Malmesbury Motors Kleigat Rallysprint
author: Patrick Vermaak
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Jean-Pierre Damseaux & Cobus Vrey
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Head past Malmesbury on the N7 and take the R45 Hopefield / Vredenburg turn-off to the left. Popular rally spectator point as you head up the hill towards the turn-off (Automark Rallies). Take a nice scenic drive into the Swartland and turn left onto the Tweekuil / Darling (gravel) road. Continue on this road, past the popular Goodehoop spectator point (Cape Subaru Rallies) until you find the venue on your left.
Please take into consideration that this is literally “near nothing” so please bring whatever you might need to get through the afternoon with you and remove your own refuse afterwards. The landowner has been extremely helpful in allowing a number of teams the opportunity to test their cars on various sections of his property and we endeavor to keep this relationship healthy.
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Bring all you need for the day
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All cars, stockcars – bakkies – buggies – road cars and quads are welcome to enter. However take note of the warning that this is intended to be a rally practice session and as such the stage is a proper rally stage that includes a fairly high speed yump, rocky drift and soft sand section. It will be hot and it will be dusty. A nice spectator point can only be reached before the event starts and NOBODY moves onto this stage until the sweep car declares it safe to do so !
At 13h00 all competitors will proceed through the stage in convoy and it will be up to the navigators to set up their own pace notes for the stage. Do not be alarmed, once through should have everyone familiar with the route and depending on the amount of entries a minimum of two times will be recorded in each direction. There is nothing at stake so please simply enjoy shaking off the cobwebs and get yourself sorted for the coming season. Should this event prove as popular as we believe it to be the exercise will be repeated at various venues later in the year. It will be up to the competitors to make it worthwhile !
Early indications are that Stefan van Dyk and Mark Pym look set to debut their recently acquired ex-Schalk Burger GpN4 Subaru Impreza STi 4x4 Turbo and those who have seen the car considers it a true work of art. Stefan and Mark need no introduction as they proved their worth in a very rapidly driven GpN2 Toyota Corolla RSi 1600 and must rate as strong contenders for overall honours in the WP and the SA scene.
Doug Williams has three sons. No problem, unless all three intends going rallying ! Jon Williams have been improving on each event behind the wheel of the ex-Serge Damseaux Trident Press class A6 Toyota Conquest RSi 1600 but for the 2004 season this talented youngster will move into the very competitive world of GpN2 with the Damseaux Motorsport prepared ex-Mark Cronjé Trident Press Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 whilst brother, Shane, is set to make his rallying debut in the proven Conquest. A navigator has not been appointed yet !
Another new face on the local scene will be that of Car Rookie of the Year 2000 (GpN), Ettiene du Toit in the ex-Dean Sanders GpN2 Toyota Corolla RXi 1600. A proven tarmac racer Ettiene wasted little time in adapting to gravel and this car will also be prepared by Damseaux Motorsport.
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Andy & Gerald
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The class A6 React Racing Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 of the “oumanne”, Andy Haigh-Smith and Gerald Brace very nearly finished 2003 with an overall victory and they are out to prove that it was sheer ability and not just the Damseaux Motorsport preparation that did the trick. Rumour has it that their GpN2 Toyota Conquest RSi 1600 could be returning to the fray in the hands of Nigel Dodgen and Nigel Wilton.
However, do not forget that Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Cobus Vrey, will want to take revenge after having to withdraw in the final stage of the final rally in 2003. The Team Total class A7 Toyota Corolla RXi 2.0 was still awaiting its engine at the time of writing but the car will run on Saturday if at all possible. Richard Behm and Grant St Claire are the 2004 dark horses at this stage as their plans have not been announced yet. The 2003 WP rally champions still have their GpN2 Palbin Pallets Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 at their disposal but rumour has it that they might appear in the ex-Fernando Rueda GpN4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 4x4 Turbo.
The big guns might also want to keep the vastly improved class S5 VW Golf Synchro 4x4 of Shaun Jones and Billy Thorpe in mind as their win at Misverstand was well deserved. There are many other that could provide good action on the day but in all honesty it is early season and it is imply not possible to predict who will actually enter on the day. One entry that will bring back a few memories will be the class S3 Murway Car Hire Toyota Conquest RSi 1700 of the 1989 WP rally champion, Innes Murudker. He will share driving duties with his son Nishaad and it will be great to see him back behind the wheel of a rally car.
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The ex-Burger Subaru will be in action
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Expect a number of brave quad riders to join in the fun and possibly even a few near standard cars and bakkies. Thus it would be wise to accept the warning that there are virtually no facilities available at this venue, there are some big shady trees but it will be hot and dusty. The route is 2.8km in distance and the start and finish is virtually in the service area.
Come and get dirty !
For more info contact either Patrick Vermaak 083 701 8116
Jean du Plessis 082 920 8500
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