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Essa wins Puma Zambia rally 2.jpg

Essa wins Puma Zambia rally

Muhammad Essa Jumps High with Subaru 2.jpg

Muhammad Essa Jumps High with Subaru

Jassy Sighn and Davie Sihoka.jpg

Jassy Sighn and Davie Sihoka

Hear an interview with the Zambia Rally winner on www.irallylive.com - Thanks to Peter Silberberg and Greg Strange of irally.com - Clilk on links below

http://tbcpods.radica.com/iRally_Radio/iRally_Current/2012%20Audios/2012PumaRallyDriversDay2.mp3

http://tbcpods.radica.com/iRally_Radio/iRally_Current/2012%20Audios/2012EssaWinsZambia.mp3

Mohammed Essa wins Puma Energy Zambia Rally to extend African championship lead - By Ignatius Mazeko - Lusaka, Sunday 20h30

ZAMBIA’s Mohammed Essa this afternoon scooped the drama-packed Puma Energy Zambia International Rally to open up a 27-point lead in the eight-legged FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).

Essa increases his season tally to 52 points after his triumph in the Puma Energy Zambia International Rally, the third round of this year’s African championship after the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge and the Sasol Rally South Africa held in March and April respectively.

The 22-year-old Essa, who started the day two minutes 39 seconds down in second position, took the laurels in the very opening stage of the day, SS12, when overnight leader Giancarlo Davite of Rwanda retired his Subaru Impreza N11 after the drive shaft gave up.

Essa timed two hours 55 minutes five seconds in his recently acquired Prodrive-built Madison/ Puma Energy Subaru N12B to win his maiden Zambia International Rally on his sixth outing in this annual rally having come close to victory during the 2009 and 2012 editions.

Muna Singh’s 19-year-old son Jassy put up a gallant fight aboard his father’s Net One Technologies Subaru N10 to finish second with a time of 03:03:31 seconds and was followed by Zimbabwean Jamie Whyte who suffered a 10 minutes penalty for taking a shortcut on stage 12 to finish on 03:10:44 seconds.

Zambian Azim Ticklay grabbed fourth position on 03:31:27 seconds ahead of countrymen Dani Beaini on 03:40:22 seconds and Muna’s 17-year-old son Muna jr. who settled for sixth position on 04:04:48 in his second rally while Massimo Sellicato took seventh place on 04:20:56 seconds.

A delighted Essa said he was pleased by winning the rally and thanked his sponsors Madison Insurance Company Zambia (MGen) and Puma Energy Zambia for the support while Davite, who remains on 22 points, said crashing out was part of the rally.

The Italian-born Davite said he would be heading for the Safari Rally a charged up driver and was optimistic of increasing his points tally in the African championship.

Essa overcame two scares today when the front sump guard of his car was smashed by a rock he landed on and uprooted after taking a jump in the notorious 24.67-km Chartonel SS12 that also claimed Davite, Zambians Paul ‘Poncho’ Monge and Imran Ticklay also aboard Subarus.

Like yesterday, the 2009 and 2010 Zambian champion lost another five minutes in the 14.62-km Bull SS16 when he did almost the entire stage and the full Waterfall 7.45km SS17 on a flat tyre.

Seven drivers finished the rally from 14 starters as Essa, who is contesting full African championship circuit this year, now shifts his attention to the continent’s fourth round, the KCB Safari Rally Kenya set for Nairobi in three weeks time.

Puma Energy Zambia International Rally official final results

1. Mohammed Essa 02:55:04

2. Jassy Singh +08:27

3. Jamie Whyte +15:40

4. Azim Ticklay +36:23

5. Dani Beaini +45:18

6. Muna Singh jr +1:09:44

7. Massimo Sellicato +1:25:52

Retired: Monge (centre diff), Davite (gearbox), Imran, Robinson, Mangat (front suspension), Mohammed Salim (front suspension), Patel (electrical), Simakoloyi (did not start rally)

Paul Monge retires after SS12 with diff problems. Imran Tickley also retires.

BREAKING NEWS -Zambia Rally - Sunday 09h55
Giancarlo Davite retires with a broken driveshaft in SS12. Essa now back in the lead. WOW !!

Get voice interviews from End of Day 2 from Lusaka on - www.irallylive.com .......... By Peter Silberberg

Davite Takes Over Lead From Essa On Day 2 of Puma Energy Zambia International Rally - From Ignatius Mazeko - Lusaka, Saturday 20h00

RWANDESE Giancarlo Davite has taken over the lead from Zambian Mohammed Essa on the drama packed last stage of day two of the 590km Puma Energy Zambia International Rally in Chisamba this afternoon.

