Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) is well oiled and ready for a frictionless start to the South African Rally-Raid Championship, hoping re-kindling its relationship with Castrol will give it just the right ‘edge’ – this year running as a three-car Ford Ranger team.
This year’s season, kicking off in late June near Thabazimbi, Limpopo, promises high-octane drama with an expanded team roster, fresh sponsors, and a trio of crews hungry for podium glory.
Ford South Africa and NWM’s near-30-year alliance remains a cornerstone of the championship, with the Ford Ranger taking centre stage. Tarryn Knight, Ford South Africa’s Marketing General Manager, highlights the Ranger’s role in embodying the brand’s “Live the Ranger Life” ethos: “It’s about proving capability, reliability, and connecting with a community that thrives on adventure.”
Neil Woolridge
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Castrol’s return as title sponsor brings its high-performance EDGE lubricants back into the mix, while bp Ultimate fuels enter the fray as a new partner. “bp Ultimate’s dirt-busting tech ensures engines perform when it counts,” says Nokwanda Khumalo of bp Southern Africa. Together, the trio aims to push NWM’s Ford Ranger Ultimate vehicles to their limits across rugged terrains.
Drivers to Watch
Reigning 2023 champions Gareth Woolridge and navigator Boyd Dreyer lead the charge in their Castrol-branded Ranger, eager to reclaim dominance after a tough 2024. They’ll face stiff competition from Brazilian duo Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea, whose international pedigree includes podium finishes in the Dakar Rally and South American championships. “Racing in South Africa is next-level,” Baumgart remarks. “The competition here never backs down.”
Completing the lineup are Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen, stepping up to the SA Ultimate class in a cost-effective Ranger variant. Their entry bolsters NWM’s strategy to dominate both local and FIA-spec categories.
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Wors Prinsloo (left) and Andre Vermeulen
Tech Tweaks and Tough Terrains
NWM’s Ranger Ultimate, built in Pietermaritzburg, boasts a Ford EcoBoost 3.5-litre V6 engine and upgrades honed during a “learning year” in 2024. Team principal Neil Woolridge confirms refinements to aerodynamics, suspension, and cooling systems: “We’ve ironed out the kinks. This year, we’re here to win.”
The season opener, delayed from March due to floods in KwaZulu-Natal, now sets the stage for a June showdown. With additional sponsors like Vedacit and Mastercraft Tools onboard, the team is locked in for a gruelling eight-round calendar.
As engines roar to life later this month, all eyes will be on whether Castrol NWM Ford’s blend of experience, innovation, and raw speed can outpace rivals in one of rally-raid’s most unpredictable battlegrounds. For fans, it’s a chance to witness South Africa’s homegrown engineering take on the world — again.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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