Local riders join SA’s off-road event

Local motorcycle racers are expected to compete at the first national off road event organised by Motorsport South Africa.

The two riders are Motsumi Lekone who races in the quad bike category and Vincent Crosbie, who races in the two-wheeler bike category. The event is scheduled for Vryburg from this Friday until Saturday. The race dubbed RFS Endurance in the North West Province will be the first of the three where they will compete, with the next one being the Super Sprint race before the famous Toyota 1000km Desert Race hosted at Jwaneng mining town in June.

In an interview this week, Lekone said he was excited for his first race of the year. “We will be unveiling new livery colours showing our new sponsors on the bike. The first race of the year is always interesting as new cars, bikes and parts are introduced before the event,” he said. In addition Lekone who races a Yamaha 700cc   bike said Friday will be time trials before the main race commences on Saturday.

The local rider said he would also be unveiling his new sponsors - Mthimkhulu and Associates as well as Future Sustain International. The quad rider said he will be using the race to prepare for the 2016 Desert Race after missing last year’s edition over racing license issues. The issue with Botswana Motorsport (BMS) was later solved amicably. Lekone, who holds an MSA license, said he plans to compete in all the association’s events this year.

On the other hand, Crosbie said he had been in physical and gruelling preparations for the race. “I have been racing in SA for the last four weeks. In that last race I competed in, I managed to get position six out of 300 riders. I have been preparing physically in the gym, and making sure I eat right and hydrate.”

Crosbie said he would be preparing his KTM 450cc bike for the 300km racecourse. “There will be over 350 riders among them the best from SA. I intend to finish in the top 10.” Crosbie’s sponsors include Naledi Motors, Castrol, Puma Energy and CB Racing. Meanwhile, the local rider said he hoped to compete in the 2017 Dakar Rally, which will make him the first Motswana to do so.