Davite wrestled the lead away from Essa who lost five minutes trying to figure out why his Prodrive-built Madison/ Puma Subaru Impreza N12B ceased a few minutes away from the end of the 16.40km Chongera stage 11.

The Rwandese co-driver by compatriot Sylvia Vindevogel in a Subaru N11 takes a two minutes 39 seconds overnight lead going into the last six stages of the rally tomorrow to be run in Silverest, east of the capital Lusaka.

Essa has three stages Chartonel (24.67km), Bull (15.56km) and Waterfall (7.45km) each to be run twice to wipe out Davite’s lead or else and if the order remains unchanged then the Rwandese will go top of the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) by three points.

The Puma Energy Zambia International Rally is the third round of this year’s legged African champions after the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge and the Sasol Rally South Africa from where Essa minted 15 points and 12 points respectively to lead the pack by two points.

Davite, who trails Essa by five points in the African race, said he cannot believe that he has a healthy lead away from home and in the rally that he has failed to finish from two previous editions.

“Comfortable lead but still keep concentration for tomorrow. Too glad, I can’t believe it,” Davite said.

Drama started when Essa’s Subaru carrying a comfortable three minute 10 seconds lead stopped about one kilometre from end of the stage for about five minutes after a nut holding cables to the fuel pump came off.

As Essa and his Zimbabwean co-driver Greg Stead were struggling to restart their car, they were overtaken by an identical car driver by Ugandans Jas Mangat and Gihan De Silva who led for about 200 metres.

Unfortunately for the Ugandans, they went on to uproot a rock that in the process broke the front suspension to retired from a second successive rally after their misfortunes in Zimbabwe at the Toyota Challenge two months ago.

Luckily, Essa and Stead who posted fastest time in eight of the 10 stages of day two, managed to start car and finished the stage but with Davite and Vindevogel right behind them thus the crew from Rwanda took a two minute 39 seconds overnight lead.

Zambian champions Paul Monge and Ray Thornicroft in a Steers Subaru N12 finished eight minutes 21 seconds off the pace in third position, 57 seconds quicker than Muna Singh’s 19-year-old son Jassy co-driven by Dave Sihoka who overcame a damaged differential in the morning stages.

Zimbabweans Jamie Whyte and Gareth Dawe lost time in stage eight after their brakes packed up but managed to finish fifth overall at the final stage.

Equally losing time were other Zimbabweans Richard Robinson and Colin Schreiber who dropped to an unfamiliar position, second from bottom.

Robinson and Schreiber lost time in stage six when the sump guard of their Mitsubishi Evo 8 bent and ploughed a portion of Graham Ray farmland while Zambia’s Massimo Sellicato and Fred Wamala, aboard a Toyota Landcruiser, suffered multiple penalties for earliness and lateness to finish rock bottom.

Imran Ticklay and Lastone Chulu settled for sixth position in a Subaru N10 that endured stage five with a broken rear drive shaft while Dani Beaini and Adrian Sutherland powered their Landcruiser to seventh position despite encountering a few problems, notably on the river crossing. ©ZMSA

Puma Energy Zambia International Rally update (SS11 - end of day – Davite times 10:28 to win stage by 17 seconds from Whyte)

1. Davite 1:44:09

2. Essa +2:39

3. Monge +8:21

4. Jassy +9:18

5. Whyte +9:22

6. Imran +21:00

7. Beaini +22:34

8. Azim +25:17

9. Muna jr +35:35

10. Robinson +40:45

11. Sellicato +1:00:55

**Retired: Jas Mangat (front suspension SS11), Mohammed Salim (front suspension), Ashish Patel (electrical SS3)

Puma Zambia Rally - UPDATE - Saturday 12th May - 16h30 By Ignatius Mazeko
Drama in stage 11. Essa stops Ikm before the end of the stage. Jas Mangat takes the lead but 300 m later hits a jump and breaks a suspension. Daviteabout to come but Essa manages to start his car and get to the Stage finish with Davite right behind him. Davite should be leading now. Wow rally is full of action drama.

Puma Zambia International Rally - End SS9A - Sat 12th May 2012 -15h30
Provisional Results end Stage 9A
1. Mohammed Essa - 1:24:39
2. Giancarlo Davite - 1:26:56
3. Jas Mangat - 1:28:09
4. Jassy Singh - 1:35:20
5. Jamie Whyte - 1:35:43
6. Imran Tickley - 1:44:59
7. Danni Beaini - 1:46:05
8. Azim Tickley - 1:47:38
9. Muna Junior - 1:56:38
10. Richard Robinson - 2:06:06
11.Massimo Sellicato - 2:20:27
Salimu - Retired
Ashish - Retired

The Die Is Cast For Puma Energy Zambia International Rally 2012

By Ignatius Mazeko

Lusaka, Friday

THE 590-km Puma Energy Zambia International Rally blasts off this afternoon at the Lusaka Motor Club’s spectacle twisty but fast one-car start 1.54-km super special stage that has year in, year out embarrassed several crews.

