Polokwane rally to roar again
In the wake of last weekend's successful Polo-kwane Motor Rally, it has been confirmed by the Polokwane Municipality that the rally will be hosted by the city next year.
POLOKWANE – In the wake of last weekend’s successful Polokwane Motor Rally, it has been confirmed by the Polokwane Municipality that the rally will be hosted by the city next year.
The rally served as the penultimate round of the South African Rally Championship.
Speaking on behalf of the South African Rally Commission, which is affiliated to Motorsport South Africa, Charmaine Fortune said the future of the Polokwane Motor Rally was still under discussion and no long-term contract had been finalised as yet.
However, she did confirm that the Polokwane Municipality had shown a keen interest in hosting the event again next year, and possibly on a long-term basis.
Speaking on behalf of the Polokwane Municipality, community development director, Ndavhe Ramakuela, said the municipality and Motorsport South Africa (MSA) had built a solid relationship since the first Polokwane Motor Rally in 2011.
“We will negotiate the future of the Polokwane Motor Rally. Currently our contract with the MSA is on an annual basis.
“Our negotiations with the MSA will include a decision on whether to continue as is, or to commit to a long-term contract,” Ramakuela.
He confirmed that the rally would indeed take place next year.
“The Polokwane Motor Rally is here to stay and the municipality would be happy to see this event as a fixed event for future years to come,” Ramakuela said.
Polokwane’s newly crowned northern region rally champs, brothers Jaco and George Baker, also entered for the Polokwane Motor Rally this year.
The event saw 24 cars entered, with at least seven vehicles retiring due to mechanical cala-mities during the race.
The Bakers, who have been racing for 18 years, made sure they finished the race, coming in at 12th place overall in their Toyota Tazz.
Leeroy Poulter and navigator Elvéne Coetzee won the driver and navigator championship as well as the S2 000 class, with one more round of the South African Rally Championship still.
The last time a Toyota team achieved this double win was in 2004.
Five of the nine teams in the S2 000 premier class for four-wheel drive cars retired, which opened the way for Poulter and Coetzee to claim their titles.
The top 12 finishers of the Polokwane Motor Rally were:
• 1. Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee (Toyota Yaris S2 000, Team Castrol Toyota).
• 2. Hans Weijs Jnr and Hans van Goor (VW Polo S2 000, Volkswagen Sasol Racing).
• 3. Wilro Dippenaar and Kes Naidoo (Toyota Auris S2 000 Challenge, private entry).
• 4. Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin (VW Polo S2000, VW Sasol Racing).
• 5. Giniel de Villiers and Pierre Arries (Toyota Yaris S2000, Team Castrol Toyota).
• 6. Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle (Toyota Etios R2 S1600, private entry).
• 7. Paulus Franken and Henry Kohne (VW Polo S1600, private entry).
• 8. Emie van der Walt and James Aldridge (Ford Fiesta R2 S1600, private entry).
• 9. Matthew Vacy-Lyle and Schalk van Heerden (Toyota Etios R2 S1600, private entry).
• 10. Andrew Heine and Robbie Coetzee (VW Polo S1600, private entry).
• 11. Hergen Fekken and Carolyn Swan (Toyota Yaris S2000, Team Castol Toyota).
• 12. Jaco and George Baker (Toyota Tazz NRC2, private entry).
