April, 2010 Pretoria – Team Ford Racing’s Neil Woolridge and Kenny Skjoldhammer made off road racing history by taking victory in the Production Vehicle category on the Toyota Dealer 400. It marked the first diesel-powered win in the ABSA Off Road Championship with the Ford Ranger TDCi emerging as the leading vehicle on the day.
Woolridge and Skjoldhammer kicked off their 2010 ABSA National Off Road Championship campaign in winning fashion after sitting out the opening round of the series, the Adenco 400 in the Western Cape, after delays in obtaining parts from overseas and a lack of testing resulted in unforeseen setbacks. The Lydenburg event was thus a very important round for the team as they aimed to make up ground in the championship challenge.
“What a fantastic start to the season for us,” said an ecstatic Neil after the event. “We’ve been working hard on getting to this point, that meant missing out on the opening event but this result has made it all worthwhile.”
The celebrations continued as 18-year-old Lance Woolridge, son of Neil, scored his maiden national championship win in his Class E Ford Ranger. Woolridge, partnered by Ward Huxtable started at the back of the field but put in a stunning performance to take the class victory.
“It was tough out there so we had to be cautious in our approach but we managed to pull it through,’ said Lance. ‘It’s a dream start to the season for the team. We couldn’t be happier.”
The next round of the championship, the Sugarbelt 400, takes place on 22 May. The Pietermartizburg event is a home race for the Ford team, who will be hoping to emulate their leading performance.
“I’d like to thank everyone in the team for all their hard work. It’s been a long road and we couldn’t have got here without the dedication and perseverance of our crew as well as our sponsors. It’s a great day for everyone in the team,” concluded Neil.