A must-watch for every off-road lover, Rally dos Sertões is the largest cross-country competition in Brazil, ofter used as a preparation for the Dakar due its difficulties through the paths in the heart of the South American continent. After two stages, the X Rally Team NWM-Ford Performance Ford Ranger #304 of Cristian Baumgart and Beco Andreotti leads the overall competition, result of two wins in a row against last years champions Toyota of Reinaldo Varela and Gustavo Gugelmin.
Baumgart and Andreotti sustain the lead by six minutes. The cars prepared by Neil Woolridges NWM Motorsport are proving that the updates put the Ford Rangers in another level of competitiveness. The Vedacit-yellow livered cars plus the #333 of Lance Woolridge faced more than 800 kilometers without any technical issue. The overall results show it: Cristian and Beco lead the rally; Woolridge and co-pilot Marcelo Haseyama stand in third with the #303 of Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea fourth.
"Weven through some hard and scary stretches, and the car has behaved brilliantly", stated Cristian Baumgart. "I tought I was going to die when we jumped on a dam, but when the car landed smoothly I changed my mind and realized that this NWM-Ford Ranger is something else", laughed Marcos, Cristians brother.
The co-drivers share the same opinion. "These cars can take anything. It is incredible what weve been capable of so far. We are only in the beginning, though. It is time to keep the head down and avoid mistakes. There is a lot to go on yet and lets focus on the main goal", says Andreotti. "Even on the roughest paths we could maintain an astonishing pace", states Cincea.
Even on his first international appearance, Lance Woolridge is keeping up with the leaders. The South-African, making his debut in the Sertões, was third fastest on the first two days of competition.
"It has been good. There are some rough stretches that reminded me of South Africa. I pushed quite hard, but I think I am still getting used to the differences. The surface is very dry and loose all the time. After the refueling it flowed a little more, like a rally stage and I really liked it", told Lance, who holds the wheel of the T1 FIA NWM-Ford Performance Ford Ranger V8 #333.
The son of South-African rally legend Neil Woolridge is looking forward to step on the gas tomorrow, when the Sertões leave the city of Cavalcante to Posse on another hard day. There will be 643 kilometers, of which 376 kms will be against the clock. "We could have gained some time back, but Cristian and Varela are far ahead. My goal is to get through the days with no problems, and the car is behaving perfectly. Over the next few days I will try to make up some time. I am happy for now", Woolridge concluded.
Communication between the duo is still building up, but they point that this is not a problem. At all. "The Sertões is only in the beginning, and we are getting more and more used to each other. Although he is South-African and I am Brazilian, we speak the rally language", Haseyama said.
DAY 2 - Results:
1º) Cristian Baumgart/Beco Andreotti (FORD X RALLY TEAM), 4h54min26s;
2º) Reinaldo Varela/Gustavo Gugelmin (TOYOTA), 4h57min18s;
3º) Lance Woolridge/Marcelo Heseyama (NWM-FORD PERFORMANCE), 5h06min59s;
4º) Marcos Baumgart/Kleber Cincea (FORD X RALLY TEAM, 5h07min05s;
OVERALL AFTER STAGE 2:
1º) Cristian Baumgart/Beco Andreotti - 6h31min09s
2º) Reinaldo Varela/Gustavo Gugelmin - 6h37min10s (+6min01s)
3º) Lance Woolridge/Marcelo Haseyama - 6h48min14s (+17min04s)
4º) Marcos Baumgart/Kleber Cincea - 6h49min47s (+18min38s)
WHAT THEY ARE UP TO THE NEXT DAYS:
06/09 - Round 3
Cavalcante (GO) - Posse (GO)
Stage: 376,41 km
Total: 643,48 km
07/09 - Round 4
Posse (GO) - Luís Eduardo Magalhães (BA)
Stage: 361,94 km
Total: 560,15 km
08/09 - Round 5 - Marathon Stage
Luís Eduardo Magalhães (BA) - Mateiros (TO)
Stage: 425,67 km
Total: 461,14 km
09/09 - Round 6 - Marathon Stage
Mateiros (TO) - Ponte Alta (TO)
Stage: 514,98 km
Total: 520,95 km
10/09 - Round 7
Ponte Alta (TO) - Palmas (TO)
Stage: 191,54 km
Total: 243,61 km
NWMs Facebook official page: Neil Woolridge Motorsport
Instagram Account: @nwmsport
FURTHER INFORMATION IN BRAZIL
P1 Media Relations
CLEBER BERNUCI, Press Officer
+55 (19) 992 222 517
cleber@xrallyteam.com.br