The embarrassment on this tricky twice-run stage is bound to continue today as some crews are likely to overshoot and lose ground before the rally proper tomorrow and on Sunday when machines go on real test in Chisamba’s Mutendere area and Silverest respectively.

Fifteen vehicles, led home by the debutant Prodrive-built Madison/Puma Subaru Impreza N12B driven by FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) leaders Mohammed Essa of Zambia and Greg Stead from Zimbabwe, will start this three-day competition at Rally HQ, Hotel InterContinental.

Essa has 27 points and leads the African race by two points from Zimbabwean Jess Watson and Mark Cronje of South Africa who are both not part of this rally expected to be flagged by Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Puma Energy Chairman Jacob Sikazwe at 2pm in Lusaka.

Therefore victory this weekend for Essa, who gets car number one for the first time in the history of the Zambia round of the African championship, will be a morale booster from three rallies going into a further five rallies in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Madagascar.

He reiterated in an interview that he is going for nothing less than an outright win and for sure with the competitive 2004 and 2005 African champion Muna Singh not taking part due to financial constraints; Essa at 22 has to carry the heavy burden of representing Zambian effectively.

Four foreign drivers whom Essa was up against in the ARC’s Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge and Sasol Rally South Africa have followed him to his home rally hoping to outdo him, a feat they failed to do achieve in the opening two Harare and later on Nelspruit.

The four are Rwandese Giancarlo Davite (Subaru N11), who is five points behind Essa in fourth position, 2009 and 2010 African champion Jamie Whyte (Subaru N10), his Zimbabwean counterpart Richard Robinson (Mitsubishi Evo 8) and Uganda’s Jas Mangat (Subaru N12), all yet to register points.

Davite’s co-driver Sylvia Vindevogel said she was looking forward to the rally and has warned Essa, who has boosted his service team by hiring Prodrive-trained Zimbabwean Neil Demert, to watch out for the foreign crews.

“Essa be ready we all gonna push you. Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia......tchouk tchouk, twende she, haraka bwana! Good luck Essa,” Vindevogel said.

Davite, Whyte, Robinson and Mangat are all highly experienced, quick and aggressive drivers with proven track records and they will no doubt give Essa, who is set to start car number one on the road sweeping the way for his rivals, a good run for his money over the next three days.

The margins today will be in seconds of single digits for obvious reasons that the stage is too short for crews to hand each wide leads although anything is possible going by the anxiety and determination of the faces of all the 15 crews.

In the local championship, Muna’s eldest son Jassy will, just like Essa in the African championship, hope to extend his lead after winning the season opener, the Poncho Fringilla Rally about four weeks ago.

Driving Muna’s Subaru N10, Jassy will however have a daunting task with the return of national champion Paul ‘Poncho’ Monge who missed his own rally because his Subaru N12 was at the time in transit to Nelspruit for the Sasol Rally after it was hired by Essa for Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Salim Mohammed returns to action with a locally built Subaru after rolling his Subaru N10 badly during the Poncho Fringilla Rally while Mujo Simakoloyi will make a debut in a Toyota Corolla with Ashish Patel counting on another good finish after taking second position behind Jassy.

Jassy’s younger brother Muna jr. steps into his sibling’s VW Golf 3 with his aunt and seasoned co-driver Tinky Naidu calling the notes. Azim Ticklay, Dani Beaini and Massimo Sellicato all driving Toyota Landcruisers complete the list of 11 Zambian drivers competing in the rally against four foreign crews.

The first vehicle goes on the ramp at Hotel InterContinental at 2pm and will be followed three minutes later by the second competitor and the sequence will follow in that order heading to the Lusaka Motor Club in the Showgrounds for super special stage expected to be watched by a capacity crowd.

The rally will be witnessed by a high powered delegation from the FIA led by world motorsport governing body’s rally commission vice-president Jonathan Ashman from the United Kingdom who is playing the role of Steward.

