Rally spectacle visits Cullinan

The occasion will be the Imperial Toyota Cullinan Rally, set to get under way from the Zonderwater Prison on Friday at 11am.

The country’s finest gravel racers will tackle the compact 12-stage event over two days, with plenty of spectating opportunities along the 155km route.

Going to Cullinan, Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee (Castrol Toyota Yaris) will lead the season’s title chase, narrowly ahead of Hans Weijs/Bjorn Degandt (Sasol Volkswagen Polo) and Hergen Fekken/Carolyn Swan (Castrol Toyota Yaris).

YOUNGSTERS. Chad van Beurden/Nico Swartz (Van Beurden Construction VW Polo) will chase a victory in the two-wheel drive class. Picture: Dave Ledbitter

Next up, and one of the favourites to win the rally overall, will be Mark Cronje/Robin Houghton (Ford Racing Fiesta).

They could spray the champagne, as could Henk Lategan/Barry White (Sasol Volkswagen Polo) and Imperial Toyota’s Giniel de Villiers/Greg Godrich.

Rounding out the top class will be Gugu Zulu/Carl Peskin (Sasol VW Polo), Japie van Niekerk/Gerhard Snyman (New Africa Developments Ford Fiesta), plus Thilo Himmel/Armand du Toit (Volkswagen Polo Vivo).

In the Challenge Class, Wilro Dippenaar/Kes Naidoo (PZN Panelbeaters Toyota Auris) will face off against Piet Bakkes/Shaun Visser (Accident Guru Toyota RunX).

In the Super 1600 class for two-wheel drive cars, Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy Lyle have scored four wins in a row with their Yato Tools Toyota Etios, and they will certainly start as the weekend’s favourites.

FLAGSHIP. Imperial Toyota’s Giniel de Villiers/Greg Godrich will be pulling out the stops in their sponsor’s rally this weekend. Picture: Dave Ledbitter

Their closest challengers should be Chad van Beurden/Nico Swartz (Beurden Construction VW Polo), Ashley Haigh Smith/Damian van As (React Ford Fiesta R2) and AC Potgieter/Tommy du Toit (Tri-Sec Autohaus VW Polo).

Others worth watching will include Mathew Vacy Lyle/Schalk van Heerden (Fragram Tools Toyota Etios), Richard Leeke III/Rikus Fourie (ATS Ford Fiesta), Chris Coertse/Mari van der

Walt (Electrothread Toyota Etios) and Willie van Straaten/Scott Howden (Collisen Engineering Toyota RunX).

Finally, the national category will include Ernie van der Walt/James Aldridge (Ferodo Ford Fiesta), Paul Franken/Henry Kohne

(Manitou VW Polo), Marko Himmel/ Francois Schoonbee (VW Polo) and Andre Heine/Robbie Coetzee (VW Polo).

The field will be complemented by 13 Northern Regions rallyists, competing in rounds three and four of the Northern Regional.