The 2016 SA National Rally Championship finally kicks-off today with the start of the Goldfields Rally the Phakisa Raceway near Welkom late this afternoon. It is the first event that is being held under the auspices of the new NRC Steering Committee that was put in place last year after the National Rally Commission that was led by Richard Leeke as president since 2011, was disbanded.
It is not only the first time in six years that a national rally is being held in the Free State, the the season will consist of seven rounds only as opposed to the eight rounds in the past.
Nineteen competitors have entered the national championship. A notable absentee this year is Volkswagen who withdrew from rallying last year. Ford performance will also not be running any cars this year, but will give ample support to privateers (see story elsewhere).
The rally will start with two tar stages at Phakisa at 17:30 while eight gravel stages and another tar stage will be run tomorrow. The total stage distance is 162km.
This year rally enthusiasts and followers of three time national champion, Mark Cronje, will see him in a Volkswagen Polo. This one of the Volkswagens used last year, it has been upgraded to 2016 specs.
Cronje who dominated the championship in the past few years until Leeroy Poulter won it last year in a Toyota Yaris Gazoo, will not be in the Ford Fiesta with which he won the championships.
In the previous years the Volkswagens had difficulty in matching the pace of the Ford and Toyota’s and it will be interesting to see how Cronje will cope with the Toyota’s of Leeroy Poulter and Giniel de Villiers this year.
The entry list consist of five S2000 cars, three NRC4 cars, eight S1600 entries and three NRC2 entries.
Rally enthusiasts will be keen to experience the event, the first of the new NRC Steering Committee. It is being organised by the SCC East Rand Branch and the Clerk of the course is John Ogden.
The rally finishes at Phakisa at 15:30 tomorrow afternoon.