The 1000 km Toyota Desert Race, round 3 of the SA Rally-Raid Championship, was held in Jwaneng, Botswana over 21 June 2019 – 23 June 2019.

A historic moment unfolded during the third round of the SA Rally-Raid Championship when after three grueling days of racing in Jwaneng, Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer emerged victorious in their NWM Ford Castrol T1+ Ranger. This win marked a significant moment for Ford, ending their victory drought since 2011.

The Woolridge brothers, Gareth and Lance, whose father Neil Woolridge had previously won the Toyota Desert Race in Botswana, added their names to the winners’ list. Lance and Kenny Gilbert, their teammates, secured the second position, further cementing Ford’s triumph.

The race covered nearly a thousand kilometers and lasted for 11 hours, 14 minutes, and 33 seconds for Woolridge and Dreyer, with only a three-minute and 42-second gap separating them from their teammates. Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle in the Toyota DKR Hilux T1+ came in third despite facing challenges.

In the FIA T1 category, Eben Basson and Leander Pienaar of #TeamHilux Rally-Raid secured victory, followed by Johan and Sean van Staden in the Renault Duster, and Jayden Els and Elvéne Vonk who won the Road to Dakar Challenge. Johan de Bruyn and Gerhard Schutte finished just off the T1 podium.

The Class T was won by Hendrik du Plessis and his son, Heinrich, in their Ford Ranger, with the Johnstone couple, Bernard and Minette, finishing second. Schalk Burger and Henk Janse van Vuuren encountered difficulties but persevered.

The Special Vehicle Category was claimed by John Thomson and Maurice Zermatten with their Zarco Challenger, while Geoff Minnitt and Rodney Burke in the Hydro Power Equipment Can-Am Maverick secured second place overall. Quintin Lessing and Brendon Smith won Class P.

The race was described as incredibly challenging with a mix of tight and bushy routes along with fast, open sections. Participants praised the organizers for a memorable 2023 experience in Botswana.