Cross Country Racing Success with General Grabber MT
- General Grabber MT excels in tough racing conditions in Parys
- Multiple champions Nel and Pieterse won the race and set fastest lap time
- Exceptional braking, handling and cornering from superb Grabber MT
PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, 13 November 2014 – The General Grabber MT has proved its performance as one of the best heavy-duty mud-terrain 4×4 tyres on the South African market, but it can now also boast success in the adrenaline-fuelled cross country racing scene.
Equipped with General Grabber MT tyres, multiple champions Giel Nel and navigator Ferdie Pieterse won the latest round of the Africa-Offroad Racing Club’s regional championship, run under the auspices of World of Motorsport South Africa (WOMZA).
The Sasol Off-Road Motorsport Challenge, held in the Free State town of Parys, saw the duo start in 26th place out of 30 competitors due to it being their first time competing in the WOMZA series. They normally compete in the Northern Regions Championship run by Motorsport South Africa, campaigning their Class P Special Vehicle, powered by a Toyota 4,0-litre V6 engine.
Although the race was only 165 km long, it covered very rocky and harsh terrain that pushed the team, the vehicle and the new tyres to the limit.
“It was a great event and we thoroughly enjoyed the route,” says navigator Ferdie Pieterse. “We passed a number of competitors on the first lap and thereafter had a clean run. Going into the last lap we were vying for the lead with two other vehicles, and we pushed a little bit harder to secure the win and the fastest lap of the race.
“Switching to the General Grabber MT has been amazing. They are much wider than the tyres we used previously, and this has contributed to much better braking performance. Grip out of the corners has also vastly improved. The car turned and handled very well on the new Grabber MTs, especially considering that the race featured an incredibly twisty route that normally favours narrow front tyres.”
According to Pieterse, the tyres also showed very little sign of wear, despite the arduous terrain. This reinforces the Grabber’s proven reputation for exceptional durability.
While this was their first event in the Africa-Offroad Racing series, reigning 2013 Class P and overall Regional Special Vehicles champion Nel is currently lying second in class and third overall in the MSA Northern Regions standings.
Nel started racing in 1993, competing in rallying and off-road (now known as cross country) racing, but soon focused on the latter in the special vehicle category, which caters for spaceframe vehicles.
He secured the regional championship titles from 1993 to 1995, and followed this up with the national Class B titles in 2000, 2001 and 2003 when he was also crowned the overall national champion. Between 2010 and 2013 he claimed one overall and three Class P championships.
For this season he partnered up with Pieterse as navigator, who is currently placed second in class and overall for the navigators championship.
Pieterse also has a long pedigree in motorsport, including competing in motorcycle circuit racing and karting. He moved into the navigating role in off-road racing and claimed three national titles (1987, 1989 and 1990) in the local championship, as well as runner-up placings in 1986 and 1987 in the Sun International Off-Road series.
Pieterse starting racing again three years ago, but this time in the driver’s seat in a Class P Raceco. The vehicle is being completely rebuilt this year, thus opening the opportunity for him to navigate alongside Nel.
Together Nel, and Pieterse have scored five podium finishes so far in 2014. The season wraps up at the end of November on the Atlas Copco Gold 450 on Gauteng’s West Rand.
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