The workings of a Rally-Raid team: Inside Ford-backed NWM

Straddling through the surroundings of the Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) team’s workshop in Pietermaritzburg, one’s mind cannot help but boggle at the sight of the relative modesty of a facility that has run Ford’s local Rally-Raid off-road ambitions for 23 years.

Tucked away behind an off-road accessories showroom located just off one of the busiest roads in town, the double storey building not only assembles Rangers for the local series, but for international championships as well in the form of a customer programme.

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Running to the top-spec FIA T1+ regulations since 2023, the factory supported Rangers, crewed by Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer, and Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert, showcased its latest generation in the run-up to the start of this year’s championship in April.

Where it all started

Styled to resemble the current Ranger Raptor, the Ranger T1+ is an altogether different animal aimed squarely at what has always been NWM’s main target, the Dakar Rally.

Central to the organisation, multiple champion, owner and former driver Neil Wooldridge makes no excuses about the significance of the Dakar for the NWM outfit.

An event he first competed in 1998, Woolridge, once famously dubbed the Alain Prost of local off-road racing, has been a driving force ever since moving from two wheels to four in the late 1990s.

His two-wheel ventures comprising two titles in 1983 and 1984, as well as winning the gruelling Roof of Africa Rally in Lesotho, Woolridge’s biggest achievements came with a switch to four wheels in 1995.

Running as a privateer with co-driver Paul Vermaak in the now iconic purple-and-yellow Time Freight Nissan Sani, opposition for the works supported Toyotas of Kassie Coetzee/Richard Leeke and the late Apie Reyneke and Robin Houghton, as well as the semi-official Land Rover team of then reigning champions Cliff Barker and Mike Reddin, were serious but didn’t translate into overall titles.

Two years of competing with the specially-made turbocharged Sani didn’t go unnoticed though as in 1997, the call from former Mitsubishi importer, Samcor, came about the likelihood of not only participating in the local series, but also the Dakar.

As Wooldridge stated, a meet at Samcor’s head office in Johannesburg ended with him driving back home in a brand-new Pajero.

Again with Paul Vermaak and then later former motorbike rival, Kenny Skjoldhammer, in the co-driver’s seat, the first Vodacom and then later Tuff Stuff-backed Pajero become a dominant force that culminated in a maiden title in 2000.

Before then though, two appearances in the Dakar had also occurred with a best place finish in third in the lower-spec T1 class in 1999.

Start of the Blue Oval era

Despite the view of continuing with Mitsubishi, 2001 saw Samcor, who also served as Mazda’s importer, being purchased fully by the Blue Oval and no longer tied to the Japanese brand.

With the title already sown-up, the final round of 2000 in Lesotho saw NWM debut a Class E-spec diesel engine Ford Ranger, replaced the following year with a V8-engine American-style Ranger trophy truck as a means of competing in the premiere Class T against the still factory-supported Toyota team headed by Reyneke, and the official Nissan outfit lead by veteran Hannes Grobler and four-times touring champion turned off-road protagonist, Giniel de Villiers.

Mid-year though saw the trophy truck being replaced by custom-made example, now resembling the road-going model, and made in France decked-out in a red, yellow and red paint finish of then sponsor, Moreca.

By this stage, a second diesel engine Ranger in Class E had been set-up for Manfred Schroeder and Jack Peckham, who promptly won the title in 2001 and 2002, while Woolridge and Skjoldhammer placed third in both years.

At the same time, spiralling costs were taking hold, which ultimately lead to the creation of the less high-tech Super Production or SP class in 2005, of which Woolridge had been a driving force.

Having sat-out most of the year, a return in 2006 yielded another runner-up’s spot, fourth in 2007 and third in 2008.

Lower class victories using diesel power eventually led to the introduction of an SP-class oil-burning Ranger in 2009 with the eventual goal of being fully competitive for 2010.

Using the 3.2-litre engine destined for the incoming next generation Ranger, albeit with a second turbocharger fitted, results didn’t disappoint, though mid-season, Woolridge opted to call on his driving career focus on running NWM.

