Privateers clinch surprise victory
Rustenburg crew Willem Vos and Werner Weiss produced the shock of the season when they won the Atlas Copco Gold 400 on Saturday.
Willem Vos and Werner Weiss wins the Atlas Copco Gold 400. Photography: keino@quickpic
Making only their second appearance of the season in the Vossies BMW X3, the pair also overcame a five-minute penalty to win.
Vos and Weiss eventually held a 1min 39sec advantage over SA champions Anthony Taylor and Dennis Murphy in the factory Team Castrol Toyota Hilux.
Taylor and Murphy, who clinched the title last time out, had an adventurous day. They completed the first of the two 170 loops without a windscreen, but were then hampered by a puncture.
The podium was completed by the Atlas Copco Nissan Navara pair of Gary Bertholdt and Siegfried Rousseau.
Fourth and fifth went to outgoing South African champions Duncan Vos and Rob Howie, in the second factory Team Castrol Toyota Hilux, and Deon Venter/Ian Palmer (Trysome Toyota Hilux) who produced their best result of the season.
For multiple champion Vos it was a disappointing end to what is sure to be his last race for the Toyota team.
A faultless drive took Mpumalanga brothers Johan and Werner Horn (Malalane Toyota Land Cruiser) into the top eight.
The Horns came in comfortably ahead of Dana Vos and Hendrik de Kock in the Vossies Toyota Hilux with former champions Jack and Sarel Oosthuizen third in the LMC Land Rover Defender.
