Australian team to tackle Nkomazi 450

Australian crew John Purshouse and Murray Hynes will make their production-vehicle debut in the Nkomazi 450, round four of the national series, in Malalane on August 7 and 8.

Purshouse and Hynes will compete in the premier Class T category in the ex-factory Ford Ranger in which Manfred Schroder and Japie Badenhorst won the Toyota Dealer 450 in Mooi River last year.

The Australians will join the German pair of Jurgen and Max Schroder and Portuguese crew Rómulo Branco and João Serôdio who are both part of the Regent Racing Nissan Navara squad in the Donaldson series.

The German-based Schroders compete in Class T for cars above four litres with independent rear suspension.

Branco and Serôdio scored a debut win in the RFS Endurance Race in Class S, for vehicles up to four litres with solid rear axles, and lie second in the Class S championship.

The Ford Ranger, built by Neil Woolridge Motorsport in Pietermaritzburg, was sold to Purshouse after the Mooi River event.

The Ranger took Purshouse, a former Australian rally champion, and Hynes to a win on the Mogumber 240 and fourth place overall in the 2014 Australasian Safari.

The pair were leading the week-long Australasian Safari after two days before mechanical problems on day three dropped them to the back of the field.

A stirring fight back over the final four days of racing through the Western Australia outback saw Purshouse and Hynes just miss out on a podium finish.

“Last year’s event was the last Australasian Safari and we looked further afield for another challenge with good structure and skilled professional competition,” said Purshouse.

“We are proud to be joining the Donaldson Cross-Country Championship, and will also compete in the Vryburg Endurance and Atlas Copco Gold 450 later in the year.”

Former South African champion, Schroder will prepare the Ford Ranger for the Australian pair.

His wide experience will also be invaluable to the Australian crew as they adapt to South African conditions.

“The decision by Purshouse and Hynes to compete in South Africa is further evidence of the high status the Donaldson series enjoys in international cross-country racing,” said South African National Off-road Association (Sanora) CEO Richard Schilling.

“We are delighted to welcome them to the fold, and hopefully we will see other Australian and European teams follow in their footsteps.”

Race headquarters, the start/finish and the designated service park for the Nkomazi 450 will be based at Riverview Preparatory School, on the outskirts of Malalane.

The weekend will be made up of a 100-kilometre qualifying race to determine grid positions on Friday August 7, and two laps of approximately 175 kilometres on Saturday August 8.

There will be free public entry to race headquarters with a wide variety of refreshments and entertainment available.

There will also be free public entry to viewing points along the route, and spectator guides will be available at race headquarters and Malalane Toyota.

The qualifying race will start at 11:30 on August 7 and the race at 08:30 on August 8. During the race there will be a compulsory 20-minute service halt after the first loop.