For sporting and commercial reasons there is pressure on the Castrol Toyota team competing in the Production vehicle category. The event is round six of the Absa South African Off Road Championship, and will be breaking new ground in the series.
“With the championship in the home stretch it is important that we pick up valuable points in both Classes D and E,” said Toyota motorsport manager Wammy Haddad. “But we are also going into a region that is very much ‘bakkie’ country, and from a commercial point of view it is also important that we do well.
“The fact that the event is breaking into new off road territory makes it something of an unknown quantity, so it is going to be an interesting weekend.”
After the trials and tribulations of a tough Lesotho Sun 400, the Castrol Toyota team has had time to regroup. The Toyota Hilux 2,7i entries took a battering in Lesotho, and the technical crew have been hard at work rebuilding vehicles.
“No one really knows what to expect from this event,” said multiple SA off road and rally champion Robin Houghton. The hugely experienced Houghton and young Gavin Cronje currently lie fourth in the Class D championship, and sixth in the overall Production Vehicle stakes.
“Previous rally experience in the area suggests there is going to be a lot of thick sand,” said Houghton. “That doesn’t bother Gavin, but after our big crash in Lesotho we need to win back some brownie points.
“One thing in our favour is that moving into unexplored territory levels the playing field. Gavin has in the past had to compete against more experienced drivers who in many cases know the routes and terrain like the back of their hands.”
Cronje’s elder brother Mark, paired with veteran Chris Birkin, is looking for a result that will boost their Class D championship hopes. Cronje and Birkin, former Class E champions, were third overall and class winners in Lesotho, and are now joint second in the class championship and fourth in the overall series.
“Hopefully the event will be reasonably fast,” said Cronje. “The vehicle is good and the technical guys have done a great job.
“It is a question of keeping it together and getting to the end. The Koepel club is known for putting on good events, and we are looking forward to what should be an interesting challenge.”
Paolo Piazza-Musso and Ockie Fourie, the third Castrol Toyota crew running in Class D, will be hoping that Polokwane brings a change in fortunes. The pair had endured a disappointing season so far, with a string of mechanical maladies hampering their championship progress.
“Our luck has to change sometime, and hopefully this will be the event where it all falls into place,” said Piazza-Musso. “I have rallied in the area and it should be a fast event, which will suit us.
“The car is good and if we have a clean run could come up with a good result.”
Class E leader Zane Pearce will be out to maintain a 100 percent finish record this season and the Natalian, who also stars on the track, will welcome a fast event.
“After the Lesotho Sun 400 a fast event will be a welcome change,” said Pearce. “Moving into unknown territory makes it a bit more interesting, but the major objective will be a good haul of championship points.”
