Off-road Championship Battles To Continue At Vredefort 400

Aug. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- With the 2011 national off-road championship season nearing its end, the Vredefort 400, the fifth round of the series that takes place on 26 and 27 August in the Free State, will provide motorcycle and quad competitors with another chance to earn valuable points towards their title onslaughts while competing in a new race on this season’s calendar.
Standings in various classes as well as the overall standings in the motorcycle category have changed after the previous event where defending title holder, Jade Gutzeit (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) took the lead from his team-mate, Louwrens Mahoney, who experienced mechanical problems. Mahoney has dropped to second place overall (22 points behind Gutzeit) and to the second place (he is sharing this position with Kargo Racing’s Mark Garland on his Husaberg) behind new OR2 (250cc) Class leader, Riaan van Niekerk (Brother Broadlink KTM) who has now also stepped onto the third podium step of the overall standings leading fourth-placed Juan “Bollie” van Rooyen (Off Road Racing Concepts Kawasaki) by six points.
Marc Torlage (Mr Price Yamaha) is leading the OR3 (200cc) Class and is fifth on the overall standings leading sixth-placed Gray Dick (Brother Broadlink KTM) by seven points. Although only Gutzeit and Mahoney have won overall so far this season, Van Niekerk, Van Rooyen and Dick have all been on the podium after a race and might just cause a surprise at the Vredefort 400.
On four wheels Philipie Baard (PS Storm Racing Honda) has been leading the overall standings since winning the season opener which he followed up with another victory and two more runner-up positions, but after winning the last two races, former title holder, Brian Baragwanath (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) has moved into second place on the overall standings where he is 15 points behind Baard. There is no room for error if Baard wants to follow in his brother, Dirkie’s footsteps winning the title as Namibians in South Africa.
Veteran racer, Jacques Struwig (Boesman Racing Suzuki), has visited the podium three times, but could not finish the BELL 400 and dropped to the third place overall where he is now 17 points behind Baragwanath.
Behind them only five points separate fourth-placed Hannes Saaijman (EMD Racing BB Auto Suzuki) who is a mere three points ahead of former junior competitor, Cornel Kannemeyer (Water Rite Racing Suzuki) with David Hollis (Micks Motorcycles Yamaha), who finished third at the last race, a single point behind Kannemeyer and only a point ahead of seventh-placed Vincent Loubser (Team Yamaha). They will fight each other to keep or better their positions before the end of the season.
The rest of the top ten consists of national debutant, Christopher Fell (Rekohn Racing Yamaha) who is eighth, one point ahead of André du Plessis (EMD Racing BB Auto Suzuki) who has also been on the podium and former junior national champion, Giacomo Antiga (Team Can-Am) who would hope to have better luck after making his mark between the front runners. Chris van der Westhuizen (Honda) leads the Q2 (Open) Class.
In the motorcycle category only four points separate the riders from seventh to tenth place and although they do not stand a chance on the title, they would also aim to better their current positions. Ruan Roberts (Full Throttle Yamaha) finished on the podium at the Ermelo Toyota 400 and is now seventh; two points ahead of Wade Blaauw (Salley’s Yamaha) with Jonathan van Wyk (Ramco Honda), who has moved into the second place in OR3 behind Torlage, and motocross-ace, Ross Branch (Naledi Motors Wesbank Racing Honda), sharing the same amount of points, only two points behind Blaauw.
Branch will, however, not be competing at Vredefort due to other racing commitments giving 11th-placed Jonathan Webster (Micks Motorcycles Yamaha) or 12th-placed Altus de Wet or his Brother Broadlink KTM team-mate, who leads the Under 21 Class, Tyron Miller, a chance to move into the top ten.
The ding-dong battle in the Senior Class will continue between Guy Henley (Off Road Racing Concepts Kawasaki) and Wayne Farmer (LCP Racing Gas Gas) who are level on points after two victories and two runner-up results each. The rest is somewhat behind with Henley’s team-mate, Glen Croeser, in third place.
Sarel van Biljon (CDV Racing Can-Am) leads this battle on four wheels, but lady rider, Amanda Eardley (Echo 4x4 Powersport Can-Am) won at the BELL 400 after her first national race this season. She can upset the applecart again. None of the regulars could manage to finish a muddy and wet BELL 400 and Roxy dos Santos (Factory Racing Suzuki) is still second with Willie Roos (Rekohn Racing Yamaha) third.
In the quad category’s Master Class for riders from 46 years, Jurie Meyer (Yamaha Support) has made a clean sweep so far. Behind him second-placed Kobus Visser (Echo 4x4 Powersport Can-Am), who is also leading the Q3 Utility Class, and third-placed Tony dos Santos (Factory Racing Suzuki), who is only a point ahead of Peet Swanepoel (Honda), will again try to stop him.
Neil Gailey (Naledi Motors Wesbank Racing Yamaha) has a comfortable lead in the Master Class on two wheels where he leads Greg Blackwell (Kargo Racing KTM) by 29 points. Only three points separate Blackwell from Ian Pinkerton (The Roost KTM) who is again a single point ahead of Graham Ellison.
Junior rider, Darren Mcleod (Full Throttle Racing) still leads the Silver Class Challenge on two wheels although he is only three points ahead of Michael de Beer (The Roost KTM) while Henk Seevinck (Quad Revolution Suzuki) has a more comfortable lead on lady rider, Chardri Monk (KTM) on four wheels. Melissa van Rensburg (Synergy Interiors Racing Yamaha) leads the Ladies Quad Class.
The Vredefort 400 will start with a short time-trial on Friday, 26 August that determines the starting order for the race on Saturday (27 August). All the action will take place from the Doornpoort farms in the Vredefort area.

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