Cross Country Series concluded
ATLAS COPCO GOLD 400: DE VILLIERS AND TEAM TOYOTA ALREADY CROWNED 2017 CHAMPS
Race headquarters will be at the Kloof Country Club in Westonaria.
The 2017 South African Cross Country Series will come to its conclusion on the West Rand this weekend, with the Atlas Copco Gold 400 to host a full entry of Production Vehicles, Special Vehicles, motorcycles and quadbikes.
At the front of the field, already-crowned overall 2017 champion Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz should be the team to beat in their works Gazoo Toyota Hilux.
Their closest adversaries in the FIA class should be the RedLined team’s three Nissan Navara bakkies, manned by Thomas Bell/ Patrick McMurren, Luke Botha/ Andre Vermeulen and Shameer Variawa/Zaheer Bodhanya.
The class will be rounded out by Johan and van Staden/Mike Lawrenson (Elf Renault Duster) and Mark Corbett/Rodney Burke (Century Property FIA Buggy).
Brothers Johan and Werner Horn (Malalane Toyota Hilux) are the favourites to clinch the Class T title. Taking them on in the race will be crews like Lance Woolridge/Ward Huxtable (Puma Lubricants Ford Ranger), Jason Venter/Vince van Allemann (4x4 Mega World Toyota Hilux), Gareth Woolridge/Boyd Dreyer (Puma Lubricants Ford Ranger), Henk Lategan/Barry White (Puma Lubricants Ford Ranger), Chris Visser/Philip Herselman (Atlas Copco Toyota Hilux), Brian Baragwanath/Kabelo Ledwaba (Pirelli Ford Ranger) and Jacques van Tonder/Mariska Leeuwner (Ford Ranger).
Jannie Visser and son Chris (Toyota Hilux) will be the team to beat in Class S, chased by people like David Huddy/ Gerhard Schutte (Nissan Navara). The Special Vehicle title will be settled this weekend, between Evan Hutchison/Danie Stassen (King Price Extreme BAT Viper) and Marius/Jolinda Fourie (PHB BAT).
Able to interfere will be Stefan van Pletzen/Jaco Pieterse (Live Lesotho Chenowth), John Thomson/Maurice Zermatten (Zarco Magnum), Keith Makenete/ Ferdie Pieterse (BAT) and Sandra Labuscagne/Jaco Jonk (4x4 Mega World Porter). The Class P championship should produce a straight fight between John Telford/ Victor Ntsekhe (Calcamite Hellcat) and Nic Goslar/Andrew Massey (SA Clinics Zarco). Chasing them will be Werner Kennedy/ Thinus Venter (Live Lesotho Aceco). – Off Road Correspondent