The 2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) heats up as the halfway mark approaches. After three challenging rounds, including the gruelling TGRSA Safari 1000, new leaders have emerged in both the overall and class championships.

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (TGRSA Toyota Hilux IMT EVO), despite missing the opening round, stormed back with consecutive victories, including their first desert race win, to claim the overall lead (75 points). Their teammates, Giniel de Villiers and Elvéne Vonk dropped to second (59 points) after technical issues hampered their performance at the Safari 1000.

Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert (Neil Woolridge Motorsport NWM Ford Ranger T1+) climbed significantly to third (68 points) with a second-place finish at Thabazimbi. Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy (TGRSA Toyota Hilux) are close behind in fourth (67 points), followed by Fouché and Bertus Blignaut (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid DKR Hilux T1+) in fifth (45 points).

Defending champions rebound

Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (NWM Ford Ranger T1+) made a significant jump to sixth (35 points), showcasing their fighting spirit after a difficult start. Johan and Werner Horn (#ToyotaHilux Rally-Raid DKR Hilux T1+) are seventh (34 points), with Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer (Century Racing CR7 Twin Turbo) exceeding expectations to reach eighth (31 points).

Close battles in all classes

The Adventurer Class saw Johan de Bruyn and Adriaan Roets (Red-Lined REVO T1+) maintain their lead (27 points) over the Heinlein duo, Gerhard and Rudi (Red-Lined Motorsport VK56 Evo2) (26 points). Eben Basson and Leander Pienaar (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota Hilux), who struggled initially, finally secured a win at the Safari 1000, propelling them to 13th overall (20 points).

A dominant performance in SSV Class

The SSV Class is led by the consistent Geoff Minnitt and Rodney Burke (Hydro Power Equipment Can-Am Maverick) (66 points), with a significant gap to their rivals. Dutch driver Puck Klaassen (Can-Am Maverick) is second (28 points), followed by Ruperd Fourie (Can-Am Maverick) (20 points).

Toyota maintains its lead in the Manufacturers’ standings (335 points), with Ford (133 points) and Nissan (39 points) trailing behind. Can-Am sits in fourth (26 points), with Renault rounding out the top five (21 points).

Looking ahead

Teams now have time to prepare for the crucial fourth and fifth rounds taking place near Parys on August 16 and 17. The intense competition promises a thrilling second half of the season!

Source: South African Cross Country Racing

Photos: Dave Ledbitter