The rest of the FIA officials are South African Willie Du Plessis the Chairman of Stewards, Ralph Stead from Zimbabwe is the Observer while the Technical Delegate is Viren Goricha of Kenya. ©ZMSA

Puma Energy Zambia International Rally official Entry List (in alphabetical order)

1. Ashish Patel (Z)/ Shital Naik (Z) - Subaru Impreza GC6

2. Azim Ticklay (Z)/ Mali Chulu (Z) - Toyota Landcruiser

3. Dani Beaini (Z)/ Adrian Sutherland (Z) - Toyota Landcruiser

4. Giancarlo Davite (RW)/ Sylvia Vindevogel (RW) - Subaru Impreza WRX

5. Imran Ticklay (Z)/ Lastone Chulu (Z) - Subaru Impreza WRX

6. Jamie Whyte (ZW)/ Gareth Dawe (ZW) - Subaru Impreza WRX

7. Jas Mangat (EAU)/ Gihan De Silva (EAU) - Subaru Impreza WRX

8. Jassy Singh (Z)/ Dave Sihoka (Z) - Subaru Impreza WRX

9. Massimo Sellicato (Z) - Toyota Landcruiser

10. Mohammed Essa (Z)/ Greg Stead (ZW) - Subaru Impreza WRX

11. Mujo Simakoloyi (Z)/ Colin Garder jr. - Toyota Corolla

12. Muna Singh jr. (Z)/ Tinky Naidu (Z) – VW Golf 3

13. Paul Monge (Z)/ Ray Thornicroft (Z) - Subaru Impreza WRX

14. Salim Mohammed (Z)/ Ajit Naik - Subaru Impreza WRX

15. Richard Robinson (ZW)/ Colin Schreiber - Mitsubishi Evo 8

ZAMBIA INTERNATIONAL RALLY - 11-13th May 2012
Puma Energy Zambia International Rally official Entry List (in alphabetical order)
1. Ashish Patel (Zambia) Subaru Impreza GC6
2. Azim Ticklay (Zambia) Toyota Landcruiser
3. Dani Beaini (Zambia) Toyota Landcruiser
4. Giancarlo Davite (Rwanda) Subaru Impreza WRX
5. Imran Ticklay (Zambia) Subaru Impreza WRX
6. Jamie Whyte (Zimbabwe) Subaru Impreza WXR
7. Jas Mangat (Uganda) Subaru Impreza WRX
8. Jassy Singh (Zambia) Subaru Impreza WRX
9. Massimo Sellicato (Zambia) Toyota Landcruiser
10. Mohammed Essa (Zambia) Subaru Impreza WRX
11. Muna Singh jr. (Zambia) VW Golf 3
12. Paul Monge (Zambia) Subaru Impreza WRX
13. Salim Mohammed (Zambia) Subaru Impreza WRX

Click here to download SA National Rally tv schedule

Mark

Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton from South Africa fly their Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car to victory in the Sasol Rally – Round 2 of the 2012 FIA African Rally Championship

Essa

23 year old Mohammed Essa from Zambia in action to take the lead of the ARC series so far. He is navigated by Greg Stead from Zimbabwe.

davite

Giancarlo Davite and Sylvia Vindevogel from Rwanda in action during the Sasol Rally South Africa.

SASOL RALLY REPORT FINAL - Saturday 21st April 2012 - 20h00

Sasol Ford’s Cronje and Robin Houghton win Sasol Rally

Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton (Sasol Ford Fiesta) continued their good form in the South African Rally Championship when they followed up their recent win in the opening round in KwaZulu-Natal with victory in the Sasol Rally, which ended in Nelspruit in the Mpumalanga Lowveld on this afternoon.

It was a hard-fought win for the current championship leaders, who were involved in a titanic battle with Johnny Gemmell and Carolyn Swan (Castrol Team Toyota Auris) throughout the two day 600-kilometre event, just as they were in the KZN rally.

Gemmell and Swan led Cronje and Houghton by 14,3 seconds at the end of Friday’s six special stages, with each winning two stages during the day. Cronje chased down his arch rival until just 0,8 seconds separated the Toyota from the Ford at the end of stage 11. Gemmell responded on the 16-kilometre stage 12 by increasing his lead to 3,4 seconds.

Stage 13 was the last of the recognized gravel racing stages before the final ceremonial stage over just 500 metres in the Lowveld Showgrounds arena and it was clear that whoever won this stage would likely win the rally. Both crews, who were in a class of their own throughout the weekend, put in a supreme effort and it was Cronje and Houghton who took the honours, 5,2 seconds ahead of Gemmell and Swan to clinch their second successive rally victory by the slim margin of 3,1 seconds. Cronje won four of Saturday’s stages with Gemmell taking the honours in two.

Gemmell was to rue two slow punctures at the end of stages two and nine, while Cronje did well to overcome a 20-second penalty at the end of day one, as a result of clocking in late at the final control after damaging his Ford’s sub-frame. This cost him the lead at the end of the day.

