Showdown set for Scotland

Events News

insidethis week:

CoverInterview with Thorsten Pey

HandbrakesHairpins

Issue 107 November 2009

your insight into the world of rallying&

Crocker taks win in China

News• IRC Rally Monte Carlo ups the ante• Skoda factory team expands team• Baumschlager: “Athlete of the Year”• Robert Kubica crashes out of rally again• Bjorn Waldegard to rally in Kenya

Features• Essentials: Stuff• Interview: Thorsten Pey

Event Reports

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Contents / Issue 107Welcome to issue 107 of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, your FREE weekly insight into the world of rallying!

As always, I hope you enjoy this week’s exciting edition!

Yours in Rallying,

Evan Rothman

Welcome to H&H!

Contact

• APRC China Rally Longhou 2009• Total Tara Rally• WPRRC Dayco All Tar Rally• IRC Rally of Scotland

The 2WD classes of the SASOL South African National Rally Championship will receive unprecedented television coverage in a 30min programme on SuperSport.

Titled SASOL National Rally Championship XTRA, the show will be broadcast a total of a further eight times between 21 and 24 November.

SuperSport has scheduled the programme as follows:21 Nov - 11h00 - SuperSport Two Africa21 Nov - 11h00 - SuperSport Two22 Nov - 13h30 - SuperSport Five Africa22 Nov - 13h30 - SuperSport Five23 Nov - 16h00 - SuperSport Six Africa23 Nov - 16h00 - SuperSport Six24 Nov - 19h20 - SuperSport Six24 Nov - 19h20 - SuperSport Six Africa

2WD South African National Rally Classes in dedicated TV coverage

Newsthe world’s latest rally news

Featuring European rally championships, British rally championships, Rally America events, international rally results and videos, as well as S2000 and WRC news.

THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF RALLYING

www.rallybuzz.com

The world’s latest rally newsSEND YOUR TEAM’S NEWS, PRESS RELEASES OR UPDATES TO EVAN.HHMAG@GMAIL.COM!

The revised route, premier TV package and incentives for amateur and top professional teams to compete in the 2010 Rallye Monte Carlo has met with a strong positive reaction from competitiors in readiness for the event on January 18-23.

With a much better chance of snow from being based in the high mountain passes of the Ardeche region, and innovations along the 550km route including a selection stage to be run on the evening of Tuesday 19 January to decide the running order of the rally, there are more opportunities than ever for fans and competitors.

With the opening day’s action leaving Valence for the Burzet and St Pierreville stages and the cost-cutting lack of service, there are many more variables to open up the competitiveness of the rally. The crews will be permitted a change of tyres between the two loops, but otherwise the cars will remain untouched by the mechanics throughout the leg.-Credit: www.rally-irc.com

IRC Rally Monte Carlo ups the ante for crews and spectators

The Rally of Turkey had always been based in Kemer in the holiday region of Antalya in the south-west of the country, although the original World Rally Championship candidate event ran out of Izmir for the fi rst two years. But the organisers of the event are determined to secure their position on the WRC calendar with a move to Istanbul.

The event will be completely new, running on all-new gravel stages which will be seen in the WRC for the fi rst time next year. The WRC’s promoter, Simon Long, says he is delighted with the relocation of the rally to the world’s only city to straddle two continents (Europe and Asia). Long said: “We applaud the decisions the Rally of Turkey organisers have made. Mumtaz [Tahincioglu, chairman of Turkish Automobile and Motorsports Federation] organises a very good rally from both a sporting and commercial aspect. He knows what we want as the global promoter and we’re very happy with what he’s talking about in Istanbul.”

Next year is already a big year for Istanbul, as it takes on the mantle of European City of Culture, and the WRC round is certain to add to that colour and atmosphere in April. Major rallies are nothing new to Istanbul, the nation’s fi rst international event ran out of the capital in 1972. Turkey fi rst ran a round of the World Rally Championship in 2003, having spent the previous two seasons building up to the full WRC round. The country has only missed one season - 2007 - since it was included on the calendar four years earlier.- Credit:www.WRC.com

Rally of Turkey aims to move to Istanbul in bid to secure WRC slot

Skoda will send its factory team to the Monte Carlo Rally next season ahead of an expanded Intercontinental Rally Challenge assault.

The Czech fi rm used the asphalt event last January to debut its all-new Fabia Super 2000. It ended the season second in the IRC manufacturers’ table with works pilot Jan Kopecky securing second in the drivers’ standings.

Skoda’s Motorsport boss, Michal Hrabanek, said: “This year’s rallying agenda is now over. The priority for the next season is IRC. Just like this year, we are planning to take part in selected events, but this time the number of our appearances is supposed to be higher.

“I can say with certainty that we are going to appear at the Monte Carlo Rally in January, which, thanks to the already announced scope of Eurosport TV coverage, will be a big milestone in the worldwide history of rallying.”

Skoda’s factory team contested six IRC rounds this season.- Credit: www.rally-irc.com

Skoda factory team to expand presence in rallying in 2010

Abarth team boss Nic Gullino has stepped down from the role with immediate effect, according to autosport.com.

It was reported earlier in the year that Gullino had made plans to relinquish his role by the end of the season, though the the uncompetitiveness of the Abarth Grande Punto S2000 in the IRC was thought to be the main reason for the Italian leaving.

