Algoa Rally set for tight battle

RALLYING returns to the Eastern Cape next month in what is likely to be an all-out battle between the country’s top drivers.

The event, the Algoa Rally, will be the next round of the seven-round 2017 SA National Rally Championship that takes place in and around the Bay on July 21 and 22. The rally was previously called the Volkswagen Rally.

Meanwhile, round three of the nationals – the Secunda Rally – earlier this month was won by Lee Rose and former Toyota Gazoo Racing SA navigator, Elvéne Coetzee, in a classic Ford Escort.

However, Rose/Coetzee are campaigning in the classic category, while the SA National Rally Championship currently consists of Class R2 1600 race cars.

First in Class R2 was former Toyota driver Chris Coertse (Mazda), with Richard Leeke (Ford) in second. It was a tough test for Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Guy Botterill and navigator Simon Vacy-Lyle.

The pair started conservatively last Friday but they lagged only three seconds behind AC Potgieter (Volkswagen) after the first five stages.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing SA crew had to race through several deep water splashes in the opening stages and even though their Toyota Etios handled the water without immediate problems, some damage was done.

“When we reached the start of Stage 9, the car simply wouldn’t start,” Botterill said.

Botterill/Vacy-Lyle had to wait for the stage to start before they could fix their car.

It cost them the best part of two minutes – and their lead.

But the pair won Stage 10 convincingly. Stage 11 started in the same vein, but a broken gear linkage mid-stage put paid to their efforts. “It was devastating, as we had to drive almost 20km stuck in first gear,” Botterill said.

The pair made it to the final service park of the rally and the car was quickly repaired – but the damage had been done.

All that remained of the 2017 Secunda Rally were two short stages, and the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA crew had to settle for third place by the time the rally ended.

“We we’re certainly happy to bag the points,” said Botterill, who still leads the championship standings for the year.