The Subaru Cape Rally - regional event
author: Patrick Vermaak
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Stephan van Dyk and Mark Pym - Subaru WRX
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The third Subaru Cape Rally attracted 56 entries of which 26 teams competed for the WP Regional Championship. With the two Cape national events forming part of the WP championship those cars not eligible for national classes and competitors with no interest in the national championship, contest a strictly regional section in these events and for this 11 teams qualified.
As expected it was Serge Damseaux who led the regional competitors home in the Castrol A8 SWMC Toyota Run X while navigator, Robert Paisley not residing in this area, did not qualifying for regional points. Stephan van Dyk and Mark Pym of CPMCC kept their WP championship aspirations alive with another blistering outing in the Group N4 House of Subaru WRX. A broken gear linkage and puncture cost them a podium placing but fifth overall was adequate proof of their potential at the sharp end of the rally fraternity. Eighth overall went to Adrian Karth and Rikus Fourie in the GMP Motorsport class A7 VW Polo Playa 2.0 which was their best ever result and though Karth hails from PE, Fourie is from Stellenbosch and qualifies for WP points.
Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Cobus Vrey was heading for a potential third place overall but a broken sideshaft in stage 7 and a puncture in stage 10 saw them drop back to second in class and ninth overall in the impressive Team Total class A7 SWMC Toyota Corolla RXi 2.0. Jon and Doug Williams enjoyed a brilliant rally in the Trident Press Gp N2 SWMC Toyota Corolla RXi 1600, not only winning the class at national level but taking a superb tenth place overall. Taking the fight to Chris de Wit and Patrick Yende they really pulled out all the stops in stage ten to post an incredible time to secure victory. Changing tyres outside the designated service area fortunately not destroying a superb outing.
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Mike Nathan and Rikus Smit - A6 Aluminium Window Industries Toyota Conquest RSi 1600
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Mike Nathan and Rikus Smit enjoyed their best ever National result when they took 16th spot in the ex-Serge Damseaux / Doug Williams class A6 CPMCC Aluminium Window Industries Toyota Conquest RSi 1600. Surviving a number of close calls Mike could not compliment the car enough. His ex-Diffie Marais class A6 Toyota Conquest RSi 1600 failing to make the finish in the hands of Stevan Wilken and Megan Stow. The ever consistent combination of Wessel Venter and Patrick Johnson took 18th overall and third in national Gp N2 in their yellow Harkers Automotive / Shell Helix Toyota Corolla RXi 1600.
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Etienne du Toit and Patrick Vermaak
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Twentieth place overall was quite disappointing for Ettiene du Toit and Patrick Vermaak in the Class N2 McCarthy Toyota N1 City / Orbit Coachworks Toyota Corolla RXi 1600. The combination set fastest Gp N2 stage times on three special stages, only to come unstuck on stage eight with a time consuming front wheel puncture. Without the aid of a limited slip differential the team had to struggle through the mud until a hard enough patch of ground could be found for a tyre change, after this their intercom also called it a day and they had to rely on sign language for the remaining stages.
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Jacques Brits and Johan la Grange in their Lize Signs Toyota Conquest RSi 1600
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Paul Pfeiffer and Duncan English won the Regional Only category with their class A6 Toyota Corolla RXi 1600. Considering a move into Gp N4, the team was quite content to gain stage mileage and the win was something of a bonus. Brother-in-law, Fernando Rueda, was present behind the controls of his beautiful helicopter whilst the Evo 8 now only seems set for a 2005 debut. Second in the regional category was the class S4 BMW 325i of Swartland combination, Jean du Plessis and JC Barnard. This team posted very respectable times in what is a near standard BMW. Driveshaft problems saw them finish the event with a serious vibration but with very big grins.
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S4 BMW 325i of Swartland combination, Jean du Plessis and JC Barnard
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Third regional team home was fellow Swartland combination, Jacques Brits and Johan la Grange in their Lize Signs Toyota Conquest RSi 1600. Picking on the navigator the Conquest sported extensive panel damage down the left but they too were very happy with their performance. Neels van Wyk and Marius Swart were one of the most entertaining combinations at the Killarney stages with some lurid slides through Sabat corner. Taking fourth regional was pleasing in the very entertaining class S3 VW Golf II 1800. Former Clubmans racer, John Peiser, and Killarney Clerk of the Course, Brian Hoskins, shared the Group N1 VW Golf 1.4i and netted fifth regional home after another consistent drive. Final regional team home was Lance Slabbert and Deon van Greunen in their class S3 CPMCC VW Golf GTi 1800.
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Adrian Karth and Rikus Fourie in the GMP Motorsport VW Polo Playa 2.0
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Andy Haigh-Smith and Gerald Brace was most unfortunate to put their class A6 React Racing Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 off the road on stage ten when a sideshaft broke and they lost traction in a very slippery section. With only the roof of the car visible as we went past it was clear that their event was run. A pity as Team Grandpa have certainly shown a great turn of speed lately. Richard Behm and Grant St Clair had an even more disappointing experience as they were contesting overall victory in the Gp N4 Palbin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6. Leading the event going into stage six they hit a ditch awkwardly and Grant sustained a painful back injury resulting in their retirement from the event. A team to watch in future?
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Mike Nathan and Rikus Smit - A6 Aluminium Window Industries Toyota Conquest RSi 1600
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Charl Strydom and Sakkie Bosman had a torrid event in the Sabre Paints class A6 1600cc VW Golf CSL. They broke a sideshaft ten km into the 44km opening stage and never quite recovered before retiring in stage seven with an unknown problem. André George and Hilton Auffray also retired their class S2 VW Golf 1600 in stage seven. Shaun Jones and Billy Thorpe withdrew the class S5 VW Golf Synchro 4x4 in stage six with gearbox problems and the class A6 Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 of Abduraghman Amlay and Yusuf Ganief failed in stage seven after a variety of problems throughout day one.
Leon Esterhuyse and Andy Schreuder lasted two stages in the Gp N3 Opel Kadett 2.0 whilst WBMK teammates, Harry Giliomee and Fritz Blom, ran out of brakes in their class S2 Toyota Corolla 1600. Leon Oosthuizen and Rodney Pedro also only completed two stages in their class S4 VW Jetta whilst André Cleenwerck and Carl Peskin managed one stage before their class S4 VW Polo Playa 2.0 succumbed to a blown head gasket. Tienie Overmeyer and Wesley van Heerden (class S3 Toyota Conquest RSi) and Kesevan Naidoo and Garth Scholtz in their class S2 Toyota Conquest 1300, never made stage one.
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Rain, sunshine or whatever - spectate they will!
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Graham Hooper (CPMCC) navigated for Durban based Yogesh Singh in a class S20 VW Polo Playa 2.0 but unfortunately their debut event was cut short when the gearbox packed up in stage one. Rallying in Mauritius Yogesh Singh had no gravel experience going into the Subaru event and his progress would have been closely monitored. Derek Jacobs (CCMCC) was another WP navigator sharing a drive on national level but his event with Nkosinathi Nzimande in the A5 Golf also came to naught in stage one when the rear suspension failed. Of course the other WP based combination was Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson who had to sit this one out after Enzo was attacked by his quad!
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