VAPS HCV Vryheid 400 2026: Race Results & Weekend Highlights

Auto Boutique SA Oct 12, 2026
2026 VAPS HCV Vryheid 400 weekend action — Carlien Grobler / Northern Natal News

Rally News/Updates · Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal · 9–10 October 2026

Vryheid delivered a demanding weekend of rally-raid racing, with mist, slippery tracks and plenty of drama. Guy Botterill and Henry Köhne led a Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa one-two, winning the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400 in 05:26:14, just 1 minute 12 seconds ahead of Saood Variawa and Charan Moore.

Results status: the timings below use the organiser’s provisional classification, issued at 16:15:41 on 10 October 2026. They remain subject to final approval. Stage lists rank the recorded classification times, including time adjustments and returning crews; overall finishing status is shown separately.

Lead photo: Carlien Grobler / Northern Natal News, Vryheid Herald.

Overall standings at Saturday’s finish

  1. Guy Botterill / Henry Köhne
    05:26:14
  2. Saood Variawa / Charan Moore
    05:27:26
  3. Gareth Woolridge / Boyd Dreyer
    05:31:10
  4. Daniel Schröder / Juan Möhr
    05:32:46
  5. Puck Klaassen / Danie Stassen
    05:41:15
  6. Johan van Staden / Sean van Staden
    05:48:30
  7. Philip Botha / Andries Mynhardt
    06:02:32
  8. Abrie Olivier / Iaan Olivier
    06:19:30
  9. Nielen Marx / Rikus Hattingh
    06:25:34
  10. Peet Victor / VanZyl Jonck
    06:54:24

Published totals already reflect the recorded adjustments. The timing sheet names Puck’s navigator Daniel Stassen and Abrie Olivier’s navigator CA Olivier; race reports use Danie Stassen and Iaan Olivier.

Friday: prologue and Stage One

Lance Woolridge and André Vermeulen set the qualifying pace after standing in for Mike and Luke Lawlor following Mike’s injury. Friday’s report describes a 17 km qualifier followed by a 79 km Stage One.

Prologue / qualifying — top five recorded times
  1. Lance Woolridge / André Vermeulen
    00:14:27
  2. Saood Variawa / Charan Moore
    00:14:35
  3. Guy Botterill / Henry Köhne
    00:14:49
  4. Danie Ludick / Adriaan Roets
    00:15:00
  5. Johan van Staden / Sean van Staden
    00:15:31
Stage One — top five recorded times
  1. Gareth Woolridge / Boyd Dreyer
    00:50:27 — adjusted time*
  2. Guy Botterill / Henry Köhne
    00:50:54
  3. Saood Variawa / Charan Moore
    00:51:22
  4. Daniel Schröder / Juan Möhr
    00:52:09
  5. Pim Willem Klaassen / Sasha Siripanyavuthi
    00:55:08 — later DNF overall

* Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer received a 16:41 time-back after an accident held them up. The 00:50:27 shown is their adjusted classification time.

Friday combined standings — top five

Qualifying plus Stage One; these are day-one totals, not standalone stage times.

  1. Guy Botterill / Henry Köhne
    01:05:43
  2. Saood Variawa / Charan Moore
    01:05:57
  3. Daniel Schröder / Juan Möhr
    01:08:00
  4. Puck Klaassen / Danie Stassen
    01:10:52
  5. Jayden Els / Johann Swemmer
    01:11:27

Saturday: Stages Two and Three

Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer set the fastest recorded Stage Two time. Botterill and Köhne answered with the fastest Stage Three time and secured overall victory. Their Stage Two puncture made the finish anything but straightforward.

Stage Two — top five recorded times
  1. Gareth Woolridge / Boyd Dreyer
    02:09:42
  2. Saood Variawa / Charan Moore
    02:10:24
  3. Guy Botterill / Henry Köhne
    02:11:26
  4. Daniel Schröder / Juan Möhr
    02:14:41
  5. Puck Klaassen / Danie Stassen
    02:15:38
Stage Three — top five recorded times
  1. Guy Botterill / Henry Köhne
    02:09:05
  2. Gareth Woolridge / Boyd Dreyer
    02:09:21
  3. Lance Woolridge / André Vermeulen
    02:09:46 — restarted; DNF overall†
  4. Daniel Schröder / Juan Möhr
    02:10:05
  5. Saood Variawa / Charan Moore
    02:11:05

† Lance Woolridge and André Vermeulen returned after earlier problems and recorded 02:09:46 in Stage Three. The organiser still lists them DNF overall; a quick final stage did not restore an overall finish.

Open the organiser’s full provisional timing sheet · View the original SARRC results post.

Puck Klaassen’s Toyota debut

Puck Klaassen made her first outing in the #TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota DKR Hilux, finishing fifth overall alongside Danie Stassen in 05:41:15. This was a #TeamHilux entry; the Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa factory crews were entered separately. Stassen also marked his 100th national event.

A few more weekend highlights

  • A Ford comeback: Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer finished third overall after a difficult Friday.
  • Class honours: Johan and Sean van Staden won SA Ultimate T1+, while Nielen Marx and Rikus Hattingh won Adventurer.
  • A ticket to Dakar: Philip Botha and Andries Mynhardt won the Road to Dakar Challenge, earning a full-fee entry to the 2027 Dakar Rally.
  • The title fight continues: the final championship round is scheduled for 13–14 November in Thabazimbi.
Adventurer class podium at the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400
Adventurer class podium celebrations. Photo supplied by the South African Rally-Raid Championship; an individual photographer is not credited in the original post.

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Checked 12 October 2026. Sources: SARRC provisional timing sheet, Friday race report, weekend race report, official championship calendar. Read our original event preview.

Oct 12, 2026