PARYS, Free State – The small Free State town of Parys hosted a decisive weekend of the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) on 15-16 August, featuring back-to-back rounds near the Vaal River. Centred at Stonehenge Lodge, the demanding double-header covered close to 800 kilometres, offering full points for each round and intensifying the championship contest.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) entered two GR Hilux IMT EVO crews. While results from Friday's Round 2 are pending confirmation, the team secured a double podium in Saturday's Round 3. Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet celebrated their maiden SARRC victory, while teammates Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena defended third place against strong competition.
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The Castrol NWM Ford Team also faced significant challenges. Championship leaders Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer, starting Round 2 strongly, led until a late mechanical issue halted their Ford Evo Plus, costing them valuable time. However, they demonstrated resilience on Day 2 (Round 3). Qualifying fifth fastest after their setback, they pushed hard to win Stage 2 and finished second overall, just 78 seconds behind the winning Toyota. This strong comeback earned them valuable championship points.
Ford's Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen, returning after missing the season opener, battled dust and challenging conditions. Their consistent pace resulted in an eighth-place finish on Day 1 and a solid fourth place overall on Day 2 – Prinsloo's best SARRC result to date. Brazilian stand-ins Marcos Baumgart and Alberto Andreotti, adapting to the unfamiliar terrain, finished seventh in Round 3 despite a time penalty, ensuring three Ford Evo Plus vehicles finished within the top ten.
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The Parys terrain lived up to its challenging reputation, featuring deeper than expected water crossings and muddy sections despite the mid-winter timing. While weather conditions were favourable with moderate temperatures and light wind, competition on the stages remained intense.
TGRSA Team Principal Shameer Variawa acknowledged the demanding weekend: "It was a tough weekend for sure. Tactically our crews had to preserve the cars for Round 3, but they not only managed to finish strongly on Round 2, they also secured a double podium the very next day." He credited the team's experience, particularly from the Dakar Rally, in managing the pressure of preparing for consecutive race days.
Neil Woolridge, Castrol NWM Ford Team Principal, praised his team's effort: "I’m really proud of the way the entire team pulled together this weekend. It wasn’t without its challenges, but to come away with three cars in the top 10, a strong second place for Gareth and Boyd, and Wors back in the mix with a fantastic fourth is a great result." He noted Baumgart's growing confidence in the car and South African conditions.
With championship points still being finalised pending Round 2 results, both Toyota and Ford appear well-positioned for the season's remainder. The SARRC now moves to the Western Cape for Round 4, scheduled for 19-20 September at the new Louvain Guest Farm venue near George, promising mountainous terrain and fresh challenges.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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