The Trade Brands Tour Natal Rally is only a week away, and the organising committee and theNational Rally Commission are excited that they have put together an exciting, spectator friendlyevent. “We believe that some of the best rally roads on the North Coast have been used by JimmyDewar and his team, and that with the new stages for most of the competitors, it will be an evenplaying field,” said Rikus Fourie from the NRC.
With 21 entrants of today’s date, the stragglers will be making a major effort this weekend to ensurethat their cars are entered timeously. Topping the R2N class, is reigning SA Rally Champion duo GuyBotterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle. “We have tested our new Toyota Gazoo Etios, and it is the first newcar we have had in four years, and I believe that we will have a great start to the season with a more
competitive car. There are a few improvements and the car has felt really great during our test sessions,” said Botterill.
The new Total Gazoo Toyota Etios was launched to the media today
together with the line-up of the 4×4 onslaught of the Toyota Off-Road team.
Richard Leeke and Henry Kohne were always on the pace last year, and once again they will be putting in a tremendous effort to make Botterill work hard for any overall victories.
Richard will be campaigning the Ford R2N in the blue and white livery.
AC Potgieter and Nico Swartz will be out to prove their mettle in the VW Polo R2 N, after finding themselves on the podium during the latter part of the 2017 season. Another crew that did well in their very first outing in 2017 was Chris Coertse and Greg Godrich in the R2N Mazda.
With this R2N class being so closely contested, great performances will also come from Tjaart Conradie and Mari vd Walt (Toyota Etios); George Smalberger and Chris Brand (VW Polo); JJ Potgieter and Tommy du Toit (Ford Focus) and Jono van Wyk and Barry White behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta.
It will be a welcome return to rallying for Matthew Vacy-Lyle who has taken over the ex Botterill Etios, as he and Schalk van Heerden run their Etios under the Just Tools banner. Matthew spent two years in Dubai on business and has returned to Natal and what better way than rallying to catch up on the motoring scene.
In action under the Open class we will see really competitive Subarus, a few VW Polos and even a City Golf. Local rallyist Trevor Graham with Brian Clifton in the hot seat will be out in their BMW and will do battle with the older, yet very quick Open class vehicles.
And who said rallying was a man’s sport – we have two lady teams and they will be out to show off their talents at high speed on the sweeping gravel roads of Natal.
The Trade Brands Tour Natal Rally will start at 15h00 on Friday 9 March from the Lifestyle Centre Ballito in the Dunlop Service Park. Closest gravel stages are only 10kms from Ballito, with cars coming back to the Dunlop Service park at regular intervals.
The Whirlpool night stage in Old Ballito Village will start at 19h00. Overnight stop will be at Ashton International College before the Saturday restart where the Bigfoot Express and Mica stages will be held in Doringkop and Blythedale. A huge applause to the other co-sponsors – Dunlop Tyre Track, KIC, with Accesspoint
who will keep you up to date, and Red Bull.
The spectator guide will be printed in this week’s copy of Life and Style so pick up your copy and be right there in the midst of the action.