MOTORSPORT NEWS
Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer claimed victory in the incredibly challenging VAPS HCV Vryheid 400, propelling them into the lead of the SA Rally-Raid Championship.
Former SA Rally-Raid Champions, Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer, from Pietermaritzburg, emerged victorious at the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400. Driving their Castrol NWM Ford Rally Raid Evo Plus, they conquered the extremely tough and challenging two-day race, held on Saturday, November 1st, across the plantations, farmlands, and valleys in the Vryheid area.
The Vryheid 400 race proved to be a formidable challenge, with competitors describing it as one of the toughest due to tricky navigation and a demanding route. A massive rainstorm on the final day further complicated conditions, testing both man and machine.
Despite the adversities, Woolridge / Dreyer clinched their second victory of the season and took the overall championship lead with one event remaining. They led the race from the start, winning the 17km https:// www. falken. co. za / Wild Peak Prologue on Friday, October 31st, and posting the fastest time after Stage One. With the best combined times for the day, they started Stage Two on Saturday in the lead, tasked with opening the road for the two 163km racing sections. The route demanded constant vigilance and focus from competitors to avoid costly mistakes.
Adding to the difficulty, organisers halted the race on the final stage after 133 kilometres due to a severe rainstorm. The Force Majeure rule was applied, allowing competitors to earn full points as over 75 % of the route was completed. Woolridge / Dreyer were among the few teams to reach the finish before the halt, securing their victory despite a puncture on Saturday. Woolridge expressed that it was the most difficult race he had ever done, and the team was elated to win on home turf.
Their total race time of 06:18:43 was a mere 53 seconds faster than Saood Variawa / Francois Cazalet( Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux IMT EVO), who started Saturday in sixth place and chased hard. While they posted the best time on Saturday, it wasn ' t enough to compensate for the time lost on Friday. Giniel de Villiers / Dennis Murphy(# TeamHilux Rally- Raid DKR Hilux T1 +) also challenged the Ford team, but minor errors in the first half of the race resulted in a third-place overall finish and third in Ultimate FIA T1 +, just 43 seconds further behind.
WORDS IN ACTION 40 OCTOBER 2025