A distant third overall were Dutch driver Hans Weijs Jnr and Belgian co-driver Bjorn Degandt (BP Volkswagen Polo), who had their best outing so far in their first year in the SA championship, finishing 1 min 37,4 sec behind the winners. Fourth was the Basil Reed Ford Fiesta of multiple former champions Jan Habig and Robert Paisley, who were a further 29 seconds in arrears. They in turn were 1 min 11,4 sec ahead of fifth-placed Jon Williams and Cobus Vrey in a second Sasol Ford Fiesta.

Sixth overall and first in the S2000 Challenge category for older spec four-wheel drive cars were Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin (BP VW Polo), who delivered their best performance yet in their first year in the top class of rallying. Second in the challenge and ninth overall were 17-year-old Henk Lategan and Barry White (Q8 Oils VW Polo), ahead of Werner Koekemoer and Etienne Lourens (Toyota RunX), who finished 12th overall.

Making up the top 10 overall were Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Grant Martin (Team Total Toyota Auris) in eighth place and Japie van Niekerk and Gerhard Snyman (New Africa Developments VW Polo) in 10th place.

Punctures on the rocky roads in the York Timbers forests in the Sabie, Graskop, and Hendriksdal areas took their toll of the 40-strong field, with several top crews among those who lost time completing stages on flat wheels or forced to stop in a stage to change a wheel.

Among these were last year’s winners Leeroy Poulter and Elvene Coetzee (Castrol Team Toyota), who lost nearly four minutes on stage three on Friday and lost more time in stage 11 on Saturday. They eventually finished 11th, 8 min 37 sec behind the winners.

Former champions Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries (BP VW Polo) recovered well from a puncture delay in stage one on Friday to climb steadily through the field to finish seventh overall, 4 min 34 sec in arrears.

Among notable retirements in the premier S2000 class were former champions Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson, who had the misfortune to suffer a flat battery within kilometres of the final stage in Nelspruit. They, too, had been delayed by a puncture on stage 3 on Friday and had started Saturday’s stages in 15th place overall.

The S1600 class and the Two Wheel Drive Championship category was won by Morne van Rensburg and Rikus Fourie (VW Polo), who were somewhat surprised to find themselves in the lead after starting the final day in fifth place. Overnight leaders Ashley Haigh-Smith and Craig Parry (Castrol Ford Fiesta R2) dominated the class until losing six minutes with a flat wheel on stage 9. This dropped them to second behind Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle (Yato Tools Toyota RunX). They regained the lead when Botterill retired with a dropped valve in the Toyota’s engine only to retire themselves with a broken driveshaft.

Also casualties in the two wheel drive class were former champion Craig Trott and Robbie Coetzee (Team Total Toyota RunX), who dropped out of third place on Saturday with a broken driveshaft. Nic van der Westhuizen and Henry Dearlove (SA Earthworks Ford Fiesta R2) had been third at the end of the first day, only to retire with a broken oil cooler on Saturday’s first stage.

The second round of the FIA African Rally Championship, which ran in conjunction with the second round of the SA championship and was won by Cronje and Houghton from Habig and Paisley with Williams and Vrey third overall. The leading visiting crew of Mohammed Essa of Zambia and Greg Stead of Zimbabwe (Subaru Impreza WRX) finished fourth ahead of fellow visitors Giancarlo Davite and Sylvia Vindevogel, also in a Subaru Impreza. Essa was 13th overall in the SA championship event, one place ahead of Davite.

NEWSFLASH -Sasol Rally finish Mark Cronje wins in last stage upset.
1. Mark Cronje 2:12:18.1
2. John Gemmel +2.8
3. Hans Weijs +1:36.3
4. Jan Habig +2:05.8
5. Jon Williams +3:18.0
6. Gugu Zulu +4:29.4
7. Hergen Fekken +4:33.9
8. JP Damseaux 4:39.5
9. Henrik Van Neirk +4:53.4

Click here to download Day 1 Results

Sasol Rally - Saturday 21st April 2012 - Update after SS12
1. Johnny Gemmel 1:59.12.4
2. Mark Cronje + 3.4
3. Hans Weijs +1:22.0
4. Jan Habig +1:54.5
5. Jon Williams +3:02.3
6. Gugu Zulu +4:06.2
7. Jean-Pierre Damseaux +4:17.5
8. Hergen Fekken +4:21.0
9. Japie Van Nierek +4:29.3

SASOL RALLY - Friday 20th April 2012 - End of Day 1 report

Castrol Team Toyota’s Gemmell and Swan lead Sasol Rally after day one

The 21st Sasol Rally got off to a great start for Castrol Team Toyota when Johnny Gemmell and Carolyn Swan led in their Toyota Auris at the end of the first day after 109 kilometres of timed racing in the York Timbers forests around the Mpumalanga Lowveld towns of Graskop and Sabie.

