The VAPS HCV Vryheid 400, the fourth and penultimate round of the 2026 SA Rally-Raid Championship that took place in the Vryheid area in KwaZulu-Natal this past weekend, proved to be a proper humdinger and was not only characterised by changing weather conditions, but also by an extremely tricky and demanding route that kept competitors on their toes throughout the 420 kilometres of racing.
Image: Dave Ledbitter
Tested over two days that started off with a 17-kilometre Qualifying Race followed by Stage One that consisted of 79 kilometres on Friday, 9 October and Stages Two and Three of 162 kilometres each on Saturday, competitors had to keep their wits about them. The weather added to the testing conditions with thick mist in the morning that resulted in very poor visibility, especially in the plantations while dew caused even more slipping and sliding. To top it all, the pressure was palpable as teams were aiming for maximum points towards the title battles.
It was the multiple SA Rally champion, Guy Botterill and navigator, Henry Köhne in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux IMT EVO who claimed their third consecutive victory when they posted the best combined times of five hours, 26 minutes and 14 seconds over the two days and 420 kilometres of racing. The team had to open the road after finishing the first day as the leaders and lost some time with a puncture early on Stage Two.
They posted the best time after Stage Three to earn the laurels and were followed by their team-mates, Saood Variawa/Charan Moore who trailed them by a mere 72 seconds after a cautious approach and a consistent race.
The overall and Ultimate FIA T1+ podiums were rounded off by the local KZN team of Gareth Woolridge/Boyd Dreyer (Castrol NWM Ford Evo Plus) who survived a gruelling and eventful race. The team could not complete the qualifier and tackled Stage One from the back of the field only to be held up for more than 15 minutes by a civilian road accident. Running at the back of the field and having lost time, they then faced locked gates on the route as the farmers thought all the vehicles had passed.
The team eventually finished the first day in eighth place and prepared themselves for an uphill battle the second day. They kept their cool and were appreciative of teams who made way for them to pass during Stage Two and clawed their way to third place overall and in the class, trailing Variawa/Moore by three minutes and 44 seconds.
The German driver, Daniel Schröder and Juan Möhr were not too far down in fourth place (05:32:46) after starting the last day in third place. They were followed by the young lady driver, Puck Klaassen and Danie Stassen, who was competing in his 100th national event. It was Klaassen’s first outing in the #TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota Hilux and she enjoyed getting to know the vehicle and working hard on the tight and technical route. They were fifth overall and in the class with a total time of 05:41:15
The ongoing battle in Ultimate SA T1+ continued at the Vryheid event and in the end, Johan van Staden and his son, Sean (Red-Lined Revo T1+) claimed their second win of the season. The duo led the class from the qualifying race and overcame all the challenges to finish in a time of 05:48:30. They were followed by their rivals, Philip Botha/Andries Mynhardt, also in a Red-Lined Revo T1+, who lost a rear propshaft in Stage Two costing them valuable time. They were seventh overall (06:02:32).
There were, however, celebrations for Botha and Mynhardt who were the winners of the Road to Dakar Challenge. By entering and winning this challenge, the crew scored a full-fee entry into the 2027 Dakar Rally covering the fee for the driver and the race-vehicle and, where applicable, the crew.
Also in the top 10 were Abrie and Iaan Olivier who made their sponsors proud by not only finishing eighth overall, but the team rounded out the Ultimate SA T1+ podium in a time of 06:19:30.
The leading two teams in the Adventurer Class also bagged points towards the title chase. This time Nielen Marx/Rikus Hattingh (Red-Lined VK50) walked away with the silverware for the second consecutive race (06:25:34) beating the class leaders, Peet Victor/VanZyl Jonck (VAPS HCV Rally-Raid Red-Lined Revo VK50) who had some issues in Stage Three. They were 10th overall with a total time of 06:54:24.
It was a race of attrition that took its toll on competing teams. Among those who could not reach the finish, were the VAPS HCV Rally-Raid team of Tyler Botha and Kyle Lotter who completed the first day in 14th place. Lotter fell ill and was replaced by Gerhard Schutte, but the team could only finish Stage Two.
There was also bad luck for the remaining two Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid teams of Lance Woolridge, who stood in for the Lawlor family, with navigator André Vermeulen as well as Danie Ludick and Adriaan Roets who replaced Denzil Williamson for this event. Woolridge/Vermeulen posted the best time after the qualifier, but then suffered a broken input shaft during Stage One. The team then started the final day at the back of the field, but experienced problems again.
Ludick/Roets also started the second day within the top 10, but were involved in an unfortunate accident. The crew are OK, but could not finish the race.
Jayden Els/Johann Swemmer (Century Racing CR6-T) made a good start to the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400 and started the second day from fifth place, but could not complete Stage Two, the same stage that proved problematic for Pim Klaassen/Sasha Siripanyavuthi (DaklaPack Rallysport Red-Lined Revo T1+ GTR) who started the final day in 10th place overall.
The teams will regroup and be ready for the fifth and final event of the season, the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 that takes place on 13 and 14 November at Thabazimbi.
