Strong charge keeps Ballito’s Guy Botterill in the hunt for SA rally title

Ballito rally driver Guy Botterill finished second overall in the punishing Phakisa 400 race in dusty Welkom at the weekend.

The race was the penultimate event in this year’s South African Rally-Raid Championships, in which Botterill and navigator Dennis Murphy sit second in the driver’s standings.

The duo have so far delivered five podium finishes from the six events, including a win in Parys last month.

Botterill and Murphy entered last weekend hoping to match those heroics in the uncompromising Free State terrain over two racing days on Friday and Saturday.

After qualifying in third position from the 14km placing race on Friday morning, they set their sights on a fast afternoon.

It was difficult racing throughout, as teams faced large dust clouds and wind, as well as some heavy churned up sandy sections.

But it proved a fast day nonetheless as teams pushed their cars to the limit over the 156km stage.

Botterill and Murphy finished in 1:48:36, improving their position to second overall behind leaders Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (1:47:09).

That set up a box office Saturday morning as teams readied themselves for the longer stage, split into two 180km sections.

Botterill and Murphy tried their best to reel in the leading team, but were on the back foot early on as they were forced to stop and deal with a puncture.

Solid, technical driving throughout kept them in second however, and they finished just over two minutes behind Lategan and Cummings in an overall time of 6:01:03.

Teams now turn their focus to the final event of the season in early November, after which an overall championship winner will be crowned.

Visit sacrosscountryracing.co.za for more information.

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