The opening round of the Algoa Rally Club Championship take place in ideal conditions on Saturday where the hot windless conditions, public holiday and exciting spectator stages all ensured that the crowds came out in their numbers to support the action that took place in and around Despatch at EMI Construction sponsored Dispatch Rally.

Wayde van Zummeren and his navigator Henry Adams had the massive crowd on their feet as they stormed to victory in the opening two stages claiming the sought after Dash-for-Cash prize in their Border towing sponsored four-wheel drive VW Polo. The stages that took place at the newly renamed Water Wheel Park caught a couple of the rear-wheel drive cars out as they battled for traction on the wet grass following overnight rain, resulting in some spectacular doughnuts, that had the appreciative crowd shouting for more.  

Gauteng based brothers Nico and Juandre Nienaber in their Turbo Panelbeaters backed Toyota Etios then took control of the rally, winning the remaining four stages  to end up winning the event by over a minute with some high flying antics across the many jumps in the well prepared rally stages. Unfortunately a broken gearbox in the crowd-pleasing Nissan Skyline of Border Towing’s Martin van Zummeren halted their progress on the penultimate stage, while defending champions Neels Vosloo and Rikus Fourie retired their Hella VW Polo after stage three suffering from brake failure and Cape Town visitors Paul van Wyk and Matt Kohler had suspension failure in their Audi Quattro early in stage three. They did manage to replace the broken part after a lengthy stop and finish third in the ARC1 class.

The Indy Oil VW Polo of brother and sister, Ross and Roxanne Bartle didn’t miss a beat, although Ross was battling with dehydration issues in the sweltering heat they managed to finish in fifth place overall as well as take the ARC3 class win while young Cailyn van Rooyen made her navigating debut alongside her father Juan to finish fourth overall and third in the ARC4 class. Another father and daughter pairing of Johan Viljoen and Ria Jansen came home in seventh place overall and second in the ARC 3 class.

The second round of the Algoa Rally Club Championship is the Syrabix Scribante Rally that is also scheduled on a public holiday and will take place on and around Aldo Scribante Raceway on Monday the 28^th April.

The overall and class results are as follows –

Overall

• 1^st Nico Nienaber & Juandre Nienaber – Toyota Etios 1600
• 2^nd Wayde van Zummeren & Henry Adams – VW Polo 250 4×4 Turbo
• 3^rd Deon Kretzmann & Jason Schreiber – Toyota Etios 1600

ARC1

• 1^st Wayde van Zummeren & Henry Adams – VW Polo 250 4×4 Turbo
• 2^nd Jody van Zummeren & James Johnston – Datsun P510 SSS 2000
• 3^rd Paul van Wyk & Matt Kohler – Audi Quattro S3 4×4 1800 Turbo

ARC3

• 1^st Ross Bartle & Roxanne Bartle – VW Polo 250 2000
• 2^nd Johan Viljoen & Ria Jansen – VW Polo 250 2000
• 3^rd Herman Bernhardt & Greg Heine – VW Polo 250 1200 Turbo

ARC 4

• 1^st Nico Nienaber & Juandre Nienaber – Toyota Etios 1600
• 2^nd Deon Kretzmann & Jason Schreiber – Toyota Etios 1600
• 3^rd Juan van Rooyen & Cailyn van Rooyen – VW Polo 250 1800

ARC 5

• 1^st Francois Vermaak & Handre van Schalkwyk – VW Golf A1 1400
• 2^nd Riekus Schmidt & Marco Griesel – VW Polo A13 1400
• 3^rd Leander Koekemoer & Wesley Schultz – VW Polo 250 1200 Turbo

CLUBMANS

• 1^st Francois Vermaak & Handre van Schalkwyk – VW Golf A1 1400
• 2^nd Martin Kleingeld & Deon Engels – Toyota Corolla KE35 1600
• 3^rd Grant Watkins & Gregory Watkins – Ford Escort