It was the perfect end to what was almost the perfect season for Nissan Motorsport - multiple national off road champion Hannes Grobler and co-driver Francois Jordaan took overall honours this afternoon in the Absa Off Road Championship season-ending Ford Carnival City 400 in their Proudly South African Nissan Hardbody 3,5-litre pickup, and Alfie Cox won his first overall off road drivers' championship with Ralph Pitchford in the second 3,5-litre Hardbody after finishing second despite starting the race near the back of the field.

Nissan also comprehensively wrapped up the prestigious manufacturers' championship for the year with a stunning 1-2-3 overall in today's race, with 2001 champion Duncan Vos and co-driver Hennie ter Stege finishing third in the 4,0-litre class SP Proudly South African Hardbody that will replace the 3,5-litre class F pickup from 2006.

For Grobler, aiming for his third successive and fifth national off road drivers' championship, it was a bitter sweet victory. But he was his usual genial and magnanimous self in missing out by just 5 points to his team-mate after a pulsating and close-fought eight-round championship.

"We had to win today with Alfie and Ralph finishing no higher than third, which would have given them 15 points to our 25 and we would have won the championship by a single point," explained Grobler.

"When we wrong-slotted in the prologue and lost some six minutes, finishing fourth among the production vehicles, we knew we were up against it. But Alfie and Ralph had even bigger problems and we knew we still had a good chance of pulling off the championship win. But you can never discount Alfie Cox."

"He has proved to be a really tough and relentless opponent this year and he and Ralph thoroughly deserve their first championship in the top class of national off road racing. Francois and I had our chances year, but it was not to be. We'll be back in 2006 with the new class SP Hardbody and we'll be doing everything we can to turn the tables on the Alfie and Ralphie show!" promised Gobbler.

Cox and Pitchford, in their first season in the top production vehicle class after winning class D in a Nissan Hardbody last year, won four events while Grobler and Jordaan won three. Cox, the greatest off road and enduro motorcycle champion this country has ever seen, extended his record total of national motor sport championships to 24 - 22 on two wheels and two on four.

"Winning this championship is very, very special," said an excited Cox. "I have loved being a part of the Nissan Motorsport team, who are without a doubt the most professional outfit in local motor sport today. I have been honoured to compete against Hannes, a champion team-mate, a genuine legend in motor sport and someone I have admired during my own racing career. The Nissan Hardbody is an absolutely awesome beast and I have been like a kid in a candy shop driving it in eight great off road events this year.

"My thanks and deepest admiration go to (team manager) Glyn Hall and his team. Glyn is a genius and he has gathered around him the greatest team. "Off road racing is a very tough, demanding and competitive form of motor sport, more so on the technical team than the driver and co-driver. Our victories today, in this event and in the championship, are a fitting reward to this fine team's hard work and dedication. I'm proud to be a member of the team."

Nissan Motorsport has won the last five national off road championships (driver, co-driver and manufacturer titles included) - in fact, ever since they entered off road racing in 2001 after winning four consecutive national touring car championships. The Nissan Hardbody has scored 32 victories in 40 races since the start of the 2001 season, a remarkable 80% success rate.

"It's been an amazing run," agreed Hall. "Nine national motor sport championships in a row. We couldn't have done this without the high calibre of drivers and co-drivers we have been fortunate to employ, the total commitment of a talented and hard-working team of engineers, designers and technicians and the full backing of Nissan's top management throughout all these years. I thank them all and I also thank our sponsors: Sasol, Champion and Ferodo."