NWM Ford’s Rollercoaster Debut at the Nkomazi 400

Who knew the serene landscapes of Malalane could serve such a feast of dust and drama? The 2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship opener was less about the sweet scent of sugarcane and more about the sour tang of mechanical misfortune. The new Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Rangers showed up in full prom attire but ended up dancing in mud puddles instead.

Let’s roll back the odometer and dissect the bittersweet debut of the NWM Ford team. Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert, the dynamic duo in car #234, were all set for a stellar performance until a driveshaft decided it had enough and threw a tantrum. Forty-five minutes lost on the clock, and they dropped from hero to zero, or well, to eleventh in the Ultimate class and sixteenth overall, if you want to get technical.

Then we had Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer in car #200, who were in the hunt for a trophy. Just when they smelled the champagne, their water pump waved a white flag, transforming their podium dreams into a roadside rescue scene. So much for being champions!

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom. The NWM-supported underdogs, Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen, turned the tables. They kept their #241 Ford Ranger on the straight and narrow, steering clear of the mechanical gremlins to clinch eighth in class and eleventh overall. Cheers to the underdogs for keeping their engine purring!

Neil Woolridge, the team’s mastermind, summed it up best: “That’s motorsport.” A world where hopes can be as high as a mountain pass and fall faster than a lead balloon. But hey, the new machines are snazzy, and when they weren’t limping along with technical issues, they were flying faster than a gossip rumor in a small town.

In conclusion, it’s clear the NWM Ford team had the pace but perhaps lacked a little in the luck department. But as any seasoned rally-raid aficionado would tell you, the race isn’t won solely on speed—it’s also about crossing the finish line in one piece. As the dust settles, we’re left eager for the next round, where redemption is just a race away. Maybe keep a spare water pump handy, though, just in case.

Who knew the serene landscapes of Malalane could serve such a feast of dust and drama?