24 Jun 2019

Toyota’s Chris Visser booked himself a ticket to the upcoming Dakar 2020 rally after winning the Toyota Kalahari 1000km Desert Race Championship.

The three-day race, which was held under the theme: Don’t spoil it, started and finished at Selebi Phikwe’s Sam Sono Stadium with 37 competitors under the production vehicle category, which had a variety of classes namely FIA, A, P, T, S and G.

The fast and furious pair of Visser and his navigator, Phillip Herselman started the pre-qualifying race on Friday at 15^th position but managed to manuoeuvre their way to position one after the 60km qualifying race. The competitors started from the Sam Sono Stadium towards Tobane before veering off to Sefhophe where they crossed the A15 road and continued south to Mogapi.

From Mogapi they turned north and returned to the stadium, which was also the designated service point.

Visser started the last lap of the race enthusiastic to win as he retained his position to the end. The final heat of the race, which kicked-off on Sunday, started at the stadium heading south towards Mogapinyana before returning in a northerly direction towards Mmadinare.

From Mmadinare they headed back to the finish at the stadium. Still under the FIA class, Toyota continued to give other competitors fierce competition scooping second position.Shameer Variawa of Toyota Gazoo Racing SA, who won the Toyota 1000 Desert Race three consecutive times in 2008, 2009 and 2010, scooped second position after arriving eight minutes 54 seconds after Chris.

Lance Woolridge of Ford Castrol, who trailed behind Shameer by three minutes 48 seconds scooped third position.

Toyota were last beaten in the iconic race in 2011 when Visser and Japie Badenhorst won a dramatic race for Ford.

“Unlike in Jwaneng, the terrain here was rocky and had lots of tree stumps, but I drove carefully as such I did not have a tyre puncture,” Chris said.

He said the final race was the most difficult compared to the previous day where he drove without any challenges.

“Today’s race was more difficult than yesterday. There were lots of rocks and tree stumps on the way making it difficult to drive through,” he said.

Chris, who is ready to partake in the Dakar 2020 rally billed for Saudi Arabia in 2020, also thanked his navigator for his assistance, which won him free entry into the Dakar 2020 rally where R450 000 will be up for grabs.

Defending champion, Giniel de Villiers of Toyota Gazoo Racing SA, finished 14^th. The race, which has been moved from Jwaneng to the eastern part of the country, will be held in Selebi Phikwe for the next three years.ENDS