The youngest driver in the SA Off Road Championship… presented by Absa, Scott Abraham (22), will make his swansong appearance in the Atlas Copco/Chicago Pneumatic Jeep at the Sun City 400 on September 26 and 27.
Abraham, who made his debut as a driver this year, has taken up employment with New Dimension X-Raid in Germany, which campaigns three BMW X5’s in the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies and Dakar and departs for Germany soon after the race.
The B. Comm. Marketing graduate completed a 5-week stint with the team after the Toyota 1000 Desert Race during which time he was involved in the preparation of the vehicles, which are driven by two times former FIA World Group N Rally Champion Gregoire de Mevius, former World Downhill Ski Champion Luc Alphand and Khalifa Al Mutaiwei. His primary task was assisting in the preparation of the Alphand BMW X5 in which the Frenchman won the Spanish Baja ahead of team-mates Al Mutaiwei and de Mevius who finished second and fourth respectively.
“I’ll be sad to miss out on driving the ‘red monster’ but this is a dream come true for me and I can’t wait to get back to the team base in Trebur Astheim, which is 30 minutes from Frankfurt,” said Abraham. “New Dimension X-Raid is an extremely professional and well run team and I am delighted to be associated with a race winning set-up.”
“When I get back to my newfound home it will be all systems go to get the BMW’s ready for the UAE Challenge in Dubai in October and then the preparation for Dakar 2004 starts in earnest,” added Abraham. “There is a strong possibility that I will be onboard one of the T4 chase trucks, which despite the long hours in the seat and the hard work that follows at each bivouac, will be an awesome experience for me.”
A decision as to who will partner Richard Carolin in the Atlas Copco/Chicago Pneumatic Jeep for the remaining two races of the SA Off Road Championship…presented by Absa will be taken after the Sun City 400.