Team Ford Racing maintained their run of podium finishes
with the team having appeared on the rostrum at every round of the Donaldson
Cross Country championship thus far this season.
Chris Visser and Japie Badenhorst didn’t have it all their own way but still managed to put in a tenacious performance to take third place at this weekend’s Vryburg 400.
Staged in dry and dusty conditions, the Vryburg route was once home to the Toyota 1000 Desert Race before the event was moved to Botswana in the early nineties.
Visser and Badehorst had an eventful start to the race, following a difficult prologue session. Their progress in the first loop was hampered when damage to a rear differential protector forced them to stop, losing them numerous positions. Nevertheless they knew they had the pace and were able to quickly make their way through the field in an impressive showing.
“We could definitely have done without the challenges thrown at us, but having said that, coming back through the field the way we did proved exciting and was a tribute to the astounding capabilities of the Ford Ranger,” said Visser.
Lance Woolrdige and Ward Huxtable failed to finish the event following a gearbox problem.
“Obviously not finishing is a disappointment but if we try to find a positive in the situation, failures give us the opportunity to better understand the lifespan of components on the vehicle which will help us in future planning,” explained Woolridge.
With the season now entering its final stages there will be everything to play for in the final rounds. The next round of the championship which takes places in the Free State will be a Ford sponsored event, further adding to the team’s overall motivation.
“We have had a fantastic season thus far with a podium finish at every race, but we’ll need to go all out for victory if we are to stay in the championship race,” explained Ford Racing Manager John Nagel. “We’ll have plenty of support from the Blue Oval fans at the Ford Dealer 400 in October and the team will no doubt be aiming for a victory.”
STORY BY FORD
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