They finished 14,3 seconds ahead of the Sasol Ford Fiesta pair of Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton. Gemmell and Cronje dominated proceedings all day, just as they did in the Total Rally, with Gemmell winning stages one and three (a fast and stony 29-kilometre tester that was repeated) and Cronje winning stages two and four (a 24-kilometre stage repeated).

Cronje actually completed the six stages 5,7 seconds ahead of Gemmell, but was penalised 20 seconds for clocking in two minutes late at the final control as a result of damage to the Ford sustained in the final stage.

Third overall was the BP Volkswagen Polo of Dutch driver Hans Weijs Jnr and Belgian co-driver Bjorn Degandt, who impressed by arriving at the final control in White River 42,9 seconds behind the leaders in only their second rally on South African soil.

Veteran Jan Habig, multiple former national champion, who this year switched from the factory VW team to the privateer Basil Read Ford Fiesta team with former co-driver champion Robert Paisley, was an impressive fourth, 42 seconds behind Weijs and Degandt and 48 seconds ahead of the second Sasol Ford of Jon Williams and Cobus Vrey. Williams and Vrey won the day’s penultimate stage, a one-kilometre night-time dash in front of thousands of excited spectators in the streets of Sabie.

Sixth was the semi-works pair of Japie van Niekerk and Gerhard Snyman (New Africa Developments VW Polo) 2 min 16,3 seconds behind the leaders. They were the winners of the final, one-kilometre stage through the streets of White River, also packed with thousands of appreciative fans standing shoulder to shoulder in the dark around the one-kilometre route.

Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin (BP VW Polo) finished seventh overall and first in the S2000 Challenge for older-spec cars (all the cars ahead of him were in the premier S2000 class for four-wheel drive machines). Eighth was the Team Total Toyota Auris of Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Grant Martin, 15,3 seconds ahead of the second finisher in the S2000 Challenge, 17-year-old Henk Lategan and Barry White (Q8 Oils VW Polo). Third were the brothers Stassen, Joos and Danie, in a Subaru Impreza WRX, who finished 17th overall.

Making up the top 10 was the BP VW Polo of former champions Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries, who finished 3 min 25 sec behind the leaders and a minute ahead of Leeroy Poulter and Elvene Coetzee in the second Castrol Team Toyota Auris. Poulter’s deficit was 4 min 29 sec. Both were delayed by punctures, Fekken for two minutes on stage one and Poulter for three and a half minutes on stage three.

The second round of the FIA African Rally Championship is running in conjunction with the second round of the SA championship and includes two visiting crews as well as six SA crews. Leading after day one are Cronje and Houghton (Ford) by 1 min 4,9 sec from Habig/Paisley (Ford) and 1min 53,3 sec ahead of Williams/Vrey (Ford). Zambian Mohammed Essa and Zimbabwean Greg Stead (Subaru Impreza WRX) and Ruwandans Giancarlo Davite and Sylvia Vindevogel (Subaru Impreza WRX) are fourth and sixth respectively, sandwiching the class S1600 Castrol Ford Fiesta R of Ashley Haigh-Smith and Craig Parry, who lead the Two Wheel Drive Championship category.

Second in S1600, 2 min 41 sec behind the leaders, were Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle (Yato Tools Toyota RunX). Third were Nic van der Westhuizen and Henry Dearlove (SA Earthworks Ford Fiesta R2).

Tomorrow’s action starts in Nelspruit at 07.00 and ends at the Lowveld Showgrounds in Nelspruit after 16.00.

ARC positions after Day 1:
1. Mark Cronje
2. Jan Habig
3. Jon Williams
4. Mohammed Essa
5. Andy Haigh Smith
6. Giancarlo Davite

SASOL RALLY REPORT - Friday 20th April 2012 - 19h10

Spectators on the Sasol Rally treated to world class action

The Sasol Rally, round two of the South African and FIA African Rally Championships, attracted a big entry of 40 competitors including teams from Zimbabwe and Ruwanda. The rally, which will be held over a route of some 200 kilometres consisting of 14 timed special stages in the forests around the Mpumalanga Lowveld towns of Sabie, Graskop, White River and Nelspruit, started in Sabie this morning and ends in Nelspruit tomorrow afternoon

After the first four special stage of the day the Sasol Ford Fiesta pair of Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton held a narrow lead of the Castrol Team Toyota Auris pairing of Johnny Gemmell and Carolyn Swan.

A mere 13.2 seconds separated the top two teams at the second service park of the day.

