The event raised funds mainly towards the building of a new church for the Port Alfred Lighthouse Assembly of God. This is the first time that the leading tyre franchise has come on board as a sponsor, not only to contribute to the success of the local community’s fundraising efforts but also to share valuable off-road educational information.
Hi-Q Regional Manager Xolile Tatana, who has undergone theoretical and practical off-road training at Goodyear’s Serious Freedom 4x4 Academy in the Western Cape mountains, was eager to share his expert knowledge and experience with the participants.
The Bathurst event attracted 24 tough, super-modified and other four-wheeled challengers from Port Elizabeth, Port Alfred, East London and Jeffreys Bay, as well as a throng of festive visitors.
“The day offered an ideal opportunity for Hi-Q to get to know its market, show its support to the 4x4 fraternity in terms of advice and its one-stop shop service. Altogether 170 Hi-Q stores countrywide stock a wide variety of products and services ranging from tyres, brakes, shocks, exhausts and batteries. In some instances they also offer tow bars, bull bars, bush bars, roll bars and other accessories for the 4x4 market,” Tatana said.
The closest Hi-Qs to Bathurst and Port Alfred are in Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth and East London.
Event organiser Difford Keeton said the light rain shower on Saturday had only served to boost the beer sales and introduce more muddy action to the thrills and spills of the obstacle course.
“We had around 800 people through the quarry gates and 250 stayed on for the evening’s barn dancing and to camp overnight at the Bathurst showgrounds. It was a fantastic, fun-filled day and we were pleased to have Hi-Q’s enthusiastic and expert input at the event.”
Of the five classes participating in the event, four out of the five were won on Goodyear tyres. The winners for each class were as follows:
1. SPECIAL MODIFIED CLASS – Gerhard Cloete, Port Alfred
2. CLASS A – Graham Watson, Port Elizabeth
3. CLASS B – Mike Shreiber, East London
4. CLASS C – Kobus Kriegel, Port Elizabeth
5. CLASS D – Shaun Bezuidenhout, East London
