TIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT AWAITS TGRSA IN WELKOM

As the 2023 South African Rally-Raid Championship charges towards its thrilling climax, the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown in the picturesque Free State town of Welkom. Toyota GAZOO Racing South Africa’s (TGRSA) Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings are gearing up for the penultimate round of the championship, trailing the leader by a mere 3 points. With their teammates also in the mix, Lategan faces the daunting task of not only pushing hard but also maintaining a flawless performance. The stakes have never been higher as they vie for rally glory.

Lategan and Cummings kicked off the season in dominant fashion, steering their formidable Toyota Hilux T1+ to victory in the first two rounds. However, a disappointing outing at the TGRSA 1,000 Desert Race cast a shadow on their campaign, yielding only 11 points out of a possible 45. The Desert Race, with its elevated points structure, left no room for error, and the momentum swiftly shifted towards Ford’s Gareth Woolridge.

Refusing to be counted out, Lategan and Cummings staged a remarkable comeback during the first of the Parys 400’s doubleheader, securing maximum points. But as the dust settled in the second race of the weekend, they found themselves slipping down the order. This places the TGRSA duo with 116 points, while Woolridge boasts 119 points, setting the stage for a nail-biting conclusion to the championship.

Hot on their tail, just 2 points behind, is the formidable pair of Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy. Adding to the excitement, Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle, in another TGRSA Toyota Hilux T1+, stand at 109 points, poised to challenge the front-runners.

Glyn Hall, Team Principal of TGRSA, said, “This makes for a very interesting end to the season. Our first hurdle is obviously to score enough points to beat Gareth. But beyond that, it will be entertaining to see how all of this plays out. And we’re facing two races where we’ve never been before to end the season, which should make things even more interesting.”

While Saood Variawa and co-driver Danie Stassen, the team’s fourth pairing, may be further down in the championship order, their pace is undeniable and could potentially influence the championship outcome.

Hall added, “While Saood and Danie are out of the title fight, they could end up scoring points at the head of the field, which could truly put the cat among the pigeons in terms of the overall championship.”

The Renergen 400, as the Welkom round is officially known, promises heart-pounding action. Friday morning will kick off with a qualifying route of 15 km to determine starting positions for Saturday’s main race. The main event, scheduled for 08:00, will feature two loops of 164 km each, with a 30-minute service break between them. The Race HQ and Designated Service Park (DSP) will be located at the Phakisa Raceway, providing fans with an ideal vantage point. For those unable to attend in person, the RallySafe app, available for free on both Apple and Android smartphones, offers live coverage and keeps enthusiasts connected to the action.

As the tension mounts and the engines roar to life in Welkom, the 2023 South African Rally-Raid Championship promises an electrifying conclusion. With a mere 3-point gap at the top, every turn, jump, and obstacle could tip the balance of power, leaving rally fans on the edge of their seats. Stay tuned for a spectacle of speed, skill, and determination that defines the spirit of motorsport.

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