Sun City, South Africa (May 12, 2007)
Former national champions Duncan Vos and Ralph Pitchford won the Sun City 400 on Saturday in their Nissan Navara to give Nissan Motorsport its third successive Absa Off Road Car Championship victory on Saturday.
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| Copyright © Nissan South Africa |
It was Nissan's 40th win from 51 races since returning to national championship off road racing in 2001. Nissan also won the manufacturers' team challenge for the day with the factory Nissan Navaras of reigning champions Hannes Grobler and Francois Jordaan (winners of the first two rounds this year) finishing third and international pairing Norwegian Ivar Tollefsen and Briton Quin Evans completing the 420-km race in fifth place in the production vehicle category.
Vos and Pitchford won Friday's 55-km prologue and led throughout Saturday's race, run over two laps of a 120-km loop centred on Sun City and a longer third 180-km loop.
Tollefsen and Evans delivered another impressive performance in only their third off road race in South Africa.
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| Copyright © Nissan South Africa |
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After their excellent second place in the Nissan Hluhluwe 400 four weeks ago, they recovered from a seventh place start and an engine misfire on loop two, to find themselves in a strong fourth place at the start of the third and final loop. A puncture early in the final loop lost them about three minutes and allowed the Toyota of Cronje and Birkin to close on them. Also just 28 km from the finish they were forced to stop and replace another flat wheel, giving up an almost certain fourth place.
Vos and Pitchford were delighted with their first win since the Toyota Dealer 400 in Mpumalanga in round seven last year. "It was not easy," said Vos, one of the fittest drivers in the championship. "It was a tough route and it demanded respect. You can't just hang your tail out and hope for the best."
The next round of ABSA, round four, "Toyota 1000 Desert Race" will be held on 15-16 June.
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