A source within Abarth commented: “This is not really a surprise to anybody. It’s been a hard season for us this year, we didn’t win so many rallies that we wanted to win.”

The team only won once in the IRC this year and the Punto has constantly been off the pace. Giandomenico Basso’s ERC title was of little consolation for the the Turin based squad who expected much more success from the season.

Abarth will not be contesting next weekend’s Rally of Scotland, though no decisions have been made regarding the future of the team.- Credit: www.RallyBuzz.com and www.Autosport.com

Abarth team boss Nic Gullino leaves team with immediate effect

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provides us with the opportunity to showcase our extensive onboard footage and provide WRC fans with a new dimension of the sport”. The new 3 year deal signed with ISC/North One Television obviously is a major step in the channel’s development, as confi rmed by Motors TV President, Jean-Luc Roy: “WRC is one of only three FIA World Championships, and one of the toughest. It has a very strong appeal to all of our European viewers, many of whom stand along the road sides to cheer the drivers on during the events. The arrival of the WRC will defi nitely help building the channel’s profi le even further and increase our subscriber base. As we’ve done with the Le Mans 24 Hours in the past, we will create a new high standard in term of coverage”. Motors TV coverage of the 2010 WRC will start mid-February with the Swedish Rally, but the channel also works closely with promoter ISC in order to build a year-long coverage using the massive available archive footage, so watch your screens!- Credit: www.motorstv.com and www.RallyBuzz.com

Raimund Baumschlager has done it once again. The eighttime national rally champion from Rosenau am Hengstpass, who this year had celebrated his seventh consecutive title win with one round to spare and who also stood right atop the rostrum at the fi nal event in the Waldviertel, won the 35th sports personality vote for 2009 held by the OÖN newspaper and thus became the fi rst motor sportsman to be elected as best “athlete of the year” in Upper Austria.

But the name Baumschlager did not even feature on the offi cial ballot card, which was drawn up by the state’s sports organisation and the Upper Austrian sports associations. In spite of this late entry the Remus driver made the leap into the group of the top fi ve candidates with the most votes thanks to the great approval by motorsport fans. The fi nal decision was made by a top-fl ight jury, consisting of former swimmer Vera Lischka, former track & fi eld athlete Theresia Kiesl and former downhill world skiing champion Hannes Trinkl. “For us the criterion was the athletic performance, and the decision in favour of Baumschlager was unanimous”, Trinkl said.

Baumschlager, who could hardly remember ever being that nervous “before the start of a rally” as he was prior to the winners’ announcement of the OÖN sports personality vote, was very pleased about the prestigious title. “This is the high point of the 2009 season. I say thanks to everyone who voted for me, and I’m proud to be the fi rst motor sportsman to win the OÖN vote.”- Credit: www.BRR.at

Raimund Baumschlager named Upper Austria’s “Athlete of the Year”

M-Sport team director Malcolm Wilson has yet to decide on who will drive the Ford Fiesta S2000 on the IRC Monte Carlo Rally in January, but Mikko Hirvonen, Markko Martin and Matthew Wilson are all in the frame, according to Autosport. magazine.

The Valence based event is expected to be the Fiesta’s competitive debut, but Wilson says he won’t be rushed into selecting a driver. A decision will be made following a December test, where Matthew Wilson and Markko Martin will drive the car.

“It could be Mikko, Matthew or Markko for the Monte,” Wilson told Autosport. “At the moment, nothing is confi rmed, but Monte Carlo is our target.”

Matthew Wilson gave the Fiesta S2000 its fi rst signifi cant mileage on asphalt last week at a test in the South of France and Spain.

Meanwhile, Craig Breen has confi rmed to Motorsport News that he plans to buy a Ford Fiesta S2000 from M-Sport, for an assault on next year’s British Rally Championship.

The Irish driver is using the prize money (50,000 Euros) he won from the Billy Coleman Award to help fund his purchase of the machine. A programme of events in Ireland is also being planned alongside his BRC bid.- Credit: www.AutoSport.com and www.RallyBuzz.com

Malcolm Wilson yet to decide who drives Fiesta S2000 in Monte Carlo

From 2010 the FIA World Rally Championship will expand its coverage on Motors TV and benefi t from an unprecedented level of dedication, along with a major boost to the on-board side!

For each of the 13 rounds of the 2010 season, Motors TV coverage will start on Thursday evening with a preview show, followed by a new customized package of on-boards and daily news round-ups on a Friday, Saturday & Sunday evening, and an end of event round-up on the following week-end. But the major change to the coverage will be the amount of on-board footage that will feature in the 48’ long daily highlight shows. “I’ve always felt WRC’s onboard footage is state of the art”, said Motors TV Head of Programming & Acquisitions, Frédéric Viger, “and while mainstream broadcasters need to make a mainstream show our channel is all about the hard-core fans. Those viewers are willing to BE the driver when watching the coverage on their fl at-screens, and that is just what we’re going to offer them. More than 50% of our highlight packages in fact will be dedicated to onboard, giving a brand new feeling to the show.” “We are delighted to announce the extended agreement with Motors TV”, commented Simon Long, ISC CEO. “The deal

Motors TV expands coverage of WRC events with added in-car footage

Robert Kubica crashed out of rally in Italy in new Renault Clio R3Renault F1 driver for next year Robert Kubica has suffered a crash in the DP Autosport prepared R3 Clio from the Rally Taormina-Messina in Italy, according to the offi cial results

service.

