Gutzeit and Baragwanath won Ermelo Toyota 400

Feb. 18, 2010 - PRLog -- EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS TOOK ITS TOLL AT ERMELO TOYOTA 400

Extreme heat and thunderstorms combined with exciting racing characterised the Ermelo Toyota 400, the opening round of the 2010 SA National Off-road Championship for motorcycle and quad competitors this weekend in Mpumalanga and a testing 500 kilometre race took its toll on riders and their machines.

Provisional results show that this could, however, not stop Yamaha riders, Jade Gutzeit (DCM Chrome) and Brian Baragwanath (EMD Racing) from winning the bike and quad categories respectively. In the motorcycle category Gutzeit, who won the Open Class, took the first victory for his new team after a ding-dong battle with Riaan van Niekerk (Brother KTM) who was the winner of the 250cc Class. Gutzeit’s team-mate, Louwrens Mahoney, had to settle for third place (second in Open Class) after losing time due to some mechanical set-backs.

In the quad category, a mere seven riders from about 35 entrants in the Pro 450 and Open Class managed to complete the full race distance. Defending champion, Dirkie Baard (Windhoek Honda) posted the fastest time-trial time, but experienced mechanical problems early in the race. Jacques Struwig (Boesman Racing) led the race for the best part, but engine problems early on the last loop stopped him in his tracks.

Second-placed rider Danie Coetzer (FD Racing KTM) had to retire with shock absorber problems and Baragwanath, who managed to overcome mechanical  problems and flat tyres, took the lead with Quad MX-ace, Kyle-James Holburn (Quad Revolution Suzuki) finishing in an excellent second place after not competing for a year due to injuries.

After an extremely hot morning, a typical Highveld thunderstorm caught most of the national competitors while they were busy with the last of four loops. Brendan Badenhorst (Brother KTM) was the only Open Class quad rider to finish and he earned himself the final podium position, less than a minute ahead of Juan Coetzee (Race Nation Honda), who was also leading the race earlier. Another former motocross racer, Eric Williams (Windhoek Honda) persevered after crashing and finished fifth – he was followed by local Ermelo businessman, Vincent Loubser (Team Yamaha) with Leonard dos Santos (Suzuki) the last finisher.

The action in the motorcycle category continued with top ten newcomer, Marius Venter (JCP Steel KTM) finishing fourth overall – only half a minute behind Mahoney. He was second in the 250cc Class, just over 26 minutes ahead of Mark Garland (ORD/Insurance Zone/Pro Action KTM) who finished 13th overall. Ruan Roberts (Brother KTM), who was injured the week prior to the race while practising, persevered and was rewarded with the 200cc Class laurels – he rounded off the top five.

Ex-two-stroke racer, Wynand Delport (BMW) adapted quickly to the bigger four-stroke G450X – he finished sixth overall and scored his first podium position in the Open Class behind the two DCM Yamaha riders. Delport was followed by former 125cc racer, Brandon Bouwer (Ramco Cayenne Honda), now competing in the 200cc Class where he finished in an excellent second place.

The two Queenstown brothers, Christopher and Jonathan Webster (Micks Motorcycles Yamaha) were home in eighth and ninth place respectively with Christopher beating his brother by only 31 seconds after more than eight and a half hours in the saddle!

The third DCM Yamaha team-member, Bradley van Aswegen, rounded off the top ten and the 200cc Class podium, 11 seconds behind Webster. A technical 220km section together with the heat and rain tested the riders’ limits and only the fittest survived. Between those were three 125cc Class competitors with Dominic Mantle (Yamaha) winning the class and finishing 22nd overall. Charan Moore (Connix Internet/Salley’s Yamaha) was second (29th overall) with Kent Plescia (Mafikeng Dirt Riders Yamaha) third and the last competitor to complete the full race distance in just over 10 hours.

The Senior Class (bike) championship was again hotly contested and the young Moore’s more experienced team-mate, Errol Dalton, showed that he means business this year when he scored his first victory for the season. Guy Henley (The Roost/Out of Africa Kawasaki) scored points in the second place with defending champ, Wayne Farmer (World of Accessories Gas-Gas) having to settle for third place.

In the Senior Quad Class, Capetonian Colin Joubert (Jag Quad Suzuki) survived a huge crash to win the class from the former multiple champ, Cornel de Villiers (CDV Racing Can-Am) with Vic Seabra (Quad Revolution Honda) third.

The Master Classes in both categories received championship status for this season and the lines were drawn for the rest of the year – Clive Crouse (Jag Quad Yamaha) was the first four-wheeler home with the former Senior Class champ, Johnny Lochner (Yamaha) winning the Master Class in the motorcycle category.

Two Junior National Off-road youngsters won the Silver Challenge in both categories – Timothy Young (Extreme Yamaha) was the first two-wheeler home with Henrique Marques (Yamaha Support Team) the first four-wheeler at the finish. Amanda Eardly (Eco 4x4 Powersport Can-Am) is back on her winning ways and claimed the first place in the Ladies Quad Class.

The second round of the 2010 championship will take place in the Vryburg area in the Northern Cape on 19 and 20 March.

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