Bumpy ride to rally podium

After a disappointing result in the Toyota Western Cape Dealer Rally, he regained his momentum in the Polokwane rally on 19 and 20 October, where he finished in third place, handing him a slim lead in the S1600 class standings. “The race did not start off well and after the first stage was lying in14th position, which was shocking. The intercom kept having an intermittent fault and although I could hear my navigator,I could not hear the instructions clearly enough. So I drove by with what I could see in front of me for most of day one. However, I managed to end the first day in sixth position,” said Craig.

“I went to the Polokwane Rally in third position in the championship and returned to Durban with a slender lead. My closest challengers in the championship were both excluded from the results of that event due to transgressing the rules. Having a slender lead in the championship did help with the confidence going into the last round, but in this sport was well aware that anything can happen and the championship was far from sealed.”

Inclement weather brought the Garden Route rally on 15 and 16 November to its knees as the race was cancelled after day two’s stage 1. The first day was no ‘walk in the park’ either, with about a third of the racers crashing out before reaching the halfway mark. “I had managed to keep all four wheels on the road until 5km from the end of day 1. While accelerating through a gentle left hand bend, the car all of a sudden went
straight, the road continued left, but I didn’t. An aluminium bracket on the left front suspension which the steering connects to had sheared off completely resulting in the sudden loss of steering through the corner. I think this was the only corner in a 100km of racing where there were no trees.”

Craig doubted his chances of winning the championship after registering his first, ‘did not finish’ of the season. He is placed second in the provisional results of the championship. The court of enquiry, convened by the national rally commission will make a ruling on whether or not the results remain, after the winner of the championships was involved in an accident with another racer in the final race.

The season has been roller-coaster for Craig, who has had seven punctures, the most he’s had in the past five seasons. It is rumoured that his sponsor Total SA may withdraw from all forms motorsport this end, leaving Craig unsure of whether or not he will be competing in the following season. Having achieved his goal of placing in the top three of the championships, Craig looks forward to enjoying the festive season in sun with friends.
– mbalim@dbn.caxton.co.za