The Pole made a small mistake on SS3 and crashed into a wall, resulting in his retirement from the event. He had been lying in a very impressive 8th place after the short fi rst day and was looking forward to getting some good experience from this event ahead of the upcoming Rallye du Var.

Kubica was also keen on learning to drive to pace notes and competing for longer periods behind the wheel than he normally does in F1.- Credit: www.RallyBuzz.com

The unique Motorheads Diary just gets better and better. Now in its fourth year, the 2010 Motorheads Diary provides a unique service to motoring and motorsport fans throughout the country. It enables you to plan your motoring year with the utmost precision, while functioning as a conventional diary for business, household or social purposes.

The brainchild of Midrand artist and motor enthusiast Heide-Marie von der Au, the fourth edition of Motorheads follows a format that is by now popular with many thousands of enthusiasts throughout the country.

Motorheads 2010 is once again in handy A5 size, and provides plenty of space for notes and reminders on each day of the year.

However car enthusiast will once again treasure the inclusion of a Fact of the Day on each of the 365 days that make up the year 2010. And what’s possibly the most handy aspect of all, on each weekend, Motorheads lists countrywide motoring events from a wide range.

For instance, a typical Motorheads weekend listing will inform you of a Formula One race, a World Superbike event, a classic car show in George, and a National Championship rally. Or perhaps a classic car race at Zwartkops.

In addition to this there is all sorts of useful motoring related information, such as diagrams of race tracks throughout South Africa, a listing of every F1 and MotoGP champion in history, and a listing of all the major car clubs in South Africa.This year’s edition is once again peppered with interesting articles on a diverse number of motoring personalities and cars. Of particular interest is a special photographic tribute to the 1968 South African Grand Prix by John Foster, showing pictures of the late Jim Clark taking his last victory, as well as the likes of Denis Hulme driving a BRM-engined McLaren!

Once again many articles have been prepared by some of the country’s top motoring journalists, including VW historian John Lemon, Mini author Ryno Verster, Witzenberg Motorklub stalwart Patrick Vermaak, motorcycling personality extraordinaire Clive Strugnell and Car Magazine’s Gauteng correspondent Stuart Johnston.

Motorheads 2010 is available now at select bookshops throughout South Africa, as well as through direct order via

Motorheads 2010 Diary has been released, best one yet

www.motorheads.co.za. (Stockists are listed on the website.) For more information mail Heide-Marie von der Au at hm@motorheads.co.za or call her on 083 455 7684.

Just last week, a deal was struck whereby the 1979 World Rally Champion, Bjorn Waldegard, will defi nitely compete in a Porsche 911 on the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally in just over two weeks time, according to www.RallyBuzz.com.

Originally entered in a Porsche 911 from England, Waldegard was due to return with his co-driving son, Mathais, to defend their title after winning the last Safari Classic in 2007 with a Ford Escort RS1600. However, circumstances prevented that from happening but at the eleventh hour, Iqbal Sagoo, a Kenyan now resident in California stepped in.

Sagoo drove a Porsche 911 on the 2007 event with Jurgen Bertl and eventually fi nished eighteenth after at least a couple of major delays culminating in a wiring fi re on the last day. The Porsche has now been fully re-prepared and Sagoo has invited Waldegard to drive it while he takes up the co-driver’s duties.Waldegard’s reputation on Safari Rallies is an enviable one.

He fi rst won the Safari in 1977 with a Ford Escort RS1800 and then three more times for Toyota - in 1984 and 1986 with a Celica TC Turbo and in 1990 with a Celica GT-Four. He has also competed on the Safari Classics of 2005 and 2007, the fi rst time fi nishing seventh with a Porsche 911 and last time winning in the Ford Escort. If all those wins are counted, then Waldegard has equalled the Safari record of the legendary Shekhar Mehta who won the Safari fi ve times for Nissan in the 1970s and 80s.

Born in 1943, Waldegard started rallying in his native Sweden in 1962. He won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1969 and 1970 with a Porsche 911 and won the very fi rst FIA World Rally Championship Driver’s title in 1979 driving a Ford Escort RS1800 and a Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0. He also won the Swedish Rally fi ve times, with a Porsche 911 in 1968, 1969 and 1970, with a Lancia Stratos in 1975 and a Ford Escort in 1978.

The 2009 Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally starts on November 23rd from Mombasa and the forty-six crews will drive for 4,500 km (2,800 miles) through Kenya and Tanzania before fi nishing back in Mombasa on December 2nd.

Sponsored by Kenya Airways and with Access Kenya providing its Internet service, this is one of the most highly regarded events for classic cars in the World. It has kept the name of “Safari Rally “ alive since the original World Championship event ceased running after 2002. This biennial event now looks as if its values may be coming back into favour as the FIA have relaxed their rules on the format of World Championship events and there may yet be a Safari Rally once again in the list of WRC events. For this reason, the 2009 Safari Classic has attracted more attention than would normally be expected for a classic rally.- Credit: www.RallyBuzz.com

Bjorn Waldegard signs up for classic rally in Kenya in December

Featuresyour insight into the world of rallying

ESSENTIALS: STUFFStuff you never knew you needed

SNEAK PEEK: M-SPORT FORD FIESTA S2000

As this issue of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS was to be distributed, the offi cial launch of the Ford Fiesta S2000 took place. Here is a sneak peek at this new machine from M-Sport and Ford. It is my most defi nitely an ESSENTIAL for rally domination in 2010 and beyond! It is also on my Christmas gift wish list, if you needed to know.

