29 Jun 2015

Anthony Taylor and co-driver sneaked in the last minute to clinch a hatrick of victories in the highly coveted off road championships dubbed Toyota 1000km Desert Race. 

Taylor and Dennis Murphy dominated the 2013 and last year’s edition before capping up a polished performance during the weekend’s 1000km race.

It initially looked as though Taylor’s spell would be broken but Leeroy Poulter driving the only other factory prepared Toyota Hilux was delayed by a broken brake calibre that consumed a precious 20minutes of his time. 

Poulter and his co-driver Rob Howie won Friday’s prologue (June 26) to determine start positions. 

He started heat 1 on Saturday, June 27 with a handy lead and gradually tightened his grip in route areas around the sandy terrains in the small settlements of Lefhoko and Maokane.

Just before the quarry Poulter incurred a mechanical fault that allowed the more experienced Taylor to sneak in through the back door to a dramatic victory that once again proved Toyota Hilux dominance in the only marathon event on the Donaldson Cross Country Championships calendar. 

Taylor’s victory also broke Atlas Copco racing team’s Ford Ranger’s heart. 

However after enduring a lengthy spell of missing out on a Toyota 1000 Desert Race victory, a typically steady performance took the highly experienced driver Gary Bertholdt and his navigator Siegfried Rousseau into the second spot relegating Poulter into the third position.

Speaking to BOPA after an enduring race and heart-breaking finish Poulter’s navigator said the mechanical fault cost them an historic victory. 

The Dakar Rally experienced navigator came in handy for the youthful Poulter having worked with a wealth of experienced drivers in the mould of Duncan Vos amongst others.

 A seemingly distraught Howie said they had to rely on three wheels to brake until the problem was restored at a designated stop point resulting in a loss of time.

The reigning champion Taylor said the new sections of the route offered him some exciting challenges and he had to manoeuvre through the tight and twisty road which had ample sand. He acceded to stiff competition from Poulter but was impressed that he managed to pull off at the eleventh hour and spring to emphatic victory.

In the special vehicles Category also known as sand masters, Evan Hutchison and his co-driver Danie Stassen in their Motorite BAT Viper flew to the first spot after victory eluded them last year when their car caught fire just three kilometres from the finish line. 

Mark Corbett followed on the second spot with a Century CR5 while Lance Trethewey came third on a BAT Venom. ENDS