Dutch driver Hans Weijs and Belgium co-driver Bjorn Degandt in the BP Volkswagen Polo were 42.3 seconds behind the leaders while Jan Habig and Robert Paisley moved up into fourth place only 49 seconds behind the VW pair and 1.31.4 seconds behind the leaders.

Fifth overall is the second Sasol Ford Fiesta of John Williams and Cobus Vrey two minutes 23 seconds behind the leaders.
Sixth is the New African Developments VW Polo pairing of Japie van Niekerk and Gerhard Snyman two minutes 29.5 seconds in arrears.

Jean Pierre Damseaux and Grant Martin Castrol Team Toyota Auris are seventh - two minutes 47.9 seconds behind, Making up the top 10 are Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries in a BP Volkswagen Polo three minutes 38.8 seconds behind the leaders after a flat rear wheel lost them over ten minutes in stage one, Leeroy Poulter / Elvéne Coetzee (Castrol Team Toyota Auris) plus four minutes 41.6 seconds, lost three minutes 38 seconds with a puncture on stage three, and Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson (BP Volkswagen Polo) plus four minutes 41.6 seconds.

Among the retirements are Hein Lategan and Johan v.d. Merwe SAC Peugeot 207 who were forced to retire when the sub frame bolt came loose.

Leading the S2000 Challenge for earlier speced S2000 cars is the BP Volkswagen Polo of Gugu Zulu/Carl Peskin who are eighth overall . Second in the S2000 Challenge and ninth overall is Henk Lategan/Barry White Q8 Oils Volkswagen Polo who have had a clean run so far. Third are Werner Koekemoer / Etienne Lourens (Toyota RunX). .

Namibian Wilro Dippenaar and Morne du Toit (Toyota RunX) broke a gearbox on the open section from stage four to the service area while leading the S2000 Challenge and are out of the rally.

Ashley Haigh-Smith and Craig Parry Castrol Ford Fiesta R, after a trouble free run are currently leading Class S1600 , followed by Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle (Yato Tools Toyota RunX), with Nic vd Westhuizen/ Henry Dearlove (SA Earthworks Ford Fiesta R) third. Fourth are Morne J van Rensburg and Rikus Fourie (VW Polo). Craig Trott and Robbie Coetzee (Team Total Toyota RunX) round out the top five. Trott and Coetzee lost one and a half minutes after having to drive the last 12 kilometres on flat wheel.

Ahead of the surviving competitors lie two short tarmac stages in Sabie and Whiteriver which traditionally draws thousands of excited fans who throng the pavements of the two Lowveld towns.

Ends

SASOL RALLY REPORT - Friday 20th April 2012 - 14h50

Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton early leaders on Sasol Rally

This year’s Sasol Rally, the second round of both the South African Rally Championship and the FIA African Rally Championship got off to a blistering start in Sabie this morning.

After just two of today’s four gravel stages Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton (Sasol Ford Fiesta) are a scant 8.1 seconds ahead of Castrol Team Toyota Auris pairing Johnny Gemmell / Carolyn Swan. Gemmell lost almost 8 seconds with a slow puncture towards the end of special stage two. Having a good run in only their second event on South African soil are the BP Volkswagen pair of Hans Weijs/Bjorn Degandt who are 17.4 seconds behind the leaders. A further 23 seconds back is the second of the factory Toyotas of Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee. Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson (BP Volkswagen Polo) are fifth just one second behind Poulter/Coetzee.

Punctures delayed Charl Wilken and Greg Godrich in the Basil Read Ford Fiesta and Hergen Fekken/ Pierre Arries in another BP Volkswagen Polo on stage one and John Williams/ Cobus Vrey (Sasol Ford Fiesta) on stage two.

The Team Total Toyota Auris of Mohammed Moosa and Andre Vermeulen were able to continue after rolling in special stage one.

Leading the S1600 class for two wheel driver cars are Ashley Haigh-Smith and Craig Parry (Castrol Ford Fiesta) one minute 27.7 seconds behind Guy Botterill / Simon Vacy-Lyle (Yato Tools Toyota RunX). Former champion Craig Trott/Robbie Coetzee in the Team Total Toyota Run X is third at this stage two minutes 17.2 seconds behind the leaders.

The two international competitors in the African Rally Championship which is being run in conjunction with the SA round started 18th and 19th on the road and are both running strongly. Mohammed Essa of Zambia and Greg Stead of Zimbabwe (Subaru Impreza WRX) are lying 16th and Giancarlo Davite/ Sylvia Vindevogel of Ruwanda (Subaru Impreza WRX) are 18th.