The Fiesta S2000, M-Sport and Ford’s fi rst global rally car, which will be eligible to compete in national rally championships around the world as well as the IRC and S2000 World Cup, is due for homologation in January 2010.

Continuing their close relationship with Ford, the team at M-Sport has worked in tandem with Ford’s Motorsport Technical Manager Mike Norton and the Ford small car design team that developed the acclaimed kinetic design of the Fiesta road car, to develop a dynamic and aggressive looking rally car.

The experience gained from developing the record-breaking Ford Focus RS WRC has been used by the M-Sport team to develop the Fiesta S2000 rally car while working within the new FIA Sporting Regulations which means that this car can be

used by customers at both national and international level.

The Fiesta S2000 is the latest in a long line of rally cars produced as a result of the successful partnership between M-Sport and Ford, starting with the Escort Cosworth in the 1990s and moving on to the record breaking Ford Focus RS WRC and Ford Fiesta ST.

It follows hot on the heels of M-Sport’s extremely successful two wheel drive Fiesta R2, which was launched earlier this year and has already taken class victories in rallies across Europe.

The arrival of the Fiesta S2000 means that together Ford and M-Sport offer a complete ladder of opportunity for rally competitors to graduate with Ford from national level right through to the WRC in Ford cars.

In next week’s issue of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS we’ll feature an extensive technical feature on this new rally machine that has taken the world by storm!

INTERVIEW: THORSTEN PEYWestern Priovince Junior Rally Champion 2009

H&H: Firstly, well done on a great season in the highly-competitive 2009 Western Province Regional Rally Championship. What titles were you awarded with this season? What other rally achievements have you already in your trophy cabinet?TP: Thank You. We achieved a dream by winning the 2009 Western Province Junior Rally Championship. We also won Class S4, and for the fourth year in a row we won the Chris Truter Memorial Trophy for best Rear Wheel Drive crew. Other achievements include: second in the 2008 Western Province Junior Rally Championship; Class S4 Champions for 2006, 2007, 2008 and now 2009.

H&H: Regional rallying in South Africa is once again gaining momentum. Following the Western Cape championship, it offers close rally action. How did you see your season pan out?TP: We have had a dream season. The fi rst event, the Bredasdorp Regional, we broke a shock absorber (regular problem), but managed to limp back to service. Our service crew managed, with the help of other competitors’ service crews’ help (at one stage, we had four welders from different crews), to weld the shock into the turret. We then clawed our way back into second place in the Junior Category. The Toyota National rally was great and we won the Regional Section. For the Ceres and the Wingfi eld rallies, we did very well overall even though they were very wet and muddy events. The All Tar Rally was great and we achieved second place overall. The last National, the BP Ultimate Rally, had it all giving us a Regional win and a Class win.

Overall, we have had a fantastic season, one that you dream of. Here I must thank my Sponsors, the few that we have, that took a chance on us and got the reward. I must also thank the team, the service crew who kept the BMW together and gave us a winning car, and then to Mark, thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow. Hopefully the last one this year is just as good to us, and we score a full house.

H&H: Who did you see as your strongest competitor in 2009?TP: At fi rst it looked like a tough season with the diesel Volkswagen Golf of Jones/Gray, the BMW of Sassman/Sassman, the Nissan Sentra of Esterhuysen/Van Greunen and the Nissan Skyline of Grierson/Van Greunen.

The diesel Golf showed us the way for the fi rst event and then their season went pear-shaped. Although not in our class, young Ashley Haigh-Smith, in the Toyota Yaris, gave us the closest run, right up to the BP Utlimate Rally when they fell out en-route to the fi rst stage.

It was also great to scrap with the Toyota RunX of Amlay/Ganiel and Andy Haigh-Smith in his Class A6 Toyota Corolla in the Senior Category.

H&H: What are your memorable rallying moments from 2009?TP: Being able to start the Toyota National Rally 36th on the road, and by re-group on Friday night to get a start position of 21st for the Saturday’s leg of stages. Then the whole Saturday mixing it with the A6 runners fi nishing 18th overall and fi rst Regional Car.

Other memories from this season include: Not giving up on the Bredasdorp Rally and fi ghting back up to second in the Junior Category; being able to drift the whole of turn two at Killarney, for the tar section of the BP Ultimate Rally, and then fi nishing among the A6 runners (in which we started 30th on the road and fi nished 14th overall); sealing the 2009 Western Province Junior Championship; just to be able to compete and have fun.

H&H: There is great talent rising up through the ranks in South African rallying. In your region, especially, rallying will have a number of keen drivers and co-drivers to keep an eye on. Who do you think will be the next star South African rallying fans and competitors should look out for?

A TRUE RALLY ENTHUSIASTWith Cape Town’s Thorsten Pey and Mark Palmer claiming the 2009 Western Province Junior Rally Championship title, HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS was delighted to interview the driver of the tail-happy BMW 325i that has wowed rally fans in South Africa, WRITES EVAN ROTHMAN.

