RACING - IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY
Are you wondering what some families do with their ‘free time’? They race! Yes, the whole family
competes in off-road and / or enduro motorcycle and quad racing. Many families are attending the
races to support the father or son, but there are families who ALL compete in the racing. This year
we have noticed a few family names on the results.
The whole Geldenhuys family of four are competing with their quads – dad Org competes in the
Master Quad Class; mom Karen races in the Ladies Quad Class and the two brothers, Gerard and
Antwan, have swopped their motorcycles and are now both competing in the junior quad category.
Racing under Team Abacus DIVISIONS Racing, this Pretoria family are regularly walking away with
some silverware, but their racing can be quite complicated at the nationals as they are all racing at
the same time! Org and Karen do time-trials from 7:30 and start the main race at 10:30 while Gerard
and Antwan start their race at 12:00 – while their parents are still racing! They depend on a welloiled service crew to make sure everything goes according to plan.
In the Barnard family, dad Banie runs the Barnard Vervoer Racing pits while his wife Liezel (she is the
current Ladies Off-road Champion) competes with Karen in the Ladies Quad Class and her daughter,
Lindie, battles it out with the Geldenhuys brothers in the Junior Quad Class. Little brother Banie (he
broke his arm earlier this year) is normally on his own mission in the 65cc Class in the junior
motorcycle category. They are from Carletonville and are a busy family competing in various races.
Another busy family is the Dos Santos family who travels all the way from Hoedspruit in
Mpumalanga to the races. Here it is the brothers who are still racing – Tony and Roxy is 46+ and race
in the Master Quad Class while their younger brother, Paul, competes in the Senior Quad Class.
Tony’s son, TJ, started competing for the first time this year in the national series and leads the Silver
Quad Class Challenge. They travel far to compete, but are enjoying it too much to stay at home.
The brother and sister pairing of Jaco (he is a former Junior National Champion and competes in the
Q1 Quad Class) and Wilmari Moller (she currently leads the Ladies Quad Class and Combined Ladies
Championship) from Tzaneen are regular podium visitors while Ruan and his sister, Megan, from
Stella in the Northwest Province has also joined the national off-road series this year. Ruan enjoys
the racing in the High School Quad Championship while Megan is currently second in the Junior
Quad Class in the junior series.
The Johannesburg rider, Justin Robert (Q2 quad winner in 2014) and his younger brother, Ramon
Lopez (he won the High School Class Championship last year) as well as Justin’s son, Damien (he
competes in the Junior Quad Class) are regulars in their Sign Wonder Racing outfits.
The Lindsay brothers, Roan and Dean (he is a former Junior National Champion) are from Rustenburg
and form part of Team D&H Engineering Works Yamaha. They are regulars at both the national offroad and enduro motorcycle scene. Dean is currently second in the High School Class Championship
(off-road) while Roan broke his wrist at Mooi River, but he competed at round four at Stella and is
now third in the OR2 Championship.
Joshua and Ethan Bailey are motorcycle riders from Margate and with the junior and senior
championships now combined, they can compete on the same day. Joshua is in the High School Class
and Ethan races in the Junior 85cc Class in the junior series. The Henderson brothers from Matatiele,
Joshua and Matthew, are also both competing in the 65cc Class.
Former national champion from Ladybrand, Charan Moore, now has company at the off-road races
as his younger brother, Patrick, started competing at the senior nationals last year. Part of this
Ridgeway Racing Husqvarna team, is the well-known Pienaar brothers, Nicholas and Darren, who
have been racing for many years. They are from Benoni and despite injured at this stage, they are
always supporting the racing.
The McGee brothers from Lydenburg, Bernard and Clifford, are regular names on the national offroad motorcycle lists with Bernard standing his man in the extremely competitive OR3 Class while
Clifford competes in the Silver Class Challenge.
Like father, like son – or is it the other way round? Which ever way, it is great to see former team
owner and competitor, Wade Miller, back in the saddle after many years. Wade is of course the
father of defending OR2 champion, Tyron and is currently second in the Master Class Championship
(bikes). Geoff and Wade Den are well-known motocross competitors who have been trying their
hands at off-road racing this year and they are getting to grips with it quite quickly.
With the introduction of the Warrior Class, the dads of a few junior motorcycle competitors saw
their way open to first pit for their kids and then jump on their own bikes to compete in the ‘senior’
series. Faan van Deventer (the father of former 65cc National Off-road Champion, Stefan van
Deventer who is currently leading the Senior 85cc Class) as well as Sakkie Maartens (the dad of Noah
Maartens who is also a former 65cc national champion) and their kids are part of Team Pa Ma Racing
(the name is derived from the fathers and mothers who are funding the racing) and travel from
Matatiele in the Eastern Cape / KZN to all the events.
Former multiple champion, Marc Torlage, was injured for the best part of last year, but started
competing again this year and was back in action at the last two national enduro events. His father,
Denzil, is also a multiple SA National Enduro Champion, and is still going strong and going for gold in
the Master Class title in the Liquorland National Enduro Championship. The Torlages have tackled
many races together and received their National Colours at the same function a few years ago.
Thomas Eich and his son, Keegan, are also competing together in the national enduro series this year
and they even wear the same kit. Keegan is currently doing well in the High School Class
Championship while father Thomas competes in the Senior Class.
It is great to see the families competing in the national off-road and enduro races. Off-road racing
has a long history in South Africa and it has always been a family sport – even if the members of the
families are not competing, they are always there for the support and play a vital role as ‘pit-crews’.
Like Org Geldenhuys says: “Racing. It is what we as a family do and it brings us even closer together.”
End
Article by DirtRacing Promotions
16.07.2015