A decision by a Motorsport South Africa National Court of Appeal has added to the drama in the fight for the Production Vehicle championship at the RFS Magalies 400, the final round of the Absa Off Road Championship, at Tarlton International Raceway this weekend.
Following the court’s decision, with the findings released this week, only 10,5 points now separate six crews who are in the running for the Production Vehicle title. The ruling has also added a seventh crew to the mix.
The National Court of Appeal upheld an appeal by the MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission over the scoring of the Toyota 1000 Desert Race earlier in the season. Following on from the court decision the event has been rescored and, in terms of the revised championship points, the Barden Tyres Services Nissan Navara pair of Thomas Rundle and Juan Mohr drop from first place to fourth place.
Reigning champions Chris Visser and Japie Badenhorst (Team Ford Ranger) now lead the championship by five points from Visser’s brother Jannie and Joks le Roux in the International Toyota Hilux. Regent Racing Nissan Navara crew Mike Whitehouse and Mathew Carlson are a further 1,5 points behind in third with Rundle/Mohr another half point adrift in fourth place.
Two crews, Terence Marsh/George Smalberger (Regent Racing Nissan Navara) and former champion Duncan Vos and Rob Howie (Team Castrol Toyota Hilux) are tied 10,5 points behind Visser and Badenhorst. The court ruling has also brought into the fray a seventh crew in Malcolm Koch and Johann Burger (Kock and Sons Toyota Hilux) who have a mathematical chance of lifting the title.
In the premier SP Class title chase it is even closer with 5,5 points now separating five crews. The Regent Racing teams of Marsh/Smalberger and Whitehouse Carlson lead Chris Visser/Badenhorst, Jannie Visser/le Roux and Rundle and Mohr.
The revised Production Vehicle overall championship scoring is: C Visser/Badenhorst 77,5; J Visser/le Roux 72,5; Whitehouse/Carlson 71,0; Rundle/Mohr 70,5; Marsh/Smalberger and Vos/Howie 67; Kock/Burger 54,5. SP Class: Marsh/Smalberger 70; Whitehouse/Carlson 68; C Visser/Badenhorst 67; J Visser/le Roux 65,5; Rundle/Mohr 64,5.
