Pretoria - Hennie de Klerk is the only South African privateer who will be making his way to the most gruelling off-road challenge in the world - the 2018 Dakar race.
De Klerk has won the Dakar Challenge at the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race in June 2017 - securing a free entry to the Dakar in South America.
De Klerk has always dreamed about entering the Dakar, and as CEO of TreasuryOne, says he has has found a way to use the "adrenaline surrounding his business".
READ: World's most gruelling race -Dakar 2018 route - Peru, Bolivia and Argentina
The 2018 Dakar Rally will take place from January 6-20, 2018, with Hennie and his team departing to Lima on January 1. After several days in the capital of Peru, all racing teams, drivers and riders will continue to Bolivia, and finally end in Córdoba, which will host the finish of the Dakar Rally for the first time.
Hennie and his team (No.353) will start in position number 54 – a noticeable accomplishment considering this is their first Dakar and they don't have an international seeding.
De Klerk says: "We are very proud of our starting position. Competing for the first time we expected to have a lower seeding number, but winning the Dakar Challenge in Botswana’s Toyota Desert 1000 Race in June advanced our position.
A total of 105 cars entered, and our goal is to end in the Top 30."
Wheels24 caught up with de Klerk as he sheds some light on the preparation for his journey, such as spending two to three hours daily in the gym, how his diet has changed and just how fit you're supposed to be. We also delve into the vehicle he will be using.
Watch Hennie de Klerk train for the Dakar 2018
