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It was a weekend of ups and downs and a reminder that the motorsport gods can be fickle indeed. That’s the bitter truth that the ATS Motorsport duo of Richard Leeke and Henry Köhne have had to accept, after finishing the Secunda Rally – which ended on Saturday, May 20 – third overall and second in the S1600 class.  But just 12 stage kilometres from the end it had looked like they were destined for the top step of the podium. They had put in a string of good times early on Day Two and with two of the 13 stages still to run they seemed to have it in the bag: they were leading overall and had a manageable cushion to the second placed runner. Then the Fiesta’s alternator failed and the pair were delayed on an open section, checking into the penultimate stage 11 minutes late and incurring a 1-minute 50-second penalty as a result… as they say in American politics, it ain’t over until the fat lady (Texas) sings! Mechanical gremlins had also cost them time on the opening day of the event, but even with the Ford’s engine off-song and causing a lack of low down punch they had kept the leaders in sight. Their recovery on the second day made it even more satisfying – until the alternator decided to stop charging the battery… But it wasn’t all doom and gloom. The pair has moved back into second place in S1600, thanks to leaders Guy Bottrill and Simon Vacy-lyle finishing third in S1600. In fact, it was an event which saw many of the frontrunners make errors or suffer mechanical issues and has given the championship a shake-up and closed the gaps at the top of the leader board. “It is hard to describe that feeling when things go from fantastic to terrible in the space of a few seconds but that’s what can happen in motorsport,” said Leeke ruefully. “It would’ve been great to win overall but it wasn’t to be and we can take some pleasure that our second place in class put us ahead of our main championship rivals. We also know that our suspension ‘tweaks’ for this event worked and that’ll help us for the next round!” The South African National Rally Championship now has a two-month break, with the next event being the Algoa Rally in the Eastern Cape on July 21 and 22. |
