Friday 30 October 2009

SIX OUT OF 8 LOOMS FOR NISSAN OFF-ROAD TEAM



NISSAN SAYS: Duncan Vos and Ralph Pitchford (Donaldson Nissan Navara) take on the final round of the Absa Off Road Championship for production vehicles, the RFS Magalies 400, in Gauteng this weekend (November 6 and 7) as the newly crowned national off road champions and winners of the premier class SP.

They will be aiming to win the season-ending event for the second year in succession and take their total wins this year to six out of eight.  Nissan Motorsport is aiming for its seventh win of the season (Hannes Grobler and Juan Mohr won the Nissan Sugarbelt 400 in KwaZulu Natal in May in a Donaldson Nissan Navara) and its 58th from 72 races since entering off road racing in 2001.

Grobler, national champion driver with Nissan in 2003, 2004 and 2006, is locked in a battle for runner-up honours with Nissan Motorsport team-mate Ivar Tollefsen (who is second with 82 points) and Toyota Hilux driver Gary Bertholdt (third with 73 points).  Grobler is fourth with 62 points and, with a maximum of 25 points on offer for an outright win, has his work cut out to haul in his Norwegian team-mate.

While Pitchford has wrapped up the co-drivers’ championship, Tollefsen’s co-driver Quin Evans (82 points), Grobler’s co-driver, 2008 champion Juan Mohr (62 points) and Bertholdt’s co-driver Andre Vermeulen (61 points) will squabble over who takes the overall honours for the season.

“Last year’s event was made particularly difficult by the rocky terrain and if the route is dry it will be very dusty this year,” said Glyn Hall, general manager of Nissan Motorsport.  “We’re hoping it will be rougher than last year.  While Duncan is under no real pressure, Ivar will be doing his best to finish second in the championship and Hannes will be pushing hard to score a win in his final appearance for Nissan.”


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