VW team desperate for a good showing in PE

THE VOLKSWAGEN Sasolracing rally team would like nothing more than a home victory in the Volkswagen Rally taking place this Friday and Saturday in and around Port Elizabeth.

At the halfway point in the season the VW Sasolracing Polos are third on the championship log with the Ford and Toyota teams dominating proceedings up front.

A lack of consistency has cost the VW teams and they would love to rectify this on home ground in a rally organised by their home club with the support of Volkswagen South Africa.

Henk Lategan and Barry White have shown a good turn of speed in their VW Polo S2000, posting very competitive times in the Sasol and Secunda rallies, while returning stalwart Hergen Fekken reunited with Pierre Arries, in only their second outing this season, were surprisingly quick in Bela-Bela.

However, it is Mr Consistency, Gugu Zulu, who has so far brought back the bacon for the Volkswagen team; his just reward the solid third position on the championship log.

Fresh from their first victory for 2015 in the Bela-Bela Motor Rally, defending champions Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee (Castrol Team Toyota Yaris) will be looking for a repeat performance in Nelson Mandela Bay this weekend. They need another victory to keep the current championship leaders and runners-up in Bela-Bela, Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton (Ford Performance Fiesta), in their sights.

Also in contention are Giniel de Villiers and Carolyn Swan (Castrol Team Toyota Yaris), who are fourth in the championship and Japie van Niekerk and Gerhard Snyman (New Africa Development Ford Fiesta) who finished third on the recent Bela-Bela Motor Rally.

The 33rd running of the Volkswagen Rally, round five of the 2015 South African Rally Championship, will comprise 12 special stages.