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NISSAN'S GROBLER AND JORDAAN WIN
ABSA OFF ROAD SEASON-OPENER IN WESTERN CAPE
SOUTH AFRICA OFF ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP Rd.1 Nissan Dealer 400
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| Copyright © NISSAN |
Darling, Western Cape, 18 March 06 - Nissan retained their unbeaten record in the Darling, Western Cape-based Nissan Dealer 400 when they took their fourth consecutive victory this afternoon.
Former champions Hannes Grobler and Francois Jordaan drove their Proudly South African Nissan Navara to a second consecutive win in the opening round of the Absa Off Road Car Championship. They won the newly created Super Production class in 5 hr 29 min 16 sec and finished 15 min 23 sec ahead of the class SP Ford Ranger of former champions Neil Woolridge and Kenny Skjoldhammer.
Third overall and third in class SP were former champions Duncan Vos and Ralph Pitchford in the second 4-litre V6-engined Proudly South African Navara, who finished 11 min 55 sec behind Woolridge and Skjoldhammer and 27 min 18 sec behind Grobler and Jordaan.
Nissan also won the manufacturers' award with Grobler, Vos and Coetzee Labuscagne/Johan Gerber (who finished seventh and second in class D in their Raysonics Nissan Hardbody behind the Toyota Hilux of Chris Visser and Japie Badenhorst).
Vos had started from pole position after setting the fastest time in Friday's 40-km prologue but was passed by both Grobler and Woolridge when he stopped to change a wheel 60 km from the start after hitting a rock in the road and puncturing a tyre.
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| Copyright © NISSAN |
While Grobler led for the rest of the 375-km Saturday route, which consisted of three laps of 125-km in the Darling area, Vos chased down the Ford, passing it at the start of lap 2 when Woolridge stopped in the pits for a quick check. Vos closed the gap to Grobler to 2 min 23 sec before the power steering and alternator fan belt broke about 60 km from the end of lap two and the mandatory 15-minute pit stop.
Vos had to work hard to keep the Navara on the road without the benefit of power steering and limped into the pits 4 min behind Woolridge and 13 min behind Grobler. The Nissan Motorsport pit crew performed one of their trademark super quick repair jobs, removing the engine protection plate and replacing the fan belt in less than 15 minutes.
It was Nissan's 33rd win in 41 starts since the start of the 2001 season and saw Grobler, the winningest driver in off road racing, take his second win in succession after winning the final round of the 2005 season at Carnival City.
"It was a great start to the season although we're sorry for Duncan after his excellent showing in the prologue and his speed on Saturday morning," said Nissan Motorsport general manager Glyn Hall.
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| Copyright © NISSAN |
"It was a good result under the circumstances and full credit to our hard-working and dedicated engineers and technicians and thanks to our sponsors, Sasol, Champion and Ferodo.
"And a big thank you to the Nissan privateers who scored points today: Coetzee Labuscagne in his class D Hardbody, who helped us win the important manufacturers' award for the day, and Arnold du Plessis who finished 10th overall and fourth in class D in his BB Auto Group Hardbody."
Second round of ABSA, "Nissan Sugarbelt 400" will be held on 5-6 May around KwaZulu Natal.
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