South Africa’s best rally drivers in action in Pretoria
Motor sport action is heading to Pretoria this coming weekend in the form of the HMC Electrothread Rally 2018, which is part of the National Rally Championship.
The fifth round of the National Rally Championship will be raced this coming weekend on 17 and 18 August in and around Pretoria.
The event is known as the HMC Electrothread Rally 2018 and 40 vehicles are expected to enter the rally, which will start off at Cowhouse Market in the Hazeldean Valley on Friday morning.
Early morning the teams will go-over the route and adapt their notes whilst the service crew carry out final checks on the vehicles.
At 15:00 the afternoon the rally will start officially. Spectators can park at the central service park. The two stages that will be re-run are within walking distance of the service area, beverage and food stalls.
Whilst seeing several rally cars navigating the stage at the quickest time, spectators can see the cars up close in action on a 90-degree bend in close proximity.
Day one will consist of four stages. Stage one (9,6km on gravel) will start at 15:06. Then follows stage two (11,7km on gravel) at 15:50. Stage three (9,6km on gravel again) will start at 16:36 and the last stage of the day (stage four on the 11.7km gravel road) will start at 18:30.
The Willem Prinsloo Museum on the old Pretoria/Bronkhorstspruit Road will be the starting point of day two.
A spectacular stage over mixed surfaces (tarmac and gravel) can be enjoyed from 08:30 as teams tackle a short but technical stage of 8.31km on the Willem Prinsloo grounds.
The rest of the day’s stages will be run in and around the Willem Prinsloo Museum, with a mix of fast open stretches to tight technical sections in bushed areas. Humps, jumps, driving underneath the N4 highway and crossing farm land bridges are only some of the aspects the rally teams will encounter.
On day two, six stages (stage 5 to stage 11) will be completed. After the short fifth stage with which the day will start, six stages of between 8,3km and 24,02km will follow.
The last stage (stage eleven, which is a mixed surface stage) will start at 15:30 on Saturday.
One of Pretoria’s own, Chris Coertse and navigator Greg Godrich will race in their Mazda 2 (1600cc).
Chris started racing seven years ago in a Toyota Tazz and has developed his racing talent over the years. Currently he is ranked in the third position on the National Rally Championship after four of the eight rounds.
Coertse will make sure to keep consistent stage times to ensure he keeps his ranking position or to even take a step up. He is also the main sponsor of the event providing the opportunity to Highveld Motor Club to once again host a memorable event.
Gerhard Aucamp from Montana will also race in his 1976 Toyota Corolla TE31 in the Classic Class in this event. Nico Swart will be in the navigator seat for AC Potgieter in a VW Polo.
Spectator Guides will be available at Cowhouse Market and Willem Prinsloo Museum or follow sarallying on Facebook for more information.
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