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Makgekgenene applauds arch rival
Special Vehicle category winner on the past weekend's Oven Fresh Biscuits 500, round four of the SA Off Road Championship, presented by Absa, Atang Makgekgenene applauded his arch- rival Gerhard du Plessis after the event. Nissan Dealer 400 ...
Published: Jul 31, 2003, 11:24 AM
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Special Vehicle category winner on the past weekend's Oven Fresh Biscuits 500, round four of the SA Off Road Championship, presented by Absa, Atang Makgekgenene applauded his arch- rival Gerhard du Plessis after the event.
Nissan Dealer 400 winners Makgekgenene and co-driver Mike Stangl (SAM Racing Jimco) were locked in a titanic battle with husband and wife pair Gerhard and Kobie du Plessis (Liebherr Jimco) throughout the first 224km lap of the event in the North West Province.
The Botswana businessman managed to slip by the du Plessis couple and then set off in pursuit of category leaders Brandon Harcus and Gary Bertholdt in the BAT but it wasn't long before Makgekgenene misjudged a corner and the Jimco ended up wedged in a tree. It was then that he discovered that he didn 't have reverse gear and all attempts by him and Stangl to dislodge the vehicle proved to be fruitless.
Their race was technically run but along came a Samaritan in the form of last year's race winner Gerhard du Plessis.
Du Plessis gallantly pushed the Jimco out of the tree and instead of charging off he signaled Makgekgenene to resume his second position on the road.
"I did not know that such sportsmanship existed in off road racing," said Makgekgenene. "Gerhard's gesture was most unexpected especially as he stood a chance of winning the race and certainly didn't need to have me pull off ahead of him."
"Unfortunately Gerhard was forced to retire at the midway point with gearbox problems, which is a pity as I would have enjoyed locking horns with him on the second lap and would have been delighted had he won."
Race organisers, the Mafikeng Motor Club, presented the du Plessis couple with a special award for their sportsmanship.
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