Sasol Oil today (21 February) unveiled its 2004 “Top Gun” racing squad at Rand Airport, Germiston, featuring three of South Africa’s champion racing drivers and the four-jet Tiger team, the only jet aerobatic formation outfit in Africa. –
– Sasol’s motor racing programme this year again includes the favourite Sasol Rally in Mpumalanga (18 and 19 June), as well as the MSA National Rally Championship, officially known as the Sasol South African Rally Championship 2004. –
– The new signing in the Sasol Racing track team is 1998 and 1999 WesBank Samcar V8 champion, Gary Formato, who this year campaigns a new shape Sasol Ford Mustang V8 prepared by BAT Racing at Kyalami. –
– Sasol also continues its long association with SAMCAR and the series as official fuel and lubricant supplier and co-broadcast sponsor of the championship’s television coverage on Supersport. New this year is the introduction of the “Sasol Top Tech.” Award, to be presented, along with R1000, to the top (hardest working) mechanic amongst the SAMCAR teams at each of the ten rounds, beginning at A.A Kyalami on 28 February. The overall 2004 “Sasol Top Tech.” winner will receive the sum of R15000 from Sasol. –
– 2002 Class D SA Production Car champion, Phillip Kekana, returns to this category in a Class B Sasol Toyota RunX Rsi, with product support from Toyota and preparation by Strijdom Park-based Race Prep. –
– The Sasol Top Gun in rallying is former track champion (Vodacom Isondo Sports 2000) turned rally star, Gugu Zulu, who this year campaigns a brand new Sasol Volkswagen Citi Golf in Class A5, where he finished a close second in 2003. The experienced co-driver, Uwe Koch joins Zulu in the hot seat. –
– Volkswagen Racing again support his effort in the eight-round Sasol national series, and Port Elizabeth-located Benitspeed will manage the programme. –
– The Sasol Tiger Aerobatic team is packed with real Top Guns. –
– Dennis Spence, who will hopefully land the SAA Lebombo 747 for its final resting place at Rand Airport on 28 February (weather permitting), is a senior 747 captain, as are Neil Trollip (a former SAAF Cheetah Fighter pilot), Glenn Warden, Colin Gibson and Nigel Hopkins, the current World Precision flying champion. –
– The South African Aerobatics Champion, Martin van Straten, Larry Beamish and Ralf Dominick, author of “SA Private Military Jet Regulations” complete the current pilot line-up in the L29 Delfin advanced trainer and light attack aircraft. –
– They will be performing at as many as twenty air shows, public appearances and Sasol motorsport and soccer events, including the new Sasol service stations, known as RCC’s, opening around South Africa. –
– The Sasol Tigers are supported by two ex-SA Airforce Albatros patrol planes and a crew of 20 people. –
– Their first public show of 2004 will be at the “Sunday Rand Extravaganza” on 21 March at Rand Airport. In support of safer driving on public roads, –
– Sasol is the naming sponsor of the Zwartkops International World of Motoring Advanced Driving Education centre and continues supporting Yokohama Driving Dynamics, based at WesBank Raceway, while Exel is the official fuel and lubricant supplier to Mercedes Benz Dynamic Driving, also located at Zwartkops. –
– Sasol’s low sulphur turbodieselä is the fuel of choice for the second consecutive year in the 4×4 Eco Challenge, the finals of which take place in Zambia in August. Sasol is also one of the official partners of this environment education-focused project, run by Sarel van der Merwe and Gerhard Groenewald. –
– For further background information on the 2004 Sasol sponsorships and teams visit www.sasolracing.co.za. –
– For free downloadable images of the sponsorships unveiling and teams visit www.motorpics.co.za. –
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