Summarize

It may have taken two navigators to get the job done, but Terence Marsh had both Letshego Zulu and Wade Harris at his side as he steered his Red-Lined Motoring Adventures Nissan Navara VK50 to Class T victory and tenth overall as the South African Cross Country Championship finally emerged from lockdown on a splendid racing route on the Bronkhorstspruit 400 over the weekend. 

Ernest Roberts and Henry Kohne meanwhile saw to Red-Lined taking the Team Prize as they overcame a few teething troubles to storm from the back of the field in their brand new FIA class Dragon Energy Nissan Navara VK56 home just ahead of their teammates in ninth overall, but the team’s Youth Program Development Side-by Side class Can Am buggy duo Kent Rutherford and Gerhard Schutte had to take an early shower.

Marsh and substitute navigator Harris, who took Zulu’s place as Letshego was doing a Women’s Month talk back in Jozi on Friday, were slapped with an open section speeding penalty on Friday before regular notes lady Zulu jumped back into the hot seat on Saturday. “My little speeding ticket on Friday had us with our backs against the wall on Saturday,” Terence explained.

“So our race day strategy was to just keep out of trouble and then consider our situation again midway. “We had a good first lap and our policy was working on the fast, rough and dusty route, which took its toll on our rivals, so we decided to continue with that safe and sure strategy and that paid off as we came home tenth overall and first in T1. "It was also Letshego’s first national win and a perfect result in her birthday month and in Woman’s Month!” 

Roberts and Kohne suffered gear linkage issues in the prologue, which also compromised their race “We had a simple little bolt fail in the linkage, which meant we could not change gears and were forced to stop after 14km on the Prologue,”  Ernest pointed out. “That put us on the back foot as we were last away in the dust on Saturday, so we decided to push hard and see what this new Red-Lined machine is made of.

"The race went very well and the new car showed excellent pace considering the dust and us having to pass so many cars, although we lost a few places with a puncture late in the day. “Still we ended up ninth overall to clinch the Team Prize — a good result considering that we raced a totally untested brand new car.”

The race ended early for 18-year old Rutherford and his experienced navigator Schutte. “We had a good prologue, but race day never lasted too long for us,” Kent confirmed. “We had some kind of engine issue, the buggy went into limp mode and we could not get it to run clean after that so we had to park it. “Next time!”

Next time will be the third round of the 2020 season, when Red-Lined Motoring Adventure returns to action at the Nampo 400 on 18 and 19 September around Bothaville in the Free State.