Chris Visser (Driver) – Atlas Copco Ford Racing Ranger # T2
Chris Visser is an accomplished competitor having been Ford Racing’s lead driver in the South African Cross Country Championship since 2011.
He and co-driver Japie Badenhorst finished the 2013 season in second place overall in the Ford Racing Ranger – a commendable achievement considering it was the all-new Ranger’s first season. The team performed exceptionally well in this fiercely competitive championship, notching up seven podiums in eight races.
The Visser family has a long history in motorsport, with Chris’ father competing in mud racing and later going on to win the notorious Roof of Africa in 1975 in a near-standard vehicle.
Visser started from grass-roots level, initially navigating for his brother and subsequently as a driver. He only began competing at national level in 2003 and soon tasted victory by winning the Class E off-road (cross country) championship in 2005. Remarkably, he used the same vehicle to secure the Class D title the following year.
In 2007 he moved up to the premier Super Production (SP) class as a privateer. Despite the highly competitive field and the big budgets of the factory teams, Visser stamped his authority on the South African championship in 2010 when he and Badenhorst won the overall production vehicle championship as privateers. This was the first time a privateer won the overall championship in South Africa.
The duo joined Ford Racing and Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) in 2011, competing in a diesel-powered Ford Ranger for two years and ending the 2012 season in second place overall. For 2013 the team moved on to the state-of-the-art new Ranger.
Personal details
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Date of birth: 16/02/1969
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Current residence: Vryburg, South Africa
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Occupation: Owner – transport business, farmer
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Family: Married to Mareta, one daughter Charlize
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Hobbies: Golf, rugby supporter, motorsport
Career highlights
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2003 – Started competing at national level in South African Off Road Production Vehicle championship
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2005 – Won South African National Off Road Production Vehicle Championship – Class E
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2006 – Won SA National Off Road Production Vehicle Championship – Class D
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2007 – Moved to premier Super Production (SP) category, finished ninth overall despite only competing in five of the season’s eight races
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2008 – 5th in SA off-road championship – Class SP
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2009 – 8th in SA off-road championship – Class SP
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2010 – Won overall SA National Production Vehicle Off Road Championship and Class SP with three wins and two second-places. First-ever overall championship win for privateer
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2011 – 6th overall in SA cross country championship – Class SP
- 2012 – 2nd overall in SA cross country championship – Class SP
- 2013 – 2nd overall in SA cross country championship – Class SP