The Ford Performance Ford Fiesta crew of Mark Cronje/Robin Hougton are leading the Natal Rally by 23.8 seconds at the end of day one. Die Ford Fiesta crew are leading the Team Castrol Yaris pairing of current South African Rally Champions, Leeroy Poulter/Elvene Coetzee in a Team Castrol Toyota Yaris..
The event kick-off this morning in Scotburgh as the first round of the 2015 SA National Rally Championship with 25 entries.
Third after today’s six stages is Henk Lategan/Barry White in a Sasolracing Volkswagen Polo 37.9 seconds behind the leaders.
The second Team Castrol Toyota Yaris of Dakar hero, Giniel de Villiers and his new navigator, Carolyn Swan in in fourth position at the overnight stop,54.6 seconds behind Poulter.
The privately entered S2000 NAD Ford Fiesta of Japie van Niekerk comes in at fifth position after the end of the day’s rallying 1:19.5 seconds off the lead. He is followed by the Sasolracing Volkswagen Polo of Gugu Zulu/Pierre Arries 2:00.8 behind the leader.
In seventh position and leading the S1600 class is the current SA Champion, Guy Botterill in a Toyota Etios R +3:19.8 followed by Chad van Beurden in a Volkswagen Polo.
The rally restarts tomorrow morning in Scottburgh and the competitors will contest six stages before the finish in Scotburgh.
Among the notable withdrawals today are Hans Weisj in a Sasolracing Volkswagen, Namibian Wilro Dippenaar in a NRC4 Toyota Auris with gearbox problems, Ernie van der Walt and Nico Higgs.
The event consists of eleven stages of 178km in total.