Castrol NWM Ford Gears Up for Vryheid 400 as Title Fight Heats Up

PRETORIA, South Africa, 28 October 2025 – The 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) is building toward a thrilling finale as competitors prepare for the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400, the fifth and penultimate round of the season, taking place on 31 October and 1 November 2025. Originally postponed due to flooding earlier in the year, the much-anticipated return to KwaZulu-Natal promises action-packed racing on some of the most demanding terrain of the season.

The Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team heads into the event with strong momentum following an outstanding double podium at the Outeniqua 400. The result has tightened the overall championship battle, setting the stage for an intense showdown in Vryheid.

Leading the Ford charge are Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer, who remain firmly in the hunt for the championship title. Their second-place finish at the previous round, despite contending with three punctures, proved crucial, reducing the gap to the leaders to just four points.

Woolridge and Dreyer currently sit second in both the Overall and Ultimate FIA T1+ Championship standings with 96 points, trailing Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet (100 points). Woolridge is tied with Giniel de Villiers in the Ultimate FIA T1+ Drivers’ standings.

Team Principal Neil Woolridge said the double podium at Outeniqua was a testament to the team’s continued development efforts. “Our focus on improving reliability and performance has really paid off, and the results in Outeniqua proved that the hard work is delivering where it counts. The team has great energy at the moment; there’s belief, determination, and a real sense of unity as we head into these crucial final stages of the championship. Experience will count for a lot in the next two rounds and it’s vital that we remain focused and composed under pressure. Everyone knows what’s at stake, and we’re up for the challenge.”

Teammates Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea delivered their best performance of the year at the Outeniqua 400, finishing third overall. The Brazilian crew demonstrated consistent pace throughout the event and now sit fifth in the Overall Drivers’ standings.

After a challenging outing at Outeniqua, Wors Prinsloo and André Vermeulen are looking to bounce back in Vryheid. A driveshaft issue ended their race early, cutting short what had been a promising run following their career-best podium finish at the previous round. Prinsloo is currently ninth in the Overall Drivers’ standings on 23 points.

Based at the Vryheid Airfield, which will serve as the Designated Service Point (DSP), Start/Finish, and Race Headquarters, the Vryheid 400 will feature a demanding mix of forest roads, farmland tracks and mountainous terrain.

The action kicks off on Friday, 31 October, with the 15 km Falken Wild Peak Prologue starting at 09:30, followed by a 52 km Stage One at 13:00. Saturday’s racing features two extended stages of 183 km each, set north of Vryheid, combining fast forest sections with technical mountain trails - the only forest stages featured in this year’s championship. Competitors will return to the DSP between stages for a compulsory 30-minute service.

With the top contenders separated by only a handful of points, the Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team will be aiming to capitalise on their recent progress to secure maximum points in Vryheid and keep their championship ambitions alive heading into the grand finale.

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The Castrol NWM Ford Team is proud to be supported by the following sponsors and partners: Castrol EDGE, bp Ultimate, Vedacit, Ford Credit, Mastercraft, Sparco, Brembo, NTN, Veldskoen and Tiger Wheel & Tyre.

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Follow the team’s updates and progress on the following social media channels:

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