The 2024 Petrefuel Algoa Rally Club Championship roars into life tomorrow where 23 of the region’s top driver and navigator combinations will slug it out on and around the tight confines of Aldo Scribante Raceway at the Imperium Auto Spares, Towing & Recovery Rally.
The rally will comprise of four stages all utilising parts of the race circuit as well as the vast dirt roads around the outskirts of the circuit and will be combined to make up a total race distance of 62 kilometres. Billed as a spectators dream viewing rally, it’s possible to watch up to three cars in action at a time as they tackle various parts of the well laid out rally stages.
Photo by Darryl Kukard
Hoping to continue the momentum and reliability that took them to overall championship honours during their faultless 2023 season are the team of Juan “Bollie” van Rooyen and his wife Tarryn in their Innova backed VW Polo 250 1600cc.
National rally campaigners Neels Vosloo and Rikus Fourie in their Hella sponsored VW Polo will want a change of fortunes after a disastrous 2023 season that saw them roll out of contention early on in the year. With their car having been totally rebuilt and performing well during pre-season testing they will no doubt be favourites to win the opening round at Scribante.
Also needing a change of fortune are Nick Davidson and Ashley Bezuidenhout in their Stu Davidson & Son sponsored 4-wheel drive Toyota Auris, that although being lightning-fast has unfortunately been plagued with reliability issues.
Deon Kretzmann and Jason Schreiber have reverted back to the Triple LLL Plant Hire sponsored 1L VW Polo after the motor in the ex-Guy Botterill Toyota Etios, that took Kretzmann to second place overall in the championship last season, ran into problems.
Well known East London racing driver Martin Van Zummeren and his sons Wade and Jody will be bringing a varied mix of Border Towing backed vehicles to add to the excitement of the event. Wade and navigator Lloyd Brady will be in the immaculately prepared ex-Hannes Grobler Nissan Skyline, whilst Jody with James Johnson alongside him in the navigator seat will once again be in the giant slaying Datsun P510 SSS Coupe that had the crowd on their feet, cheering for more, last year with its sideways drifts through the corners. Martin will team up with local navigator Henry Adams and will be debuting a brand new 4-wheel drive 2L turbo charge VW Polo that will certainly be a force to be reckoned with. Another 2L turbo charged 4-wheel drive car that will be in the mix for the first time is a Subaru Legacy of ex-Stannic Group-N racer Des Timm who teams up with his girlfriend Sue Human alongside him reading the notes.
Having just returned from the Africa leg of the World Rally Championship in Kenya where she was working for the TokSport Skoda Team in the logistics and catering departments, is local navigator Ingrid Jeacocks who will be pairing up with her regular driver Oliver de Man in their Ocean Truck Sales Toyota Corolla.
Taking part in their first rally ever will be the father and son team of Philip and Caden “Booboo” Weise in the Solid Pave/Conticrete backed classic Toyota Conquest. Caden fresh from his fantastic second place finish at last weekend’s Motocross Nationals will be relishing the opportunity and get one step closer to fulfilling his dream of taking part in the Dakar Rally one day.
The classes competing in the 2024 Championship are made up as follows:
- ARC1 Turbo charge four-wheeled drive & two-wheel drive cars (excluding 1L VW Polo)
- ARC2 Rear-wheel drive, above 2L with maximum 3.5L
- ARC3 two-wheel drive, maximum 2L (including 1L VW Polo)
- ARC4 two-wheel drive, maximum 1600cc
- ARC5 two-wheel drive, maximum 1400cc
Gates to the circuit open to spectators at 07h00 and the cost per vehicle is just R100 regardless of the number of occupants, so rally fans are urged to load up their families and friends, bring their braai fires along and enjoy the outdoor festivities that will include a car display by the Concept Crew Car Club, a parade lap around the circuit at lunch time as well as a competition to win a ride in a rally car.
