Can they make it three wins in a row…that’s the Million ZAR question being asked by the rivals of reigning National Rally Champions Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton as the countdown to the Cullinan Rally, the fifth round of the championship, begins in earnest.
Proceedings get underway at Zonderwater Correctional Services at 11h00 on Friday August 15, with the Ford Dealer Team Fiesta crewed by the champions getting away in third position. With two wins on the trot making up for an uncharacteristically slow start to the year, the #24 pair are hot favourites as the championship enters its second half. Despite not completing a single stage on the opening round in KZN, they have nevertheless been fastest on 21 out of the 52 stages completed on the four events.
“We’re all fired up and back in the groove. This has been a good event for us in the past with a win last year and we’re keen to continue that trend!” said Cronje, who has now won a total of 17 rallies (18 if you include a 2011 event which was controversially declared null and void). More importantly, since becoming Ford-mounted he has won 15 times, including 11 out of 18 starts in 2012 and 2013, his two championship years.
“A number of new stages were introduced in the Volkswagen Rally a few weeks back and the organisers of this rally have done the same,” says Cronje. “Three of the sections are new, which means those teams who do a good job with their notes and on the recce day will reap the benefits. Robin and I enjoy the preparation phase of each event, and a great understanding between the driver and navigator is a key part of our success.”
The Imperial Toyota Cullinan Rally comprises 12 stages in total – half of them on Friday, and the other half on Saturday – with each stage from the first day repeated on the second. So with three of the stages being new, a significant portion of the competitive distance will be run on unfamiliar roads – a situation which suits the highly-experienced duo perfectly.
A total of 155 stage kilometres are scheduled, which also makes this the shortest event of the season so far. As a result, there will be little opportunity to make up for early mistakes so a clean and clinical approach is needed. Clerk of the Course Willie du Plessis says heavy dust can be expected, but that spectators will have plenty of good viewing where they will get to see rally cars at full chat. There will also be a number of occasions where the public can mingle with competitors at the Zonderwater service point.
The first car is expected to start Saturday’s final stage at 13h00, making this event ideal for those with a busy weekend planned. Follow the exploits of Cronje24 on Facebook and look out for some exciting video uploads throughout next week.
ENDS