By this stage, then 21-year old Lance had become the driving forces behind the wheel and with the debut of the T6 generation Ranger in 2013, a return to V8-power saw the NWM remain competitive despite an overall title remaining elusive.

The return of Class T in 2014 was, however, headed by a long overdue return to the Dakar, now held in South America.

With a two-car team entered for former champions and long-time NWM pairing Chris Visser/Japie Bardenhorst and Argentinians Lucio Alvarez/Bernardo Graue, the Mustang-engine Rangers set competitive times, although DNF and 22^nd place finishes ultimately ended a difficult event under the Ford banner for the first time.

Next generation Woolridges

Continuing with a two car team, the second driven since 2015 by youngest son Gareth, ongoing support from and patience were not helped by a fire that almost destroyed the factory in 2016 eventually culminated in back-to-back overall titles for Lance and Ward Huxtable in 2018 and 2019, though attention had already moved to 2020 with the introduction of the new T1-spec Ranger.

A delayed local programme as a result of the pandemic still included the roll-out of the first V6-engine Ranger as opposed to the arch rivals Toyota continuing to utilise a normally aspirated V8.

Success continued although a national title remained elusive. A switch to the premiere T1+ class followed in 2022, though it wouldn’t be until the following year that NWM would win another title, this time by Gareth and co-driver Boyd Dreyer.

The introduction of latest generation Ranger has so far yet to result in a first place finish after three rounds so far.

Having just returned from the third round held in the Thabazimbi area, observing the “torn-down” Rangers in the confines of the factory where they and other customer vehicles are assembled, become something of an eye-opener.

Ranger Raptor vs Ranger T1+

Ranger in name and badge, the T1+ vehicles are constructed from a combination of carbon fibre and high strength steel – the former sourced locally and the latter made in-house on a custom jig.

Tipping the scales at more than 300 kg, the metal tubing sports specific welding points in order to meet the eventual minimum weight of the vehicle set at 2 010 kg.

In addition to making its own mounting points for the suspension, the butterfly doors and body panels, local distributor, MS Technic, supplies the imported Sparco carbon race seats, six-point harnesses, steering wheel and the crew’s racing kit. Constructed locally are the driveshafts and differential.

By contrast, the Dakar-spec 480-litre long range fuel originates from the United Kingdom and its bladder from France, while the 37-inch BF Goodrich tyres around the race specific 17-inch rims come from the United States and weigh 48 kg each.

Driving off of a shaft rather than the engine, the specifically developed air-conditioning system forms part of a massive cooling venture that includes 10 radiators for the engine, gearbox and differentials.

Aside from cooling having been a key part of the FIA T1+ regulations, lowering the bonnet to improve approach angles and revising the rear to aid departure, has been another consideration for moving up from the T1 class.

In torn-down form, the magnitude of the suspension is illustrated in a manner that had some media colleagues speechless in comparison to the Fox setup used by the road-going Raptor.

Made by BOS Suspension in France, the setup allows for 350 mm of travel and hides a 76 mm damper at each corner.

Boggling the mind further, stopping power comes via an air-cooled six-piston at the front and rear caliper design sourced from Brembo with the front discs measuring 355 mm.

Running the mandated limited top speed of 170 km/h, motivation still comes from the Ranger T1’s twin-turbo 3.5 EcoBoost V6, albeit with a slight uptick in grunt to a limited 264kW/600Nm.

Feeding the amount of twist to all four wheels, the long NWM-used six-speed sequential gearbox comes way of French firm Sadev, who supplies most of the vehicles running in the Dakar.

An AP sourced triple-plate race clutch completes the ‘box that uses a mechanism to change gear as opposed to a traditional clutch used only when setting off.

A mechanical handbrake, designed to lock the rear wheels to aid sharp corner or hairpin turning, completes the tech fest.

Conclusion

While an opportunity to settle into the snug cabin at full tilt didn’t materialise, a different sense of apprehension prevailed witnessing both vehicles being checked-over in readiness for the next Rally-Raid assault.

With success in Dakar being the eventual goal, it nonetheless remains a proverbial inspiring story of how a small outfit has grown into an international powerhouse while keeping humble and not overcome by fame.

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