Summarize

TreasuryOne Motorsport’s Hennie de Klerk and Adriaan Roets put their venerable 2018 Dakar Rookie winning Amarok onto the FIA T1 class Podium following a storming, if troubled run in the treacherous SA Rally Raid season opening Mpumalanga 400 in Dullstroom over the weekend. De Klerk and Roets started spectacularly with second overall in the Production Class in the Prologue, before bringing it home fourth T1 Friday. They moved up to third in class but slipped to 11th overall by the finish.

Run on two rather different terrains over Friday and Saturday, the route was made even more treacherous by persistent rain over the escarpment leading up to the race and through the two days. “Yes, we had a great Friday,” Hennie admitted. “But we could not convert that pace into a good result, which is a bit of a pity. “I over drove the car on Saturday and we had four punctures. “Then we got stuck in a river crossing.

“If that was not enough, we then hit a big rock which bent the propshaft. “The team did an incredible job to replace it within 30 minutes, with a little help from the WCT engineering crew. "Then a rock from a car in front smashed our windscreen, which Adriaan kicked out to allow me to at least see the road ahead, so to be honest, it was a bit of a frustrating day all round, but I suppose that podium was a great reward!"

“So, we are happy with a sold result and a podium in class on our national return, in spite of all our issues. “Now we must pull our necks in a little, turn our racing pace down a notch and focus on cleaner runs as we go. “The plan is to hone our pace to be strong and consistent with our new car at the Dakar in January. “We will take this podium and the finish, but we have some work to do by the time we get to the next national at Eston on 30 April. “Bring it on!”