Donna Collins
The hugely popular Wesbank Weskus Vasbyt 4×4 event, which is a traditional highlight of the December festive season down at the coast, is once again being staged at the desert amphitheatre on 30 December, behind Dune 7.
With the event counting towards the Namibian Vasbyt 4×4 National Championships, drivers and co-drivers are ready for a showdown with a last shot at a podium win. Wesbank Finance is sponsoring this event together with Iron Man.
The chairman of Namib Desert 4×4 Club, Theuns van Zyl, says organisers have prepared well in advance for this event.
Gates open at 08h00 with 10 obstacles set out to challenge even the most resilient 4×4 drivers. Other than the ‘mud gat’ and tyre trench, there will be some extreme inclines, declines and cliff-hangers, which will keep the teams on their toes.
“We are expecting a full house of about 25 entries on the day, with three ‘extreme vehicles’ coming from South Africa,” he says, adding that a separate track has been set up for this crowd thriller.
The awesome and colourful machines with entries from Windhoek, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are competing in three classes, that is, CLASS A – short wheel base standard 4×4 vehicles; CLASS B – long wheel base standard 4×4 vehicles and CLASS C – any 4×4 vehicles with limited slip or lockable differentials.
Currently, leading the championship standings with 1 540 points are coastal lads Herman and Nico Theron, who are hoping to bring the title trophy home this year in the Modified C Class. Another hopeful for the championship podium is Class C driver, Martin Theron, from Windhoek with his 15-year-old daughter and co-driver Simone, who have notched up 1 460 points in their white Vasbyt custom style Jeep.
It is a tight battle among the front runners, with Morne Oosthuisen and Niels Gartner hot on their heels with 1 430 points, while Renier and Johan R la Cock are also strong contenders, as well as Chris Bruyns and Frank Scholtz.
Entry costs per person and per vehicle will be N$20, and the Namib Desert 4×4 Club are gearing up for another huge and entertaining Vasbyt 4×4 event, which has become a not-to-be-missed climax for the holiday season.