25 Jun 2015

Come June 26, the most prestigious road race in Botswana will kick off.

The dust would settle after all participants have completed the race that is usually full of drama.

The iconic Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race, round three of the Donaldson Cross Country Championship, has all the ingredients to emerge as the definitive event in this year’s production vehicle championship.

The desert race, dubbed Mantshwabisi, is the only marathon event on the Donaldson calendar and the length of the race adds to the difficulty factor for the privateers.

It represents the halfway mark in the Donaldson series and after two events, Castrol Team Toyota Hilux pair Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie have taken an early grip on the overall and premier Class T championships. 

Class T is for vehicles over four litres with independent rear suspension and two wins on the trot have given Poulter and Howie a 19 point cushion at the top of both championships.

With 60 points up for grabs over the two heats that will make up the race, the pair could go a long way towards taking a vicelike grip on the championship.  By the same token those doing the chasing will recognise the importance those 60 points represent where their own title aspirations are concerned. 

Reigning champions Anthony Taylor and Dennis Murphy, in the second factory Castrol Team Toyota Hilux, and Ford Performance pair Lance Woolridge and Ward Huxtable are locked together in second place and cannot afford to let Poulter/Howie widen the gap. 

Taylor/Murphy won in 2013 and last year, and are aware of what it takes to win a race in which they have also been victims of the dreaded sting in the tail.

In addition, it is going to be a tense weekend for the factory squads and former champions, Chris Visser and Japie Badenhorst, in the second Ford Performance Ranger will also be looking to claw their way back into serious title contention. 

The two factory squads have so far dominated, filling the first four places in the championship and providing all the podium finishers on the RFS Endurance and Sugarbelt 450.

Youngsters Jason Venter and Vince van Allemann (4x4 Mega World Toyota Hilux) and Mpumalanga brothers Johan and Werner Horn (Malalane Toyota Hilux) are the first of the privateers in the championship standings.

Furthermore, along with the likes of the brother/sister combination of Jacques and Lizelle van Tonder (Uni Freight Ford Ranger), Johan van Staden/Mike Lawrenson (Regent Racing Nissan Navara) and Hennie de Klerk/Johann Smalberger (RFS/Treasury One BMW X3 will need to considerably up their game if they are to provide the factory teams with any sort of challenge. 

The highly experienced Gary Bertholdt and Siegfried Rousseau (Atlas Copco Ford Ranger) have made a disappointing start to the previous campaign and, after two non-finishes, will be seeking redemption. 

Back-up for van Staden/Lawrenson in the Regent Racing team comes in numbers from Terence Marsh and celebrity co-driver Marius Roberts, Jurgen and Max Schroder and Sean Reitz/Riaan Greyling, also in Nissan Navaras, with the crews all looking for the sort of rewards that consistency and perseverance provide.

Youngster Gareth Woolridge, younger brother of Lance, and Boyd Dreyer get their first taste of the Desert Race in a production vehicle and after a good result on the Sugarbelt 450, they won’t be short on confidence. 

The brothers’ father Neil, now the Ford Performance team principal, won the Desert Race three times and the youngsters have a tough act to follow.

Also, race headquarters, the start/finish and the designated service park will all be located at the Jwaneng Sport Club and adjoining showground complex. 

Access to these areas will be restricted, but there is free public entry to spectator viewing points and overnight camp sites along the route.

The 100 kilometre qualifying race will be on Friday to determine grid positions which will start at 11:30am. 

The first heat will be on June 27 and will be over two 250 kilometre loops, and the second heat on June 28 will be made up of two 210 kilometre loops.

Heats one and two will start at 8:30am with a compulsory 20 minute service halt at the end of the first lap. ENDS