TP: Well, fi rstly, I think Jon Williams will go a long way in the World Rally Championship, we just need him to get a big sponsor to support him though. I really hope this happens. Then, on the Regional front I think the two youngsters to watch are Ashley Haigh-Smith and Paul-Hendrik Franken.

H&H: How long have you been competing for in rallying? What was your main motivation in entering rallying? What are your career aspirations?TP: I tried my hand at fi rst in a Volkswagen Jumbo Golf with a 1800 eight-valve motor in 1996. Pierre Wubbeling, my Navigator then, and I had two poor seasons, with more non-fi nishes than fi nishes due to mechanical breakdowns. I did, however, manage to roll (fl iped it nose-to-nose) the Golf.

I then tried track racing and did very well for a number of years in a modifi ed E30 BMW 325i, hoping to make a name for myself and get some big sponsorships.

In 2000 I won the Championship, but my love for rallies (thanks to my Dad who organised rallies way back in the 70’s and me tagging along) was too strong. After a number of years of saving, with Mark Palmer as navigator, we fi nally had a BMW 325i rally car.

Mark and myself teamed up very well, and have had a fantastic four years with the big Beemer. Dreams have come true, so my dream is to get a full works drive to do the Nationals in an S2000. Hey, seeing as I am dreaming, getting a full sponsor so that I can drive the Western Cape Regionals, South African Nationals, African Rally Championship, IRC AND WRC events full-time; in other words, to become a full time driver that gets paid to do what he loves. DREAM OVER.

H&H: What makes a rally driver a rally driver? What characteristics do rally drivers possess that other motor sport competitors don’t? TP: With all respect to track drivers, (I won the 2000 Cape Ads Championship for modifi ed saloon cars at Killarney) where I feel it is more of a mind game, a rally driver has far more things coming at him and fast too.

The road ahead is foreign, even though you have seen the pace notes, conditions always differ, surfaces constantly change, you have to listen to the navigator and make judgment calls on how fast to hit the drift or jump. What line to take, how fast is your competitor going that you cannot even see... To travel through stages up to 42km long, concentrating fully and then still have to travel 30km back to service. Yes, many times I know I can drive faster, but the aim is to get the car to the end. That balance is not always easy.

H&H: It must be a busy offi ce to sit in, the driver’s seat of your rally car. Can you tell us about your rally car? TP: I purchased the BMW as a front end smash, written off. Mark and my wife (don’t you all wish you had a wife like mine) asked Dietrich and his crew to build the car after two years parked in the drive-way.

Our fi rst event was the 2006 Toyota Dealer Rally. Over the years we have strengthened and re-inforced what has been necessary and got the car reliable. Currently the only problem are the shocks, as they take a severe pounding with the big heavy motor in front, hence we take it easy over jumps and big drifts. But man oh man, the sound of a screaming six cylinder over the farm fi elds, the sideways drift into farm yards and corners... Nothing comes close. We have built up quiet a following with the rear wheel drive BMW. After all, our motto is “Having fun, Having a ball!”

The car currently is: 1995 BMW E36 325i. Standard head with a 328i crank, rods and pistons for better torque. Gearbox: standard E36. Diff: home-built limited slip, 25% from various BMWs. BMW 328i half shafts. Decent roll cage fi tted, with a strong sump guard. Electric fan fi tted with an enclosed cone air fi lter. Rear shocks have been uprated Bilstein, with original

springs. Front struts have been made by Owen Ashley with inserts from Ian Glass with competition springs. Standard brakes with genuine BMW brake pads. In other words, a near standard car with better shocks and springs. Nothing over the top.

H&H: What tips can you offer young rallying drivers in terms of setting quick and consistent stage times? TP: I think the trick at fi rst is to be consistent and fi nish all the events. Then with a bit of experience you increase the pace so that you become competitive. It is of no use to come out fl ying fast for a stage or two, and the hang up the car in the bush. The best practice is seat time in a rally.

H&H: Any advice you can offer armchair rallyists keen to enter the sport as a competitor?TP: You do not always need to rob a bank to fund a rally car: you need a team of enthusiastic people who will build a reliable car and then go out and have FUN. We all would love to drive an S2000 machine, but I am having the time of my life in a home-built car and with the help of a lot of friends to go out and have a ball. I am thankful that I have a great service crew. Yes, it is expensive but I really think that many make it more expensive than it could be.

H&H: What is your favourite event on the rally calendar? And, why?I specially enjoy the two National events where we can pace ourselves against the National boys, these being the Toyota Dealer Rally (which is very fast and suits our car perfectly) and the BP Ultimate Rally. I also enjoy the Bredasdorp Regional, as it is fast over blind crests, something to make the heart race. Come to think of it, I enjoy all the rallies.

H&H: The glory days of the current WRC cars are numbered. From 2010, they will be running S2000-spec rally cars. What are your views on this? TP: These cars look the part and sound the part, they are strong and having fi elds of say 40 cars from seven or eight manufacturers can only create an even bigger following.

We could also have a few international stars “practice” in our National events. Won’t it be great to see 15 to 20 drivers in S2000 cars in good old South Africa? Again, here it would be great to keep costs down by keeping it simple. Car/engine and suspension that are not tricked out to the extreme - keeping it simple!

