NRC4 Challenge to double the fun this season

“We have great plans for making rallying more accessible to competitors as well as spectators in 2015,” said Richard Leeke, president of the National Rally Commission of Motorsport South Africa. “A new challenge and entry-level series will be introduced to attract more entrants and hopefully more sponsors,” Leeke said.

For the 2015 season, set to kick off with the Tour Natal Rally in KwaZulu-Natal on February 27 and 28, the premier S2000 class for modified, normally aspirated, four-wheel-drive cars with engines not exceeding two litres, will remain unchanged.
“However, the existing S2000 Challenge – earlier generation, older specification four-wheel drive cars – will be replaced by a new challenge that this year will be run as a pilot series.”

This new NRC4 Challenge will offer existing S2000 Challenge and N4 cars (4WD with turbocharged engines not exceeding two litres and limited modifications) the opportunity to compete within a series with less restrictive and more cost-efficient regulations.
“As eligible cars will not be required to comply with the homologated documentation, we hope to encourage competitors with older cars not eligible under the previous regulations, to enter,”
he added.

“The goal is not to predetermine regulations and limit potential entries, but rather to have open regulations and an entry-verification process,” Leeke said. “The regulations will be adapted and updated as the class grows.”

The S1600 class for two-wheel drive, normally aspirated cars with engines not exceeding 1.6 litres was successfully implemented and again vigorously contested last year. This Two Wheel Drive Championship – built around FIA-spec R2B cars such as the Ford Fiesta and the South African homologated cars like the VW Polo and Toyota Etios, will continue virtually unchanged.

Besides this, a new entry-level series, named Rally Cup, will be introduced this year. Rally Cup will primarily be aimed at rally rookies and younger competitors and cars close to the R1 specification of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the world controlling body of motor sport.

The cars will be built to withstand local rally conditions, running a standard motor and drivetrain. It should also be possible to upgrade them to R2/S1600 specification.

“Technical specifications for this class are currently being finalised by the NRC technical panel,” said Leeke, a former national co-driver champion. “The Rally Cup is specifically designed for less-experienced crews to gain confidence in the lower echelons of rallying and compete in their own challenge.”

He also confirmed that the NRC2 class, started last year to incorporate older pre-2000 4-cylinder two wheel-drive cars, will remain. “There are many older, yet competitive rally cars still in South Africa. We hope to attract these crews and cars to add to the rally spectacle…”

“For us to take the sport of rallying to the next level we need more money. While we’re very grateful to our existing sponsors – Dunlop, Ford, Sasol, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Polokwane – we still have three of our eight rounds as well as the overall championship unsponsored.
“We’re working hard to rectify this. We trust the introduction of the new challenge and entry-level series will contribute to making rallying an attractive proposition for marketers,” he said.

There will be eight rounds in this year’s series with a team’s seven best results counting towards the championship.

2015 South African Rally
Championship calendar

• February 27 to 28: Tour Natal Rally, KZN
• April 17 to 18 : Sasol Rally, Mpumalanga
• May 15 to 16: Secunda Motor Rally, Mpumalanga
• June 19 to 20: Toyota Gauteng/Bela-Bela, Gauteng/Limpopo
• July 17 to 18: Volkswagen Rally, Eastern Cape
• August 14 to 15: Cullinan Rally, Gauteng
• September 18 to 19: Toyota Cape Rally, Western Cape
• October 16 to 17: Polokwane Rally, Limpopo.