Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle (Yato Tools Toyota Etios R2) have all but wrapped up the two-wheel drive S1600 South African National Rally Championship with two rounds remaining. After winning the first four rounds in succession and also round six in the Western Cape a month ago and accumulating 130 points out of a possible 200, they have an almost unassailable 49-point lead over their nearest challengers.
While there are a maximum of 50 points on offer (a win is worth 25 points) in the last two rounds – the Polokwane Motor Rally in Limpopo on October 17 and 18 and the final round on November 21 and 22 at a location still to be announced – second-placed Chad van Beurden and Nico Swartz (Beurden Construction VW Polo) with 81 points have only the slimmest of mathematical chances of denying Botterill and Vacy-Lyle the title.
It was Van Beurden and Swartz who broke the current championship leaders’ winning streak with a fine victory in round five, the Imperial Toyota Cullinan Rally in August. A non-finish in the most recent round in the Western Cape didn’t help their championship aspirations. Botterill and Vacy-Lyle would have to score no more points – an unlikely scenario – and Van Beurden and Swartz would need to win both remaining rounds to take their total to 131 and beat the current championship favourites by a single point.
This is motor racing and stranger things have happened, so you can be sure no-one will be taking anything for granted.
The battle for the minor placings can be expected to be as hot as this championship, which is a feeder for the premier S2000 category, has been throughout the season. With the youngest competitor just 16 (co-driver Mari van der Walt) and the youngest driver Richard Leeke Jnr, who turned 18 after round one, S1600 is the breeding ground of champions of the future. Van Beurden is 20 and third-placed Ashley Haigh-Smith is 21.
Haigh-Smith and co-driver Damian van Ass (Castrol Ford Fiesta R2) have 78.5 points, the same number as fourth-placed Matthew Vacy-Lyle, brother of Simon, and Schalk van Heerden (Fragram Tools Toyota Etios R2). Andrew Heine and former S1600 champion co-driver Robbie Coetzee (VW Polo R2) are fifth with 75 points. Just six points cover second to fifth, so there is still a big battle ahead for the second and third steps on the podium.
Sixth are AC Potgieter and Tommy du Toit (VW Polo) with 69,5 points, closely followed by Chris Coertse and Mari van der Walt (Electrothread Toyota Etios R2) with 68.5 points. Paulus Franken and Henry Kohne (Manitou Group VW Polo) are eighth with 68 points. There are only 13 points covering 2nd to eighth after six events and 76 special stages, which illustrates just how close and competitive the S1600 championship has become.
Making up the top 10 are Ernie van der Walt and James Aldridge (Ferodo Ford Fiesta R2) with 55 points and Richard Leeke Jnr and Rikus Fourie (ATS Ford Fiesta R2) with 50 points. Both crews have shown pace and talent and have a best result of third (Van der Walt in round four and Leeke in round two). They are drivers to keep an eye on in the future.
The penultimate round of the championship is the Polokwane Motor Rally in Limpopo on October 17 and 18.