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Multiple SA off-road and rally champion Hannes Grobler plans to finish his 36-year motorsport career at the end of the 2012 season. He will make his final appearance in racing overalls, boots and gloves on November 24 2012 at the season-ending eighth round of the Absa Off-Road Championship.
“It’s time to hang up the driving gloves,” says the immensely popular racing driver, probably the world’s longest-serving competitor in motorsport and still a genuine contender for overall victory in a National motor racing championship.
DISTINGUISHED CAREER
“I still enjoy my racing,” he says with his ever-present smile, “but there comes a time when you need to spend more time with your family. I’ve been blessed with a long and enjoyable career and more than my fair share of success. These last few years I've concentrated on helping RFS Motorsport to develop the BMW X3 into a competitive off-roader that can win any National championship event and helped Christiaan and Henk gain the confidence to take over and win races for the team in the years ahead."
During his long and distinguished career Grobler has won two SA amateur rally drivers' championships (1979, 1980), two National rally drivers' championships (1986, 1991), two Rally Production car drivers championships (1998, 1999), and four National Off-Road drivers' championships (1986, 2003, 2004, 2006).
He was awarded Springbok colours for motorsport in 1987 and his National colours in 1999.
“Mooi man!” as he's fond of saying.
Unlike some other respected sports personalities, the irrepressible 57-year-old father of Adelle and Nicolette who has been married to Elmarie for 35 years, is not ending his career as an also-ran. He's still very much a contender for overall honours in the 4.8-litre V8 RFS Racing BMW X3 and respected as such by his peers. His most recent win with co-driver and long-time friend Hennie ter Stege, also a former champion, was in the final round of the 2011 championship in his sponsor’s own event, the RFS Magalies 400 in Gauteng.
SIDEWAYS SHOWMAN
Grobler is one of South Africa’s most loved and recognised sportsmen and his good-natured and fun-loving personality has enriched the sport to which he dedicated himself with distinction and created for him an army of devoted fans. Always professional in his approach to competition, but never forgetting that it is a sport and to be enjoyed, he is a tough competitor who doesn’t know the meaning of giving up.
His propensity to throw whatever racing car he is driving sideways whenever he passes through a spectator point illustrates his innate desire to be a showman but also displays the dedication and skill that has earned him more off-road racing wins and fans in the past 12 years than any other driver.
There are five more rounds of the Absa Off-Road championship before Grobler hangs up his gloves and it would be a foolish punter who bets against him standing on the top step of the podium yet again while spraying the bubbly stuff with his ever-present smile.
His next outing in the X5-engined X3 will be over June 22-24 in the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race, a marathon he has won a record six times - most recently in 2010.
“It’s time to hang up the driving gloves,” says the immensely popular racing driver, probably the world’s longest-serving competitor in motorsport and still a genuine contender for overall victory in a National motor racing championship.
DISTINGUISHED CAREER
“I still enjoy my racing,” he says with his ever-present smile, “but there comes a time when you need to spend more time with your family. I’ve been blessed with a long and enjoyable career and more than my fair share of success. These last few years I've concentrated on helping RFS Motorsport to develop the BMW X3 into a competitive off-roader that can win any National championship event and helped Christiaan and Henk gain the confidence to take over and win races for the team in the years ahead."
During his long and distinguished career Grobler has won two SA amateur rally drivers' championships (1979, 1980), two National rally drivers' championships (1986, 1991), two Rally Production car drivers championships (1998, 1999), and four National Off-Road drivers' championships (1986, 2003, 2004, 2006).
He was awarded Springbok colours for motorsport in 1987 and his National colours in 1999.
“Mooi man!” as he's fond of saying.
Unlike some other respected sports personalities, the irrepressible 57-year-old father of Adelle and Nicolette who has been married to Elmarie for 35 years, is not ending his career as an also-ran. He's still very much a contender for overall honours in the 4.8-litre V8 RFS Racing BMW X3 and respected as such by his peers. His most recent win with co-driver and long-time friend Hennie ter Stege, also a former champion, was in the final round of the 2011 championship in his sponsor’s own event, the RFS Magalies 400 in Gauteng.
SIDEWAYS SHOWMAN
Grobler is one of South Africa’s most loved and recognised sportsmen and his good-natured and fun-loving personality has enriched the sport to which he dedicated himself with distinction and created for him an army of devoted fans. Always professional in his approach to competition, but never forgetting that it is a sport and to be enjoyed, he is a tough competitor who doesn’t know the meaning of giving up.
His propensity to throw whatever racing car he is driving sideways whenever he passes through a spectator point illustrates his innate desire to be a showman but also displays the dedication and skill that has earned him more off-road racing wins and fans in the past 12 years than any other driver.
There are five more rounds of the Absa Off-Road championship before Grobler hangs up his gloves and it would be a foolish punter who bets against him standing on the top step of the podium yet again while spraying the bubbly stuff with his ever-present smile.
His next outing in the X5-engined X3 will be over June 22-24 in the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race, a marathon he has won a record six times - most recently in 2010.