SOUTH RACING
30th Baja Portalegre 500
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, round 9
October 27-29, 2016
For immediate release
Monday, October 24th, 2016
SOUTH RACING WRAPS UP 2016 SEASON BY FIELDING SEVEN-CAR TEAM IN PORTUGAL’S BAJA PORTALEGRE 500
· Pons, Ré and Hozák drive three DMAS South Racing Ford Rangers
· South Racing runs four Toyotas for Alvarez, Moraes, Barros and Gutierrez
PORTALEGRE (PORTUGAL): 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 Tomáš Ouřednīček and then we have our fleet of four Toyotas Hiluxes, driven by Fernando and Luciano, the owner of the Rally dos Sertões, Marcos Moraes, and Sylvio Barros and Rodrigo Gutierrez.
“Marcos is looking for another strong performance after finishing last year’s Baja Portalegre. Barros is making his international debut and Rodrigo is using the event as preparation for Dakar with South Racing.”
Organised by the Automóvel Club de Portugal, documentation and scrutineering checks will take place at the NERPOR facility next Thursday (October 27) and precede the ceremonial start that is being hosted by the Tarro Gardens in downtown Portalegre for the first time on Thursday evening from 22.00hrs.
The bulk of the competitive action takes place on Friday and Saturday (October 28-29) through remote rural terrain in eastern Portugal. Action gets underway with a timed super special stage of 5.62km at Coutades and then a longer and more demanding Ponte de Sor stage of 83.15km.
Two further selective sections of 220.52km and 198.11km take place on Saturday from 07.10hrs and 13.30hrs before the ceremonial finish at NERPOR from 17.30hrs. In a total route of 642.46km, race officials have planned 507.40km against the clock.
The event ran for the first time under the name of Rali Maratona de Portalegre Finicisa in 1987 and was the brainchild of ex-Dakar driver José Megre. Former winners in the car category include Carlos Sousa, the late Colin McRae, Dakar legend Stéphane Peterhansel, Poland’s Krzysztof Holowczyc and the 2014 and 2015 winner Ricardo Porém.
Ends
For further information: contact Scott Abraham, South Racing, Email: Scott.Abraham@southracing.com, Tel: + 49 172 6662880.