The winner of the 1990 Toyota 1000 Desert Race, Richard Schilling, has teamed up with Rob “The Dog” Wark for this year’s event, which is round three of the Absa Off Road Championship that takes place in Botswana on June 11-13.
Unbeknown to many followers of the sport Wark navigated for Schilling in 1991 when they won the Roof of Africa Rally and when his regular co-driver, Ashley Thorn, announced that he would be in the USA in June Schilling had no hesitation on calling on the services of his long time friend Wark.
“Rob and I go back 20-years and he is a driver and co-driver of note,” said Schilling. “In fact, he won the 1994 Toyota 1000 Desert Race in the Superpave Raceco and I am confident that with his help we can not only win Class S in the Plastotech Raceco but also challenge for the overall lead in the Special Vehicle category.”
Schilling’s ongoing wager with Buks Carolin, also a winner of the Botswana event as a co-driver for his brother Richard in 1995, where the loser of each event, based on the lowest distance covered, donates R1000,00 to their favourite charity, Sunfield Homes and Logwood Ranch, will continue.
After two events the bosom buddies and archrivals have each had to fork out R1000,00 after Carolin completed more race distance on the Nissan Dealer 400 than Schilling but failed to start the Nissan Sugarbelt 400 because he was unable to complete the installation of a new BMW 540 V8 engine in his Kopanong Hotel Superteam Raceco.
Carolin will be co-driving for Nissan Dealer 400 Special Vehicle category winner Atang Makgekgenene in the Total Jimco while veteran Harry Roscoe and his son, Donovan will be in action in Carolin’s Kopanong Hotel Superteam Raceco in Botswana.
Rob Wark has wagered R500,00 each on Carolin and Roscoe beating him and Schilling, which if they do he will pay over the money to his favourite charity, the SPCA.
