Trott in second at rally’s halfway mark
YELLOWWOOD Park rally car driver, Craig Trott (52) left his competitors in the dust at the Volkswagen Rally in Port Elizabeth on 19 and 20 July.
The 12 stage race kicked off in Uitenhage on Friday and ended on Saturday at Kings Beach. With a slow start to the two-day race, Australian-born Trott finished off the first day of racing in fifth position. Showing his 31-years of experience, the skilful driver and his co-driver, Janine Lourens (21), managed to accelerate their way up the standings to claim a second spot finish in the S1600 class.
The rally, which marked the halfway point of the 2013 South African National Rally Championship, his second spot finish kept him in the running for the national title, the points secured him third place, 5.5 points from the leading man. “If I win it’s a bonus, but I won’t be disappointed if I don’t win, but I have to be in the top three. We have not had an easy start to the year, but my co-driver and I have been consistent and finished all the races,” said Craig.
His season has been marred with ‘always the bridesmaid but never the bride’ syndrome, with three podium finishes but no wins recorded. The eight time SA champ also boasts one of the highest finishing records in South Africa.
An accountant by profession, he spends 80% of his time working on his car. “I still build and maintain my own car. It’s safer because no-one else can look out after your things as well as you can.”
A former Queens College pupil, he was an avid athlete but started his racing career as a co-driver at the age of 21, and has never looked back since. “Racing takes up a lot of my time. I am very passionate about it.”
As one of the oldest competitors in the sport, he shows no signs on slowing down. “One day I will have to retire, but until then I will keep racing for as long as possible. I am not looking forward to retiring, growing old is not for sissies,” he says.
He is set to take on the Gauteng Rally next on 16 and 17 August. He has never competed on the track but expects nothing less than a podium finish from himself. “I am aiming for a podium finish but ultimately the nature of the road will determine where I place, as I prefer technical roads. I believe in doing your best,” he says.