The always popular Sasol Rally has again attracted thousands of spectators along the route who are enjoying the high-speed racing over the fast gravel road in warm and sunny conditions.

Ends

First ever husband/wife team to ever win an ARC rally Jess and Sasha Watson on the finish podium with their trophy. They were driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 rally car. Photo by: Dean Mac

Jess Watson.jpg

Jess Watson navigated by his wife Sasha driving a Mitsubishi Evo 10 are leading the Zimbabwe Rally after the Day 2 on Saturday by 2 minute 20seconds from Craig Green and Michael Exton.

JESS & SASHA WATSON WIN THE 2012 TOYOTA ZIMBABWE CHALLENGE RALLY

Jess and Sasha Watson from Zimbabwe made history yesterday when they became the first ever husband and wife team winners of an FIA African Rally Championship event when they drove their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 over the finish ramp at the Cresta Lodge in Harare Zimbabwe.

The Watson’s lead the rally from start to finish and finished with an overall time of 2:40:17 with a large margin of 7:15 ahead of the second place. Second was also Zimbabwean drivers Craig Green and Mike Exton in a Mitsubishi Evo 8.

Third and ARC title contenders Zambian Mohammed Essa and Zimbabwean Greg Stead in a Subaru Impreza N10. Forth place was Rwandan entry of Giancarlo Davite and Burundian Sylvia Vindevogel also in a Subaru Impreza. There were also 3 finishers in Group S to make it 7 finishers from the 16 starters on Friday afternoon.

Notable retirements were 2011 ARC Champions Jammie Whyte and Dawe Gareth with an engine failure. Also suffering engine problems were Richard Robinson and Big Chitma. The only Ugandan entry Jas Mangat retired when his car did not start in the morning of Day 2 and this was frustrating traced to a small fuse link that had blown.

Final Results:

1. Jess Watson / Sasha Watson – ZIM / ZIM (Mitsubishi Evo 10)    02:40:17
2. Craig Green / Michael Exton – ZIM / ZIM (Mitsubishi Evo 8)     02:47:32
3. Mohammed Essa / Craig Stead – ZAM / ZIM (Subaru)               02:51:02
4. Giancarlo Davite / Sylvia Vindevogel – RWA / RWA (Subaru) 02:51:54
5   Tyronne Carr / Clint Ashdown – ZIM / ZIM (Toyota)                        03:18:57
6. Roland Parsell / Bronwyn Ebrahim ZIM / ZIM (Mitsubishi)               03:35:25
7. Pieter Pilusa / George Chipeto ZIM / ZIM (Nissan)                        03:45:15

ARC DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP 2012- After Zimbabwe - Round 1
1. Jess WATSON (Zimbabwe)               25 points
2. Craig GREEN (Zimbabwe)                18 points
3. Mohammed ESSA (Zambia)               15 points
4. Giancarlo DAVITE (Rwanda)              12 points

ARC NAVIGATORS CHAMPIONSHIP 2012 - After Zimbabwe Round 1

1. Sasha WATSON (Zimbabwe)            25 points
2. Michael EXTON (Zimbabwe)              18 points
3. Greg STEAD (Zimbabwe)                  15 points
4. Sylvia VINDEVOGEL (Rwanda)         12 points

MANUFACTURERS CUP 2012 – After Zimbabwe - Round 1
1. Mitsubishi                25 points
4. Subaru                    15 points

Saturday 17th March 2012 -19h50

JESS AND SASHA WATSON LEAD DAY 2 OF THE 50TH TOYOTA ZIMBABWE CHALLENGE RALLY

Husband and wife team of Jess and Sasha Watson from Zimbabwe driving a Mitsubishi Evo10 are leading the 2012 Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally by 2:30 from Craig Green and Mike Exton in Mitsubishi Evo8.

Zambian Mohammed Essa navigated by Zimbabwean Greg Stead are in 3rd place a further 1:50 behind. In forth is Rwanda crews Giancarlo Davite and Sylvia Vindevogel.

Leading retirements were current Champions Jammie Whyte and Gareth Dawe and Ugandan Crews Jas Mangat and Gihan DeSilva whose car did not restart in the morning.

Results End of Day 2 on Saturday:
1. Jess Watson / Sasha Watson ZIM Mitsubishi Evo10 - 1:27:31
2. Craig Green / Michael Exton ZIM Mitsubishi Evo8 - 1: 33:47
3. Mohammed Essa / Greg Stead ZAM/ZIM Subaru N10- 1:38:55
4. Giancarlo Davite / Sylvia Vindevogel RWA Subaru N10 - 1:39:56
5. Rowan Whyte / Craig Archenoul ZIM Subaru - 1:44:45

16th - 18th March, 2012