The first Outeniqua 400, the fourth round of the SA Rally-Raid Championship that takes place from Louvain Guest Farm between George and Uniondale in the Western Cape, was characterised by beautiful scenery as well as a route that was tight and technical, but also fast and flowing with the first of the two days producing its share of drama.
The SA Rally-Raid Championship returned to the Western Cape after an absence of 14 years and if the first day of the Outeniqua 400, that consisted of the 28km Falken Wild Peak Qualifying Race followed by Stage One (82 kilometres) on Friday, 19 September and two more stages of 178 kilometres each on Saturday, 20 September is anything to go by, the outcome will most probably be an unpredictable one.
The young Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet (Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux IMT EVO) posted the fastest time after the qualifying race and after the fastest 10 teams had drawn for their starting positions, the pair started Stage One from third place, just behind their team-mates, Guy Botterill/Mena Valdearcos with both teams putting their brand new vehicles to the test, posted the second fastest qualifying time with the Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid team of Gareth Woolridge/Boyd Dreyer (NWM Ford Evo Plus) leading the way.
A puncture during the qualifying section saw Woolridge/Dreyer only being able to finish 10th fastest, two minutes and 10 seconds behind the leaders. Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy (#TeamHilux RallyRaid Toyota Hilux DKR T1+) were third fastest and started the race from sixth place.
The action started happening quite early into Stage One and when the dust had settled after 82 kilometres in the Langkloof between the Kammanassie and Outeniqua mountains, it was De Villiers/Murphy who emerged as the leaders with a total time of 01:32:21 after a solid race. It was a good day for #TeamHilux RallyRaid with their team-mates, Fouché and Bertus Blignaut (Toyota Hilux DKR T1+) posting the second fastest time, trailing them by a mere 24 seconds.
The podium was rounded out by the leading Castrol NMW Ford in the hands of the Brazilians, Marcos Baumgart/Kleber Cincea, a further 17 seconds adrift and only one second ahead of Woolridge/Dreyer who were fourth after an enjoyable day out.
Jayden Els/Johan Swemmer (Red-Lined Revo T1+ GTR) made a good start by posting the sixth fastest time after the qualifying race and then brought their Red-Lined Revo T1+ GTR home in fifth place (01:35:39). They were 18 seconds faster than the leaders of the Ultimate SA T1+ Class, Gary Bertholdt/Rikus Fourie (Toyota Hilux IMT EVO) (01:35:57) in sixth.
There was drama for Botterill/Valdearcos who first suffered a puncture and then got lost on the route. They found their way again just to see the vehicle of Variawa/Cazalet on its side in a ditch. The team waved them through, and they finished the day in seventh place (01:37:07). Variawa/Cazalet managed to get their vehicle safely out and on its wheels after a minor rollover but had to settle for 15th place overall (01:59:24) and eighth in the Ultimate FIA T1+ Class.
Marko Himmel/Francois Schoonbee (Red-Lined Navara Evo) finished eighth overall and second in the Ultimate SA T1+ Class (01:38:07) followed by the leaders of the Challenger class, Henk Klaassen/Gerhard Schutte (Daklapack Rallysport Taurus T3Max) who were ninth (01:40:37) with yet more class leaders, Johan and Sean van Staden (Renault Duster) rounding out the overall top 10 and leading the Adventurer Class (01:41:33). Their rivals, Johan de Bruyn/Adriaan Roets (Red-Lined Revo T1) will hope to better their current standings as they finished the day in 16th place after they lost lots of time.
Two more Red-Lined Motorsport teams find themselves just outside the overall top 10 with Philip Botha/Andries Mynhardt (Red-Lined Revo T1+) in 11th place (01:42:35), 11 seconds ahead of the Dutch couple, Dave and Tessa Klaassen (Daklapack Rallysport Revo GTR). There was bad luck for Wors Prinsloo/André Vermeulen (Castrol NWM Ford RallyRaid Evo Plus) who suffered a puncture during the qualifying race that saw them dropping down the leader board and struggling in the dust. They started in 18th place and stuck to their guns to finish 13th for the day.
Puck Klaassen/Danie Stassen (GRally OT3) could not finish the qualifying race but lined up for Stage One and finished 14th overall and second in the Challenger Class with Geoff Minnitt/Rodney Burke (Hydro Power Equipment Can-Am Maverick) 17th overall and leading the SSV Class.
There were problems for the Horn brothers, Johan and Werner (#TeamHilux RallyRaid Toyota) as well as Danie Ludick/Denzil Williamson (Red-Lined Revo T1+) who could not complete the day.
Stage Two and Three will test competitors over a total of almost 360 kilometres on Saturday with all the action starting and finishing at Louvain Guest Farm.
Published by: Charmaine Fortune
Photography by: Dave Ledbitter
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