Last minute high drama dominated the Subaru Cape Rally this past weekend, with two successive overall leaders having to retire with the end virtually in sight. Team Sasol Volkswagen’s Enzo Kuun and Jan Habig in the twin Class A8 Sasol dualfuelä Golfs finished 2nd and 3rd respectively, as Serge Damseaux in a Team Castrol Toyota RunXRSi took the honours. –
– Hergen Fekken in his Class A7 Sasol dualfuelä Volkswagen Polo Playa finished 5th overall behind Etienne Lourens in a Team Total Toyota Corolla Rsi, also running in Class A7. Despite suffering a misfire as a result of water seeping into the engine earlier on Day 1, Fekken managed to claw his way back and post one of his strongest finishes of the season. –
– Another fine performance came from the ever-improving Gugulethu Zulu in a Class A5 Sasol dualfuelä Volkswagen Citi Golf. The Johannesburg youngster only started rallying last season in Class N1, and this year moved to Class A5. He has already shown enough potential to put Rodney Visagie in a Toyota Tazz to the sword a few times this season. Zulu’s Class A5 teammate Nkosinathi Nzimande, in the second Sasol Citi Golf had to retire on Day One due to mechanical niggles. –
– Johnny Gemmel in a Subaru Impreza and Fernando Rueda in the Sasol-backed Mitsubishi Lancer Evo took the rally to their opponents from the word go, scoring the fastest two times on Stage One respectively. While Damseaux, Kuun and Habig had their share of fastest times, the all-wheel drives made such long strides when they won their stages that it was virtually impossible to seize back the initiative. There was no lack of trying however, as six of the ten stages went to the front-wheel drive fraternity. The Sasol Golfs were fastest on four of the ten, while Damseaux was fastest on five, with the trio posting identical times in Stages 5 and 8. –
– Habig now has virtually no chance of successfully defending the championship he won last season, his fourth. "This has not been our year. You get seasons like that, when the ball does not seem to bounce your way most of the time despite having one or two potential winning opportunities. In other words, a fair bit of luck is needed. Serge has had his fair share, but overall his performance was strong throughout the season and he made his own luck. Etienne Lourens has been another strong performer too this season, and mathematically stands a chance of winning the championship," said Habig. –
– While never happy with anything less than a win, Kuun was not too upset about his 2nd overall. "Given the attrition rate at the top and the quality of the opposition, 2nd overall is not too bad. The Sasol Golf showed good reliability as the stages were quite severe on the engines. I look forward to the Great North Rally next month, where hopefully the team can win to finish the season on a high note." –
– Gugu Zulu was ecstatic about his victory, promising better things to come. "I am now a lot more comfortable with the whole scene and have taken quite a liking to it. Dave McGregor and I work very well in the car, and the competence of the Sasol Citi Golf can never be understated either. I think we have managed to hit the right note at the right time in the right car. It’s still tough though and every rally is a titanic battle as there is some good competition out there." –
– For further information on the Sasol Volkswagen Rally Team visit www.sasolmotorsport.co.za –
– The final round of the Sasol dualfuelä SA Rally Championship 2003 is the Toyota Dealers Great North Rally, beginning in Pholokwane on 19 October and finishing the day after in Tzaneen. –
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