Just to show that he was fighting fit again after his effort yesterday to repair a near beyond devastated left back wheel, Leeroy Poulter in a Team Castrol Toyota Yaris, put it all behind him this morning winning the first of the day’s nine gravel stages on the Toyota Cape Dealer Rally. The event resumed in Malmesbury this morning with Mark Cronje in the Ford Performance in the lead after yesterday’s four tar stages.
It was nothing short of a miracle for Poulter to not only still to be in the rally, but to be there not even under Rally2 rules. But he is fighting for the championship and needs every single point he can get.
Amazingly Cronje was only fourth on the stage unless he is of the opinion that his lead of just over two minutes over Poulter is untouchable.
Overall he still leads the rally after stage 5 with a total time of 31:15.9. Second and engaged in a battle royal with the Team Castrol Toyota of Giniel de Villiers, is Henk Lategan in a Sasolracing Volkswagen Polo 16.4 behind Cronje, wiith de Villiers blowing in his neck on 16.8.
This is going to be one heck of a fight to watch as this ia where a lot of today’s action will come from. Fekken is 4th +42.5 with Ernie van der Walt in a Vecto Toyota Yaris +1:24.7s in 5th overall..
Enzo Kuun standing in for Japie van Niekerk in the NAD Ford, was next up + 1:33.0 followed by Gugu Zulu in another Volkswagen Polo +1:37.1.
Poulter slotted in in 8th place +2:23.1 and Theuns Joubert 9th +2:40.6.
The Toyota Cape Dealer Rally is round seven of the SA Rally championship. The frinal event. the Polokwane rally will be held next month.
The rally ends in Malmesbury this afternoon after twelve stages of about 212 km.