Summarize

The weekend’s Parys South African Rally-Raid Championship Ingco Parys 400 and Ingco Vaal 400 double-header produced some mixed results for Red-Lined Motorsport in the Free State. The team’s three-car T1+ Ultimate class crews showed some great pace over both days, recording two top 10 results on the Friday. It was however another great weekend for the team in the T1 Adventure class.

“This was just another one of those unpredictable motorsport weekends,” Red-Lined team principal Terence Marsh reported. “Our trio of Ultimate class Red-Lined REVO T1+ GT-Rs once again showed great potential, running close to the front end of the field throughout the Friday event with all reaching the finish with no major issues and two top ten results. Saturday’s Ultimate class outcome was however a completely different story as the racing gods decided to give us a really good kick in the nuts as we were literally making our way to the finish line, but our T1 Adventure guys were once again up to the task going on to record a 100% finishing record across both events together with four podium placings.”

Chris Visser and Albertus Venter led the Red-Lined Ultimate T1+ pro class charge aboard their REVO T1+ GT-R and were consistently quick over the weekend with a 7th overall on the Friday but then succumbing to a rear brake disc failure on the Saturday afternoon while again running comfortably in the top ten. 

Red-Lined Europe’s CEO Rients Hofstra together with SA navigator Wade Harris reading the notes, were also right in the mix and hovering around the top 5 from a pace perspective on the Saturday morning before they hit a ditch in the afternoon’s loop damaging their steering rack and putting an end to their charge. They had finished a credible 9th overall during the Friday’s event. Dutch duo, Dave and Tessa Klaassen meanwhile enjoyed a steady run to 12th overall on the Friday in their DaklaPack Rallysport REVO T1+ GTR before having to retire their race car late on Saturday afternoon with a turbo failure.

Running in the semi-professional T1 Adventure class, Red-Lined privateers Gerhard Heinlein and Stompie Mynhardt raced to an impressive second place in class across both days in their Sirkel N VK56 to leave the weekend as Championship leaders with just two rounds remaining. Rookie crew Danie Ludick and Denzil Williamson impressed on debut by not only finishing both events but also collecting a pair of fourth places aboard their Elegant Fuels VK56 Evo 3. Johan de Bruyn and Adriaan Roets also went on to complete both events which included a third-place podium on the Saturday to keep their Championship hopes alive in their Falken Tyres REVO T1. 

“Hats off to our ever-consistent and impressive T1 privateers for yet another 100% finishing rate together with some great results and podium places all-round on what was a fast, dusty and demanding route,” Terence concluded. “We were not as lucky in the Ultimate T1+ class this weekend, but that is all part of the game as we continue to develop these highly advanced race cars and narrow the gap to the mega budget factory entries. We remain excited about the remainder of the season and the lead-up to Dakar 2025.”

The South African Rally-Raid Championship remains in the Free State for the next round when Red-Lined Motorsport returns to action at the Welkom 400 on the weekend of 13-14 September.