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 | ABSA 2010: Family affair at Adenco 400 Rally, and schools to profit.
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The Adenco 400 in the Western Cape on March 19 and 20, round one of the South African Absa Off Road Championship, will again have a family flavour with schools in the Darling area also set to benefit financially from the event. Bes Bezuidenhout, a co-founder of the Sponsor "Adenco", will not be competing in the race this year – but his three sons will keep the family flag flying. And the MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission has made available R10 000 for a competition involving local schools.
Business commitments force Bezuidenhout senior to miss this year’s race, and he has not yet decided whether he will compete in Class B or Class P in the Special Vehicle category later this season. However, Bezuidenhout’s three sons will be racing.
Johann Bezuidenhout, the reigning Class P driver’s champion, will be out in the Adenco BAT with elder brother Deon doing co-driving duties. The third brother, Etienne, is to switch from the Special Vehicle category to Production Vehicles and will share the Adenco Ford Ranger in Class E with rookie Hanro Visser.
"Although I won’t be racing that weekend I’ll be there to see how the boys are doing," said Bezuidenhout senior. "Hopefully they will do well and get the season off to a good start for the family."
The family atmosphere at the event also extends to the community with Darling College responsible for the food and beverage sales at the start/finish and designated service point at the Darling Sports Club. Local businessman Andre Kirsten and the Darling Golf Club are also responsible for catering at the prize-giving.
Another local businessman, Theo Basson, will co-ordinate a major drive to involve schoolchildren from Darling and surrounding areas with the event. The school with the most children attending the race will win R5 000 with the second and third placed schools winning R3 000 and R2 000 respectively. The Cape Peninsula Motorcycle and Car Club, which organises the event, also make an annual donation to the Mamre Old Age Home.
"Theo and Andre have been involved with the event since its inception eight years ago, and put a huge amount of time and effort into the event which provides a massive cash injection into community coffers," said Bezuidenhout. "We are very grateful for the support and enthusiasm we get from the landowners and community. That Darling, Yzerfontein and surrounding areas benefit from the event is just reward for the support they give us."
The Donaldson Prologue to determine grid position will start at 13:30 on Friday, March 19 and the Adenco 400 at 08:00 on Saturday, March 20. The start/finish and the designated service area are all at the Darling Sports Club. Entrance is free.
2010/02/25 | 09:21 CET | Editor: MR/HS/FORTUNE
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