinlein will make their Desert Race debut aboard their Red-Lined VK56. Gerhard will be behind the wheel with dad Rudi in the hot seat and after a great showing at the recent Coetzerdam 300 regional race.
“Red-Lined Motorsport has enjoyed an incredible start to the 2023 season,” team boss Terence Marsh concludes. “The plan is to try and continue with our current form, but we all know how tough and demanding the Botswana Desert Race can be, so there are no guarantees! Chris and Albertus have produced two great results first time out in our new V8 powered REVO T1+ and will look to build on this as they wait on us to step them up to the much-awaited twin turbo GT-R powered REVO T1+ later in the year
“Our T1 class REVOs are chasing their sixth class win and eighth podium on the trot, so long may this form last. And then to wrap it all up we have our young Desert Race debutants behind the wheel, Pim and Gerhard who are both targeting a good finish and a bag full of experience, as they continue to build their Rally Raid foundations.
“Special thanks once again to our entire Red-Lined team for the never-ending effort that goes into every facet of our preparations and planning. Now we look forward to another adventurous weekend in the desert!”
*Red-Lined Motorsport competes with premium strategic partners, the Penta Motor Group, BFGoodrich, Motul, Dragon Energy, PentaSure, OMP, ExpandaSign, Ingco Tools and Wheel Collision.
Issued on behalf of Red-Lined Motorsport
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