ATLAS COPCO/CHICAGO PNEUMATIC JEEP OFF ROAD TEAM
The Atlas Copco/Chicago Pneumatic Jeep Off Road Team survived a variety of problems on the recent Sun City 400, round six of the SA Off Road Car Racing Championship…presented by Absa to pick up another podium finish in the ultra-competitive Class T for unlimited Super Trucks.
Class T is the stamping ground for the all-conquering Proudly South African Nissan, the Team Ford Racing and Castrol Toyota factory teams all of whom field state-of-the-art four wheel drive vehicles whereas the Atlas Copco/Chicago Pneumatic Jeep that was built in 1995 is considerably heavier than the factory entries and runs in two wheel drive.
“Not having the benefit of four wheel drive places us at a distinct disadvantage, especially in sandy terrain,” said Richard Carolin. “The Jeep is also a lot wider than the factory entries and we find the going particularly tough in the tight, twisty sections on events such as the Sun City 400.”
“Despite these shortcomings Scott Abraham and I once again proved that good preparation and consistency delivers results and we were delighted to finish eighth overall in the Production Vehicle category and third in Class T behind the factory Nissans of Hannes Grobler/Richard Leeke and Duncan Vos/Mike Griffith after what can best be described as a race from hell.”
A rock got lodged between the right rear brake caliper and the wheel and ripped the caliper from its mountings. Abraham and Carolin were forced to stop and remove the damaged caliper and replace the first of four punctured tyres, which cost them a lot of time. Not having rear brakes made the red monster, which is a handful at the best of times, even more difficult to drive and getting stuck twice in a dry river bed added to their woes.
Abraham and Carolin once again occupy second spot in the Class T championship but with Abraham now working for the New Dimension X-Raid BMW Dakar team in Germany and forced to miss the remaining rounds of the championship he is likely to be overtaken in the championship race. However, Carolin and a substitute driver still to be announced will go all out to preserve his runner-up position in the Class T Co-drivers championship on the forthcoming Toyota Dealer 400 in Lydenburg (October 24-25) and the Carnival City Casino 400 (November 14-15).
“I am disappointed that I will miss the remaining races in the championship but the opportunity to work for a leading international team was too good to pass up,” said Abraham. “The Jeep will be prepared by Stratford Voogt during my absence and I know it will be in good hands and capable of another podium finish in Mpumalanga.”
“None of our success would have been possible without the enthusiastic support we enjoy from Atlas Copco, Chicago Pneumatic, Goodyear, Sasol Dual Fuel, Milwaukee, AEG Power Tools, Univer, Lubrequip and National Signs,” added Abraham,