– Pons, Ré and Hozák drive three DMAS South Racing Ford Rangers
– South Racing runs four Toyotas for Alvarez, Moraes, Barros and Gutierrez
Germany-based South Racing draws the curtain on a busy and successful season of cross-country rallying by fielding the largest line-up of cars in the company’s history at the 30th Baja Portalegre 500, the final round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, on October 27-29.
South Racing will run three DMAS South Racing Ford Rangers for the former WRC star Xavier Pons, Alexandre Ré and Czech driver Petr Hozak, while South Racing has entered a quartet of Toyota Hiluxes for Spaniard Fernando Alvarez, Brazil’s Marcos Moraes and Sylvio Barros and Bolivia’s Rodrigo Gutierrez.
Pons is using the Portuguese finale to the FIA World Cup to make his final preparations for the Dakar Rally. With support from Esponsorama, the Spaniard teams up with new navigator Ruben Garcia at the three-day Baja Portalegre, which has again received an oversubscribed entry of cars, quads and bikes.
Alexandre and Pedro Re have backing from Primus Victoria for the second of the Ford Rangers and Hozák teams up with Slovakian Marek Sykora with support from the Giraffe Facility for the third Ford. The Czech is driving the Ranger for the first time, but has considerable experience in more conventional European special stage rallies.
Alvarez teams up with Argentinean Luciano Genonni to drive the Conarpesa-backed Toyota, Moraes is partnered by Brazil’s Fabio Pedroso in the Dunas Sertões-backed car and fellow Brazilian Rafael Capoani sits alongside Barros in an iCarros Toyota run by South Racing.
Gutierrez and fellow Bolivian navigator Juan Pablo Vargas round off the line-up in the Toyosa/La Belgica car. The Bolivian has tackled the Portuguese event on one occasion in the past and finished the Dakar in 44th position last year before switching to a South Racing car for the 2017 event.
The 30th edition of the Baja Portalegre is shaping up to being one of the biggest events of the year and a great way to end the 2016 season, enthused South Racing’s managing director Scott Abraham. It has been a good year for South Racing, growing and consolidating our position in the market. None of this would have been possible without our great team and backing of partners and customers. Our line-up for Portalegre is the biggest in the company’s history.
Xevi Pons will be racing the latest specification Ford Ranger in preparation for Dakar with Ruben Garcia sitting next to him. Portugal’s Alexandre and Pedro Ré make a return to racing after several years and could surprise a lot of people.
Petr Hozák and Marek Sykora will debut in the Ford normally driven by Tomá Ouřednī