A number of privateer team have actively participated in an innovative marketing and television project in this year’s Absa Off Road Championship, which has significantly boosted the coffers of the MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission.
“Notwithstanding the fact that championship sponsor Absa, our manufacturer partners – Ford, Nissan and Toyota – and event sponsors provided significant funding for the championship we found ourselves with a shortfall at the start of the season,” said Piet Swanepoel, President of the MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission. “We presented a select group of privateers and their sponsors with a package that guaranteed them media exposure and were overwhelmed by the response.”
“I have been involved in motorsport for decades and cannot recall any occasion in the past where privateers and their sponsors rallied around to ensure the viability of a championship or an event, as we recently experienced on the Mafikeng 500 when five privateers and their sponsors stepped in at the last minute to rescue the event,” said Swanepoel. “Ensuring that everyone receives balanced coverage has been a difficult task but I am sure that when the contributors analyse the exposure they have received they will be happy with their return on investment.”
Contributors include the three car GBS Racing Team that includes reigning Class D champions Hein Grobler and Gerhard Prinsloo, newly crowned Special Vehicle Champion Atang Makgekgenene, Mike Tomsett from AK Stone Guards, Shameer Variawa and Cornbake Foods, the three car Bosal / N1 4×4 team, Archie Rutherford from Ruthcon, Henri Zermatten and his sponsors Master Craft and Playstation, Global DAD who back Class B contender Adri Roets, the three car Kopanong Hotel Superteam, Nardus Alberts from Wrapsa, Brandon Harcus and BAT Racing, Mark Corbett and Century Property Developments, Richard Schilling who campaigns the Plastotech Raceco, Henry Kirstein and Atlas Copco and Advansoft who sponsor Gary Bertholdt’s BAT.
All the contributors, with the exception of Richard Schilling, will be in action on the Carnival City 400 on November 19 and 20.