H&H: Rallying attracts thousands of spectators to events around the world, and hundreds of thousands attend WRC rallies. This popularity, however, does not seem to apply to our rallying locally. What can be done to improve rallying for spectators and competitors in South Africa? TP: I have been fortunate to attend three WRC events, and the crowds are fanatical. We need to get the Press more involved, overseas you get two pages and more a day in the main papers, three to four days before the rallies, television have programs fl ooding all over weeks before an event. Towns have banners weeks on end before an event.

I think in South Africa we need a better Marketing Machine, stages closer to main towns (and not the tar ones), with super specials that charge a small entrance fee, with a few repeat stages. Then we need to get a few characters in the fi eld, and then for them to meet the general public. Somehow reduce the costs to the competitors, with more entries, you create a bigger crowd. Really, what draws 40 000 spectators, weekly to rugby games, win or lose? And why, they pay week after week?

Why can we, with Rallies, be it National or Regional, not attract those crowds and make them pay for it? I feel that it is better entertainment, and then the whole day as well, not only 90 minutes. Something seems not to add up.

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Eventsthe full event previews and reviews

APRC: CHINA RALLY LONGYOU 200913 - 15 November 2009

CROCKER WINS IN CHINA TOOThe fi nal round of the FIA Asia Pacifi c Rally Championship (APRC) took place in China this past weekend. It was four-time APRC champion Cody Crocker of Australia who powered to victory once more in 2009, showing a clean pair of heels in this tricky and challenging rally WRITES EVAN ROTHMAN.

With six special stages remaining on the last day of competition in and around Sanmenyuan and Hengshan (with a total of 99,09km competitive distance), heavy rain and cold temperatures hampered crews in their bid to reel in Crocker’s massive 04min lead.

Proving his four-time, and 2009 status, APRC chamionship successes, Crocker was fi rst to cross the fi nish line in his Subaru Impreza Group N. His victory in China rounded out his perfect APRC season. “I’m so glad to fi nish the season with an overall title in Longyou Rally. It’s a tough race today for me, especially the heavy rain,” said Crocker. “But, I did a perfect job and my car also worked very well throughout the race. Besides, my co-driver and I had very good team-work. It’s a great season and its a great title for me.”

Second plance went to Dean Herridge (Subaru Impreza Group N), followed in third by Jari Ketomaa (Subaru Impreza Group N).

Rifat Sungkar from Pertamina Prima XP Rally fi nished fourth overall, Yuya Sumiyama from Cusco Racing, and Crocker’s teammate Emma Gilmour fi nished fi fth and sixth. These three drivers also settled for second, third and fourth in FIA Asia Cup competition in Longyou rally.

The China Rally Longyou 2009 also played host to the fi nal event of the China Rally Championship (CRC). Xu Jung (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Group N) claimed the overall championship for his domestic championship, and beat his

rivals across the fi nish line to end the Rally of China in an impresive seventh position overall. “I did not expect to win the race because my arm suffered during the race. It’s impossible for me to pull the hand brake,” said Jung. “But I had the chance after two contenders pulled out of the race. I tried to keep consistent later on and won the stage. It’s a fi rst stage title and I’m so happy.”

It was Team FCACA’s Han Han (Subaru Imreza Group N) who initially lagged far behind Jung after Day One’s rally action managed to catch up steadily on Day Two and Three of the event to fi nally fi nish in second place in the China Rally Championship seedings. Southeast Motor Wanyu Team’s Fan Fan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Group N) came in third place. FINAL China Rally Longyou 2009 CLASSIFICATION:01) C. Crocker/B. Atkinson (Subaru Impreza WRX STI N14) - 03h 40m 47,6s 02) D. Herridge/C. Murphy (Subaru Impreza WRX STI N14) + 04m 32,8s 03) J. Ketomaa/M. Teiskonen (Subaru Impreza WRX STI N14) + 06m 56,6s 04) R. Sungkar/S. Beckwith (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) + 13m 55,7s 05) Y. Sumiyama/N. Kase (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) + 17m 17,9s 06) E. Gilmour/C. Mole (Subaru Impreza WRX STI N14) + 17m 58,0s 07) X. Jun/L. Sheng (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) + 21m 46,3s 08) H. Han/S. Qiang (Subaru Impreza WRX STI N14) + 23m 11,3s 09) F. Fan/F. Junwei (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) + 33m 51,5s 10) S. Chunlei/P. Hongyou (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) + 43m 14,4s

NAMIBIA: TOTAL TARA RALLY12 - 14 November 2009

FEKKEN POWERS TO WIN IN NAMIBIA

In their BP Ultimate sponsored Volkswagen Polo S2000 Class S4 rally machine, 2009 South African National Rally Champions Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries pulled out all the stops this past weekend to take a stunning victory in Namibia.

With a total competition time of 03hr 18min 19sec, Fekken/Arries fi nished 05min 25sec ahead of their nearest rivals. The Namibian crew of Jaco van Dyk and Michel Rust clinced second place overall in their Volkswagen Polo S2000, ahead of 2009 Namibian Rally Champion Dick Cornelissen and Gunther Skutsch.

This event saw the crowning of Hannes Aranjies as the 2010 Namibian Rally Champion, even though his rally car expired just 600m shy of the fi nal stage of the 620km event.

Interestingly, winners of the event, Fekken and Arries, posted the fastest stage times on all but two of the 25 speed tests!

