Pietermaritzburg-based Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) has evolved into a team synonymous with off-road racing in Mzansi. To continue this theme, they have lifted the wraps off their contenders for the upcoming South African Rally Raid Championship (SARRC) with the most significant addition to the livery being the return of Castrol.
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“We are delighted to have Castrol on board as our title sponsor this year, reinvigorating the fantastic relationship, support and engagement we shared in recent years, and benefitting from the company’s experience in providing the highest-quality lubricants that excel in the extreme conditions of rally-raid competition,” says NWM team principal, Neil Woolridge.
“We appreciate the long-standing support from Ford South Africa and the Ford dealer network, which have entrusted us to represent the Ranger brand at the highest level of motorsport for many years. It is also a pleasure to welcome bp as a major sponsor this year, along with our other sponsors and technical partners that are crucial for our success,” Wooldridge added.
Along with Castrol, NWM’s sponsors include BP Ultimate, Ford Credit, Mastercraft, Sparco, Vedacit and Veldskoen, while technical partners include Brembo, NTN and Tiger Wheel & Tyre. NWM’s campaign in the 2025 SARRC consists of three Ford Ranger Ultimate vehicles, the first of which will be with 2023 SARRC champions Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer in the cockpit, with a second Ranger Ultimate run by Brazilian and South American rally-raid champions Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea. These top-tier FIA vehicles are equipped with boost loggers that meet FIA specifications.
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In the more affordable South African Ultimate/T1+ class will be Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen, whose Ranger Ultimate features a Motec engine management system.
The NWM team has earned a reputation for being one of the very best in the world, with a string of successes on local and international rally-raid events that span nearly three decades. For the 2025 season, the Ranger Ultimate is powered by Ford’s 3.5-litre turbopetrol V6, with a minimum weight requirement of 2 010 kg.
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“Ford South Africa has had a successful partnership with Neil Woolridge Motorsport spanning almost three decades. Motorsport is one of our key brand-building pillars for the Ford Ranger, emphasizing this proudly South African-built bakkie’s exceptional capabilities, quality and reliability, along with its ongoing sales success in the popular double cab segment,” says Tarryn Knight, general manager of marketing at Ford South Africa.
The 2025 SARRC season will commence on 27 June near Thabazimbi after the opening round in Vryheid was postponed due to flooding.
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