Page 30 - INTRA MUROS December 2020

MOTORING

SACCS + NWM + FORD SA =

A GREAT DAY AT THE OFFICE!

By Alan Rosenmeyer and Chris Wall

When you crack an also held at the Parys Airfield, so I knew At last year’s event we were transported
invite from Ford South what to expect and where we’d be headed to the spectator points in a fleet of Ranger
to see the racers fly by at speeds on gravel
Raptors, and this year we travelled in the
Africa to attend the Ford and veld that will blow your mind. comfort of a few Ford Tourneo Customs,
Parys 400, a round of perfect long range people carriers. Of
the SA Cross Country It’s especially scary when you’re standing course, they weren’t as quick on the gravel,
in the path of a Ford Ranger which is
Championship Series barrelling towards you with such speed but having your own aircon vent blasting
ice cold air on you when the outside
(SACCS), you clear your that you know if the driver just blinks temps were in the mid-30s was something
calendar and make sure at the wrong time you could end up I wouldn’t have traded on that day.
you go. sharing space with splattered bugs on There was definitely a noticeable decrease
the grille. Of course, with the NWM crew,
they’re all pros so that won’t (shouldn’t) in the number of spectators due to the
happen. Ford Ranger #334 was piloted COVID-19 restrictions, but there were still
know from experience that going to a leg by Lance Woolridge with Elvéne Vonk (a enough people out and about tracking
of the SA Cross Country Championship name you really should know if you’re a and supporting their favourite drivers to
I Series has to be a priority, having fan of motorsport in SA) as the navigator. create some small traffic jams and to make
attended one of the rallies, which involved Ford Ranger #377 saw Gareth Woolridge the competitors perform that much harder.
the crew from Neil Woolridge Motorsport at the wheel with Boyd Dreyer taking on There really are die-hard motorsport fans
(NWM), towards the end of 2019. It was navigation duties. in SA - my kinda people!

28 INTRA MUROS DECEMBER 2020