With a large number of spectators following the event on the outskirts of Namibia, the Total Tara Rally proved to be another success for rallying in Namibia.FINAL Total Tara Rally 2009 CLASSIFICATION:01) H. Fekken/P. Arries - 03h 18m 19s02) J. Van Dyk/M. Rust - 03h 23m 44s03) D. Cornelissen/G. Skutsch - 03h 27m 01s04) J. Wiesse/E. Thatcher - 03h 9m 46s05) W. Dames/J-C. Coetzee - 04h 01m 39s06) W. Siemens/C. Koorts - 04h 24m 05s07) T. Malan/W. Van Wyk - 04h 29m 02s08) E. Holloway/R. Viljoen - 04h 44m 37s09) J. Kritzinger/R. Dames - 05h 07m 24s10) J. Gentle/J. Schultz - 05h 45m 35s

It was another South African crew that grabbed overall honours at the Total Tara Rally, the fi nal round of the Namibian Rally Championship for 2009, WRITES EVAN ROTHMAN. IMAGE BY MOTORPICS.

WPRRC: DAYCO ALL TAR RALLY02 - 04 November 2009

HIGH-SPEED ACTION SET FOR KILLARNEYRound 7 of the 2009 Western Province Rally Championship has the potential to be one of the highlights of the season when the second Dayco All Tar Rally takes place at the Killarney Motorsport Complex in Milnerton on Saturday 21 November and Sunday 22 November, WRITES PATRICK VERMAAK.

Michael Nathan/Derek Jacobs (Burchmore’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX) are secure in the knowledge that they have claimed the Senior Championship, and will be looking to win again this weekend. With only six of seven rounds scoring towards this Championship, Nathan and Jacobs stand to lose 24 and 21 points respectively, ironically their best result of the season when they won the Production Car category and Class N4 on the recent BP Ultimate Rally. Having won two consecutive Sasol South African National Rally Championship Class N2 titles, Nathan can now add the Senior Western Province Drivers title to his tally whilst Jacobs will fi nally add his fi rst championship success after some twenty years as co-driver.

Andy Haigh-Smith and Graig Gray (Class S3 Team REACT Toyota Corolla RXi 1600) are looking to clinch second place in the Drivers’ Champiomnship. Starting his season confi dently, he found his attention split between his own efforts and that of his son Ashley. A true gentleman rallyist, Haigh-Smith will hopefully give the 2010 season a proper go and earn the results he deserves.

Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Patrick Vermaak won the Kwikfi t Bredasdorp Rally, the opening round of the season, in their

Team Total Evolution Toyota RunX S2000 Class S5 and also added a win on the Wingfi eld Motors event with Rob Williams navigating, but having rolled on the Gauteng Toyota Dealer Rally and being tarmac it is doubtful whether he would be challenging Haigh-Smith at Killarney this weekend.

Ettiene du Toit and Patrick Vermaak blew the engine on their Class N2 specifi cation class S3 Ugly Duckling Filmset Rental Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 during SS1 of the Overberg Toyota Dealer Rally and only returned to the rally action in round fi ve at for the previous Dayco All Tar Rally. Posting better than expected stage times, they opted to participate in the national BP Ultimate Rally in the Swartland area and fi nished in a very creditable second place in Class A6. Too little too late with respect to overall points positions but Du Toit will be a favourite to watch at Killarney. Vermaak currently holds second place on the Senior points standings for co-drivers.

Defending Senior champions, Abduraghman Amlay and Yusuf Ganief (Amlay Motorsport Toyota RunX RSi S4), have not had a strong season either and would like to fi nish their year competitively. Of the remaining Senior drivers it is doubtful whether André Cleenwerck, Fernando Rueda or John Peiser would actually contest the fi nal round.

Thorsten Pey and Mark Palmer are enjoying a great season in the Winning Business Solutions/Forsdicks Tyger Valley class S4 BMW 325i. This pairing has already won the coveted Chris Truter Trophy as the best rear wheel drive team in the Western Cape, and with a strong performance this weekend they will seal their Junior Category title too.

Thorsten Pey, the former Western Province Clubmans racing Champion now adds the Western Province Rally Drivers’ Championship title to his mantelpiece, while his co-driver Mark Palmer becomes the Junior Category Co-Driver Champion.

Second in Junior Category is seventeen year old Ashley Haigh-Smith and Hilton Auffray in their Team REACT Class S2 Toyota Yaris 1300. His aspirations to challenge for the Junior Category title unfortunately went up in engine smoke en-route to SS1 of the recent BP Ultimate Rally. Having contested more than three rounds of the Sasol South African National Rally Championship, they will return in 2010 as Senior Western Province contenders.

Kesevan Naidoo and Garth Ritsch ran consistently in their Class S3 Freightmore Toyota Conquest RSi 1600, and will fi nish the season on the Junior Category podium.

Llewellyn Jones and Craig Gray won Class S4 on the opening event, but their SAC Volkswagen Golf IV TDi developed an appetite for turbochargers and it resulted in them slipping down the points’ leaderboard. Quick, but fragile, this car could well become the one to beat in 2010 with Christopher Pichon as navigator.

