Poulter, Coetzee top podium at rally event

THE fifth round of the National Rally Championship, hosted by the community of Heidelberg, provided far more excitement than anticipated.

Organisers had to deal with rogue spectators, grass fires, rain, dust storms, dogs and cows on race day.

This was also Leeroy Poulter and navigator Elvéne Coetzee’s fifth consecutive overall victory.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing SA team, drove their Toyota Yaris S2000 to eight stage victories on the 13-stage event, winning the Heidelberg Rally by 01:31.

“We had some mid-stage incidents with spectators and wildlife,” said Poulter after finishing the event at the Heidelberg Mall.

“But we were quick enough on the clean stages to ensure a first place finish.”

Teammates Giniel de Villiers and navigator Carolyn Swan started with a bang, winning stage five of the event, though they were hamstrung by thick dust on the closing stage six, the final stage of day one.

With De Villiers/Swan out, the podium positions went to Poulter/Coetzee in first place, Van der Walt/Snyman in second, and Theuns Joubert, partnered with Mari van der Walt (Salom Racing Toyota Auris NRC4) completing the podium places.