VW RALLY STARTS 2ND HALF OF 2010 SEASON
author: Andries vd Walt
The Volkswagen Rally kicked off the second half of the Sasol South Africa National Rally championship in Uitenhage this morning. The event is the 5th round of the championship. The VW Rally stages in the Longmore forest, has the reputation of being fast and deceptive. It is expected to be no different this year although the rally is being run according to a new format.
In terms of the new format the 32 national competitors will do six stages today, and then repeat the four of the stages tomorrow. It can be expected that the pace, especially among the front runners, will be fast and furious. The trick however, is going to be to stay on the road.
The championship log is currently being led by the 2007 champions Enzo Kuun/Guy Hodgson in their BP VW Racing Class S2000 Polo. They are on 67 points, four ahead of the Castrol Toyota Auris team of Johnny Gemmell/Drew Sturrock. Third is Jannie Habig/Ralph Pitchford on 53 points followed by Mark Cronje/Robert Paisley in another Toyota Auris on 51 points, three clear of the TOTAL Toyota RunX crew of J-P Damseaux, Caroline Swan.
As can be expected Hergen Fekken/Pierre Arries in a S2000 BP VW Polo will once again be going like the clappers and continue their battle with the Ford Fiesta of Conrad Rautenbach/Peter Marsh from Zimbabwe. Fekken however, who is lying 6th in the championship, will want to win the rally to improve his chances of retaining the SA title that he and Arries won in 2008 and 2009.
Charl Wilken/Greg Godrich who have had a miserable season in their S2000 Basil Read Ford Fiesta will try and show what they are capable of behind the wheel of the Ford.
The competition in the other classes will be equally as fierce.
The total length of the 11 stages is about 160km and the rally ends at Kings Beach in Port Elizabteh tomorrow afternoon.
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