- The Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 takes place on 21–22 November
- Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer lead the overall standings by a three-point margin
- Hot and dusty conditions will welcome teams with over 100 kilometres of racing planned for Friday followed by approximately 300 kilometres on Saturday
With just one round remaining in the 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship, the Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team heads into the Northam Zondereinde Bushveld 400 (21–22 November) with determination, resilience and unbreakable teamwork. The championship is within sight but it will require perfect execution from the drivers, navigators and pit crew to bring it home.
Two days of racing stand between the team and the finish, with over 100 kilometres on Friday and a demanding 300 kilometres on Saturday. And although the Bushveld terrain promises a smoother, more flowing route than undulating and hidden tracks of the Vryheid 400, the physical toll from that brutal event will put an emphasis on hydration and nutrition. The deep ruts, harsh bumps and unrelenting jolts weighed heavily on drivers and navigators, leaving muscles stiff and ribs battered. Yet through the exhaustion and dust, Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer delivered a courageous and disciplined drive to secure their second win of the season – a victory that now puts them at the top of the championship standings for the first time this season.
What makes this even more impressive is that their campaign didn’t get off to the best start. In Round 2 at the Parys 400 and Ingco Vaal 400, a small mechanical issue denied Gareth and Boyd a good chance at victory but since then, every NWM Ford Ranger has delivered near-flawless reliability and the fight back to the front has been nothing short of maximum attack.
Now, as the championship reaches its decisive moment, the situation is far tighter than during their 2023 title-winning run. Back then, Gareth and Boyd headed into the final round with a comfortable 17-point margin. This year, just three points separate them from their closest rivals, Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet (Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux), with veteran Giniel de Villiers (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid DKR T1+) still lurking in contention. With the gap razor-thin, there is no room for caution and the only option is a full, determined push for victory.
Adding to the enormity of the challenge is the scale of competition. The Castrol NWM Ford Rally-Raid Team is comparatively small in size, but rich in experience and technical expertise. While they will be going up against larger teams fielding more vehicles, NWM’s tight-knit structure and decades of combined rally-raid knowledge, including the Dakar Rally as recently as 2023, have been central to their success. It’s a classic case of going above and beyond the physical limitations.
“Koedoeskop and its surrounds hold special memories from our 2023 championship win, but this year the battle is far more intense,” says Team Principal Neil Woolridge. “The Bushveld is fast, hot and extremely dusty. Visibility can define your entire race. This event won’t physically punish the crews in the same way Vryheid did, and the GPS navigation should be more reliable, but the pressure is immense. All three Castrol NWM Ford crews and our mechanics will need to work together if we want to bring this championship home.”
Preparations for the finale have been nothing short of meticulous. At NWM’s Pietermaritzburg headquarters, every Castrol NWM Ford was stripped down and rebuilt with great attention to high-wear items. Telemetry from the season was analysed to uncover even the smallest areas for improvement. Several refined upgrades will make their debut in Koedoeskop, designed to deliver greater stability and performance across the fast, flowing terrain.
After finishing fifth in Vryheid’s punishing conditions, teammates Marcos Baumgart and navigator Kleber Cincea remain firmly in the fight. Baumgart is fifth among drivers with 55 points, while Cincea – despite missing two rounds – sits on 39 navigator points. Wors Prinsloo and André Vermeulen’s sixth-place finish places Prinsloo 10th in the drivers’ standings (33 points) and Vermeulen fifth among navigators (45 points). In the Constructors Standings, NWM holds second with 206 points, behind SVR (358 points) and ahead of Red-Lined (168 points).
Koedoeskop Primary School will once again form the heart of the event, hosting the Start/Finish, DSP and Race Headquarters. Spectators are encouraged to visit the DSP and enjoy the warm hospitality of the local community.
The 22km qualifying stage begins at 9:30 on Friday, 21 November, setting the order for the 87km Stage 1 at 13:00. The main race gets underway at 8:30 on Saturday, sending crews into a challenging 200km Stage 2 before a high-intensity 30-minute service window. Everything will culminate in the final 87km sprint where the 2025 South African Rally-Raid Champions will be crowned in a winner-takes-all charge to the finish.
