Guy Botterill and Henry Köhne secured their third straight win at the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400 after two days of tough racing in the Vryheid area this past weekend.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux IMT EVO crew finished the 420km event in five hours, 26 minutes and 14 seconds, just 72 seconds ahead of teammates Saood Variawa and Charan Moore.

The fourth and penultimate round of the 2026 SA Rally-Raid Championship was far from straightforward. Thick mist made visibility difficult on Saturday morning, especially in the plantations, while the wet, slippery route kept drivers and navigators on their toes.

Botterill and Köhne faced another challenge on the final day. After leading overnight, they had to open the road for the other competitors and lost time when they suffered a puncture early in Stage Two. They recovered to set the fastest time in Stage Three and take the overall win.

Woolridge and Dreyer fight back for podium

Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer fought their way onto the podium after a difficult start to the event.

The Castrol NWM Ford Evo Plus crew failed to finish qualifying and had to start Stage One at the back of the field. Their first day became even harder when a road accident delayed them by more than 15 minutes. They then lost further time when they came across locked gates on the route.

The pair finished the first day in eighth place but made up ground on Saturday, eventually taking third overall. They finished three minutes and 44 seconds behind Variawa and Moore.

Daniel Schröder and Juan Möhr took fourth place in 5:32:46, followed by Puck Klaassen and Danie Stassen in the #TeamHilux Toyota Hilux. It was Klaassen’s first race in the vehicle, while Stassen marked his 100th national event. They finished fifth overall in 5:41:15.

Van Stadens take class victory

Johan van Staden and his son, Sean, won the Ultimate SA T1+ class in their Red-Lined Revo T1+. They finished sixth overall in 5:48:30, having led the class from qualifying. It was their second class win of the season.

Philip Botha and Andries Mynhardt finished seventh overall in another Red-Lined Revo T1+. They lost valuable time when a rear propshaft broke during Stage Two, but still had something to celebrate at the end of the race.

Botha and Mynhardt win Road to Dakar Challenge

The pair won the Road to Dakar Challenge, earning a full-fee entry to the 2027 Dakar Rally.

Abrie and Iaan Olivier finished eighth overall in 6:19:30, taking third place in the Ultimate SA T1+ class.

Marx and Hattingh claim second consecutive class win

In the Adventurer Class, Nielen Marx and Rikus Hattingh claimed their second consecutive class victory. The Red-Lined VK50 crew finished ninth overall in 6:25:34.

Class leaders Peet Victor and VanZyl Jonck finished 10th overall in their VAPS HCV Rally-Raid Red-Lined Revo VK50. Problems during Stage Three cost them time, and they completed the event in 6:54:24.

Tough route forces several crews to retire

The tough route took its toll, with a number of crews unable to complete the race.

VAPS HCV Rally-Raid teammates Tyler Botha and Kyle Lotter finished the first day in 14th place. However, after Lotter fell ill, Gerhard Schutte took over, and the team could only complete Stage Two.

Lance Woolridge and André Vermeulen, standing in for the Lawlor family, started well by setting the fastest qualifying time. Their race came unstuck when a broken input shaft forced them out during Stage One. They returned for the final day but ran into further problems.

Danie Ludick and Adriaan Roets also failed to finish after being involved in an accident on Saturday. The crew were reported to be safe.

Jayden Els and Johann Swemmer, who started the final day in fifth place, could not complete Stage Two. Pim Klaassen and Sasha Siripanyavuthi also retired during the same stage after starting Saturday in 10th place overall.

Championship heads to final round

The teams will now turn their attention to the final round of the championship, the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400, which takes place in Thabazimbi on November 13 and 14.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.