Rally of Morocco – October 3-9, 2019
2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, round 4
For immediate release
Wednesday, October 9th, 2019
AUSTIN JONES HEADS SOUTH RACING CAN-AM TEAM’S
SUCCESSFUL RALLY OF MOROCCO CHALLENGE
· American racer Jones finishes fourth in T3 in his South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3
· Fedor Vorobyev finishes as FIA T3 series runner-up with seventh place in Morocco
· Six South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3s reach finish of gruelling African classic
FES (MOROCCO): The South Racing Can-Am Team overcame the rigours and demands of the Rally of Morocco to bring all six Can-Am Maverick X3s and two of three further South Racing-prepared Can-Ams to the finish of the final round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.
Brazil’s Reinaldo Varela confirmed the FIA T3 World Championship title by finishing first overall in his South Racing-prepared Can-Am, while Austin Jones guided the first of the South Racing Can-Am Team Mavericks to the finish in fourth place behind Russia’s Sergei Kariakin, Varela and Russia’s Aleksandr Dorosinskiy. The American and fellow countryman Kellon Walch finished over four hours clear of fifth-placed Aleksei Shmotov.
The Russian duo of Fedor Vorobyev and Kirill Shubin survived their fair share of time delays to bring the Zavidovo Racing Team Can-Am to the finish in seventh place in the T3 category. The points earned confirmed that the Russian finished as the runner-up in the T3 series behind Varela.
The Chilean crew of Hernan Garces and Juan Pablo Latrach finished in eighth overall after surviving a role in the dunes. Oman’s Abdullah Al-Zubair and Faisal Al-Raisi were ninth in their AZ Racing Team Can-Am after overcoming a time-consuming electrical issue.
The Andorra-based Russian duo of Ilya Rouss and Anton Yarashuk overcame time delays and penalties to complete the rally in 11th and Poland’s Aron Domzala was 12th with navigator Maciej Marton. On his first appearance with a South Racing Can-Am – after making the switch from the T1 section – Domzala was the early leader before a crash cost him any chance of taking a debut victory in T3.
South Racing Can-Am team principal Scott Abraham said: “This was a great race for the South Racing Can-Am Team. We had a global team at the event. Aron got off to a cracking start over the first two stages and really surprised the whole cross-country community with the pace he had in the Can-Am. Unfortunately, on the third day, he was taken out in the same hole as (Fernando) Alonso and (Bernhard) Ten Brinke and lost that day.
“He had a trying next day and finished today on three wheels. Fedor had another consistent rally. He was quick and running top five in a lot of the stages. He and Kirill have come a long way since the start of the year. Their focus now shifts to the Baja in Portugal at the end of October to try and wrap up the FIA Baja World Cup.
“Ilya Rouss and Anton were here to get experience before their Dakar. They delivered solid performances every day without issues and achieved their goal of a finish. Abdullah Al-Zubair had a good start to the event and then had electrical issues on the fourth day, but was able to finish the event. It was also a great rally for Austin Jones and Kellon Walsh.
“The American crew lost 30 minutes on the first stage due to a mechanical issue and came back fighting to set a second fastest time and brought the car home in fourth. We are now looking forward to an all-American crew being at Dakar 2020. Hernan Garces had a great rally too and was able to continue after rolling the car in the dunes. He was consistently setting top 10 stage times and enjoying the event.
“Not only did we bring home the FIA World Cup, but Can-Am Mavericks dominated the event and clean-swept the top 10. A big thanks to all of our team for working tirelessly to bring the Mavericks home.”
Domzala made a superb start to his transition to the T3 category by clocking the fastest time of 3hr 36min 20sec on the opening section between Fes and Erfoud that included two timed stages, tricky navigation and technical driving through the mountains before a series of small dunes to the finish. Dutchman Kees Koolen rode well to claim second and South Racing’s Garces and Vorobyev were fifth and seventh.
The Pole was also fastest on the second selective section and the first of the Erfoud loop stages that included a pass through the notorious Erg Chebbi. Austin Jones stopped the clocks in sixth to move up to fifth overall, but Rouss, Garces and Vorobyev were delayed and lost considerable time to the leaders.
Domzala’s brave challenge for a maiden victory ended with a heavy roll after 75km of the third desert stage in the deserts around Erfoud. The day’s action was split into three demanding sections and Jones came in second overall behind Varela. With the exception of the Pole, all the South Racing Can-Ams safely negotiated the demanding three specials.
Day four was the last of the loop stages over terrain around Erfoud and consisted of 408km of competition with a mix of stony tracks, sandy wadis, dunes, fast trails and camel grass. Varela snatched the outright lead from Gerard Farres, as Vorobyev and Jones finished the section in fourth and fifth places and Garces completed the timed section in sixth.
Jones headed into the final 168km selective section between Erfoud and Fes lying fourth in the T3 category behind Varela, Dorosinskiy and Kariakin. Vorobyev and Garces were sixth and seventh and Rouss and Domzala were ninth and 10th.
Jones held on to his fourth place over the final timed section to finish the event behind Varela, Kariakin and Dorosinskiy. Vorobyev secured second in the T3 series behind Varela and Garces and Al-Zubair, Rouss and Domzala all finished.
2019 Rally of Morocco – T3 final results:
1. Reinaldo Varela (BRA)/Gustavo Gugelmin (BRA) Monster Energy Can-Am Maverick X3 20hrs 39min 35sec
2. Sergei Kariakin (RUS)/Anton Vlasiuk (RUS) Snag Proto 20hrs 41min 07sec
3. Aleksandr Dorosinskiy (RUS)/Oleg Uperenko (RUS) Can-Am Maverick X3 20hrs 49min 00sec
4. Austin Jones (USA)/Kellon Walch (USA) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 21hrs 36min 53sec
5. Aleksei Shmotev (RUS)/Andrei Rudnitski (RUS) Snag Proto 25hrs 24min 36sec
6. Jose Luis Pena Campo (ESP)/Rafael Tornabell (ESP) Polaris RZR 1000 27hrs 21min 53sec
7. Fedor Vorobyev (RUS)/Kirill Shubin (RUS) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 28hrs 30min 15sec
8. Hernan Garces ((CHL)/Juan Pablo Latrach (CHL) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 30hrs 16min 36sec
9. Abdullah Al-Zubair (OMN)/Faisal Al-Raisi (OMN) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 42hrs 50min 15sec
10. Camelia Liparoti (ITA)/Max Delfino (FRA) Yamaha YXZ 1000R 49hrs 51min 55sec
11. Ilya Rouss (AND)/Anton Yarashuk (AND) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 96hrs 49min 32sec
12. Aron Domzala (POL)/Maciej Marton (POL) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 97hrs 07min 36sec
13. Kees Koolen (NLD)/Monica Plaza (ESP) Can-Am Maverick X3 XRS 97hrs 52min 27sec
Ends
For further information: contact Scott Abraham, South Racing, Email: Scott.Abraham@southracing.com, Tel: + 49 172 6662880.
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