Celebrated racing that also recognizes the community

This is the second consecutive year that TRAC is sponsoring a round of the South African Rally Championship series, with this year’s last two rounds also serving as the grand finale of the National Rally Championships (NRC).

Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the organisers decided to host all the 2020 events as double headers, making the national rally rounds 5 and 6 of the championship.

The theme of the TRAC-hosted race is “Legends”, which is in line with the NRC’s 60th anniversary this year. The South African National Rally Championship is the oldest consecutive running championship in motorsport in SA. The theme will ensure that the 2020 championship ends in style, with both the current and past heroes of the sport getting the recognition they deserve.

The Dullstroom Epilepsy Centre will also get much-deserved recognition and socioeconomic development assistance, as it will host the rally headquarters and service park. The centre, which is affiliated to Epilepsy South Africa, has been in operation for many years and plays a pivotal role in the lives of epilepsy sufferers and their families in the rural and deep-rural areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

The 2020 TRAC N4 National Rally will be held over two days with a number of action-packed stages in the South African Forestry Company SOC Limited (Safcol)-owned forest area that envelopes the picturesque town. The stages were carefully selected and are sure to deliver when competitors put pedal to the metal.

According to TRAC’s corporate social investment (CSI) executive manager, Adri Fourie, bringing the event to this tourist town made sense. Not only is it just off the N4, but the Safcol forests that surround it will make it one of the most memorable races of the 2020 NRC.

Safcol’s Siphelele Sixaso agrees. “With socioeconomic development central to the company’s CSI goals, the rally is in line with our transformation strategy. We value events such as these as they create social and economic benefits for the communities in which we operate. We believe the 2020 TRAC N4 National Rally will generate much interest in, and attraction to, the eMakhazeni region, which has its fair amount of challenges.”

Some of the SA Rally Championship’s top drivers will put each other and their cars to the test – from current championship leaders, Guy Botterill and navigator, Simon Vacy-Lyle, in their imported Toyota Etios R4, to Chris Coertse and navigator Greg Godrich, who will bite at their heels in their brand-new locally manufactured Hyundai I20 R4.

The heat will also be on between the rest of the NRC 1 class drivers and navigators. Theuns Joubert in his S2000 Toyota Auris, and Johan Strauss in his four-wheel-drive Subaru, will race for top honours. A magnificently built Toyota Celica GT4 will also enter the event, which will add to the atmosphere of the “Legends” theme.

In the NRC 2 class, the previous R2N National Championship class, AC Potgieter will join the ranks in his 1000cc turbocharged VW Polo, with Team Boertjies, made up of JJ Potgieter and Tommie du Toit, in their Ford Fiesta. Michael McGregor and co-driver Robbie Coetzee, and George

Smalberger and Anriko Opperman, in their respective VW Polos, will also be in action. Further adding to the “Legends” theme, the much-loved classic Ford Escorts belonging to Natie Booysen and Ashleigh McKenzie will also be seen at the starting line.

A brand-new entry-level class, NRC 3, has been introduced in the form of the Polo GT Cup. This category aims to attract newcomers to rallying, in a very affordable 1000cc Turbo Polo Vivo rally car, built by Volkswagen Motorsport in South Africa.

Challengers Jayden Els, Rotax Karting World Champion, and karting hero Benjamin Habig, son of legendary Jannie Habig, are the current contenders for the win in this class.

Regrettably, due to Covid-19, strict protocols will be in place and spectators will not be permitted at this year’s event. 

Photo:MotorPics