Charl Strydom/Sakkie Bosman will also be pushing their Sabre Paints Class S3 Volkswagen Polo 1600 this weekend, and with their improving skills will be vying for the junior Category Championship title for 2010. Rupert van Zyl/Marius Rudolph impressed during the previous All Tar and their class S3 Hollandse Motors VW Golf GTi should prove to be quick again.

Other entrants to keep an eye on are: sixteen year old Paul-Hendrik Franken and Uwe Pey (WBMK Class S2 Volkswagen Golf 1600); Winston Neethling/Keenan Sassman will hopefully have their Class S5 Nissan Sentra 4x4 ready for action; Gavin Grierson/Paul van Greunen would like to fi nish their season with a good result in their WBMK Class S4 Nissan Skyline 2.8GTX; and, Martin Esterhuyse Snr in his WBMK Class S4 Nissan Sentra 200STi.

Warren Scholtz/Justin Gay (Class S4 Volkswagen Polo 1800) is another combination seeking a confi dence-building fi nish to their season. Last but not least, the rebuilt Class S4 BMW 325i of Clinton Sassman looks and sounds good and will hopefully start to show it’s true potential at Killarney.

Two days of non-stop rallying action which will also see the Powerfl ow GTi Challenge and Indy Oil Clubmans categories join in the fun and should have spectators fl ocking to Killarney Motorsport Complex as the entire event will be run at the race track. Find your favourite vantage point and the rally will come to you!

IRC: RALLY OF SCOTLAND19 - 21 November 2009

BRITISH SHOWDOWN SET FOR SCOTLANDFinal preparations for the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland this weekend (19 - 21 November) have reached fever pitch, with the teams, crews and organisers readying themselves for a true winter festival. The fi nal round of this year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge is set to be all-action in the forests around Perth and Stirling. CREDIT: IRCSERIES.COM

The rally route takes in more than 1000km over the three days, with 225km of timed special stages. Starting at the fabled Scone Palace, where the kings of Scotland were once

crowned, Thursday night will see two special spectator stages in the grounds of the historic Perthshire venue. A full day’s action on Friday will incorporate some of Scotland’s most famous and demanding special stages, many of which have lain dormant for over 20 years since the heyday of the great RAC Rally.

Throughout the day the crews will tackle Craigvinean, Blackcraig, Errochty and Drummond Hill stages, where a carpet of pine needles guarantees minimal grip for the front-runners. The greatest challenge of all will come on Saturday, when the staggering 33km blast through Loch Ard will close the morning leg and will return as a rousing fi nale to the event itself.

Newly-crowned series champion Kris Meeke starts as favourite but has had a testing start to his home event, after damaging the suspension on his Peugeot UK-entered 207 S2000 on the offi cial test. While there was some dismay in the headlines, Meeke himself brushed off the incident: “It was an innocuous-enough thing,” he said. “I clipped a log which was hidden in the grass about three inches off the road and that dinked a steering arm.”

More serious was the engine failure that affl icted his team-mate for this weekend, 22-year-old Adam Gould. The Englishman, who was nominated to drive the BFGoodrich Drivers’ Team Peugeot 207 S2000 by a panel of expert journalists, had his all-important familiarisation with the car truncated by engine failure. His total experience of the car – which is very different from the Group N machine he

campaigned in this year’s British championship – has been limited to a little over 50km.

Nevertheless the youngster remains undaunted: “I just can’t wait to get to the start line,” he said. “The car is absolutely fantastic - just amazing! The noise is sensational.”

With six manufacturers and the cream of British-based talent preparing to go head-to-head in this fi nal round of the IRC, many big names will be vying for a shot at beating Meeke on home soil. None more so than Meeke’s career-long rival Guy Wilks, who has competed with Proton on this year’s IRC but switches to a Skoda UK-entered Fabia S2000 in Scotland.

It was the Fabia that ran Meeke closest to the title in this year’s IRC points battle, with the works drivers Jan Kopecky and Juho Hanninen both claiming rally victories. On home ground and at the head of Skoda UK’s fi rst international event since its all-girl team on the 1997 RAC Rally, Wilks is ready to take the fi ght to Meeke.

“The car looks mega in Skoda UK colours - and it drives as good as it looks!” Wilks said. “It inspires confi dence in you as a driver. It has loads of grip and we felt right at home straight away. I can’t wait for the rally to start now.”

Taking Wilks’s seat in the Proton Satria Neo S2000 is none other than former British and Asia Pacifi c rally champion, Alister McRae. The younger brother of 1995 world champion, the late Colin McRae, Alister has fl own back from the Rally of China with hours to spare in order to join in the fi rst international series to visit his native soil for 14 years.

Adding further spice to the line-up are two newly-crowned champions of Britain – Ireland’s Keith Cronin, who has a works-prepared Abarth Grande Punto S2000 – and Scotland, in the form of local hero David Bogie in his familiar Ralliart Lancer Evo IX. Leading Honda’s assault on the 2WD Cup – and hoping to repeat his overall points fi nish on this summer’s Rally Russia – is Estonian hotshoe Kaspar Koitla.

All the 60 entrants in this weekend’s event must brave the elements both night and day. The weather will be crucial for tyre choices and strategy in Scotland – and heavy rain is set to be the main feature of the event. An absolute deluge forecast until Thursday night’s opening stage is completed. Friday will however dawn brighter and without rain – but it is nevertheless set to return for Saturday’s closing action.