Parys, Free State: A second-place end within the remaining spherical of the 2022 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) was sufficient for veteran racer Giniel de Villiers to win his fourth cross-country title, edging out teammate Henk Lategan, who had a torrid remaining spherical of the season. With that mentioned, the Friday of the Parys 400 double-header noticed the defending champion and co-driver Brett Cummings emerge victorious, with De Villiers and stand-in co-driver Rodney Burke in second, and Shameer Variawa and Danie Stassen in third, finishing an all-TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA (TGRSA) podium for Round 6.
The race weekend for Giniel de Villiers
The weekend began with a qualifying race held in chilly and really moist situations, over an already saturated route of 12 km. The mud and constant rain made it tough for the crews to discover a rhythm, besides, TGRSA’s crews carried out effectively. Variawa and Stassen set the benchmark time of 8min 1sec, and have been adopted residence by brothers Johan and Werner Horn, driving a privately entered Toyota Hilux T1+, just like that campaigned by TGRSA. Behind them got here the three remaining works crews: De Villiers/Burke; Guy Botterill and co-driver Simon-Vacy-Lyle; and Lategan/Cummings.
Conditions continued to deteriorate because the delayed race begin drew close to, however when the flag dropped it was flat out racing in Parys. By the time the primary race loop, which was severely curtailed as a result of situations, it was Lategan/Cummings who led, with De Villiers/Burke in second, Variawa/Stassen in third and Botterill/Vacy-Lyle in fourth – an influence efficiency by the works squad. Shortly earlier than the top of the loop, the organisers introduced that the second race loop can be cancelled as a result of deteriorating situation of the observe, which noticed quite a few rivals fail to achieve the Designated Service Park (DSP) at the Parys Airfield. And with that, Round 6 was carried out – setting us up for a spectacular showdown between Lategan and De Villiers for the 2022 title.
Round 7
Round 7 adopted on the Saturday of the weekend, once more beginning with a qualifying race over a 12 km course. Continued rain over the previous evening meant much more treacherous situations underneath foot, however the man who went quickest throughout qualifying the day earlier than, was once more better of the TGRSA crews: Variawa/Stassen posted the second-fastest time, with De Villiers/Burke in fifth place.
When racing obtained underneath method shortly after, the powerful situations took their toll. Lategan/Cummings moved into the lead mid-way by way of the opening race loop, however catastrophe struck across the 70km mark: An alternator belt was dislodged in deep water, and when the crew tried to drag off the route, they turned severely caught. Shortly after, Variawa/Stassen fell foul to an identical destiny, ending up caught nearby of their teammates.
Botterill/Vacy-Lyle additionally misplaced an alternator belt 6km from the end. This belt additionally drives the facility steering pump, and with no help, the big-tyred Hilux T1+ turns into almost not possible to drive. Despite this, Botterill managed to wrestle the automobile residence to complete in fourth place total.
Ahead of Botterill/Vacy-Lyle, De Villiers/Burke drove a faultless race to complete Loop 1 in second place. As with the day past, the race organisers have been compelled to cancel the second race loop, cementing De Villiers/Burke’s second place, in addition to De Villiers’ championship. This title capped a incredible season for the South African-built and developed Toyota Hilux T1+, beginning with victory on the Dakar Rally again in January this yr.
Since then, the automobile has gone on to win the inaugural World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) within the palms of Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel. Yazeed Al Rajhi and co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz additionally wrapped up the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas in Saudi Arabia this weekend, handing Toyota victory in each of the FIA’s cross-country collection.
The crew will now flip its consideration to the upcoming Dakar Rally, utilizing all the information gained from its numerous racing actions throughout the globe as a way to fine-tune the Toyota Hilux T1+.
Posted by Toyota South Africa on Motorpress
For extra native racing and South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) information, observe our motorsport web page.
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