October 30, 2007
Shaun Gunther has won the 2007 SA Quad championship with a hard-earned second in last weekend’s Ermelo 400, the last race of the season. It was Honda TRX450ER rider Gunther’s second National title in this discipline.
The structure of the race meant the riders would be racing the clock rather than dicing for position but Gunther was first away with the advantage of a clear track and the psychological boost of trying not to let overtake him. The course was wet and muddy in places after rain, which suited the light and nimble TRX450ER, enabling Gunther to stay with the larger displacement machines of the other title contenders. He kept a steady pace throughout the race, always staying ahead of his main championship rival, local rider Vincent Loubser (Yamaha).
The long, dry stretches on the route suited the bigger quads, though – Hendrik Potgieter came rumbling past on his big Can Am as Gunther was refuelling – but he was able to make up most of the deficit on the more technical sections. Potgieter posted the fastest time to become the only rider other than Gunther to win two races in 2007. Gunther was second on the road and on the clock, with Jacques “Boesman” Struwig (Polaris) third.
Gunther also won the Pro 450 Class for the day. “I loved this race,” he said later. “It was one of those races where everything just fell into place. I knew the route might suit the faster Can-Am quads better even though I started first but I stuck to my strategy of keeping an eye on Loubser, who was leading the championship up to this race. It feels great to win the championship after such a competitive season.”