The annual Volkswagen Rally is now just four weeks away. With all the excitement currently surrounding the international FIFA World Cup, the work has been continuing quietly but steadily behind the scenes to ensure that everything is in place for the event on Friday and Saturday, 23 and 24 July.
The 2010 Volkswagen Rally is the first national motorsport event that will take place after the international soccer tournament, attracting rally competitors from across the country to the Eastern Cape. This event has taken place since 1983, but has been won by the Volkswagen team just five times (with a further five wins claimed by the Audi team in the years when the four rings were to be found on the rally circuit).
The most memorable of the Volkswagen victories for the home team has to be 2009 when the BP Volkswagen rally team claimed all three podium places, led by the 2010 defending champions, Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries.
Fekken and Arries claimed their first VW Rally victory last year. Their teammates Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson have both won, but never together. Kuun won in 2002, with Arries at his side while Hodgson has won twice – alongside the retired Toyota rally driver Serge Damseaux.
Jan Habig has taken the VW Rally victory three times – on each occasion with Douglas Judd at his side. This year he will have Ralph Pitchford in the navigator’s seat for the first time – and this will be Pitchford’s first VW Rally.
The Volkswagen Rally is a crowd favourite, attracting amongst the highest spectator support of the South African national rally championship. The 2010 event is expected to be no different, with its mix of forest and gravel and easily accessible spectator stages.
According to route director Joe Fourie, the 2010 rally will be fast and furious and spectators will have to be on their toes to make the most of it. There are 11 stages for the event this year taking place in the Longmore Forest, Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth.
“Unlike previous years, the first three stages of the 2010 event will take place in Longmore Forest on Friday, with stages at Port Elizabeth Oval Track Raceway (PEOTR), the popular Winterhoek stage in Uitenhage as well as Aldo Scribante Raceway and Kings Beach,” says Fourie. “The final stage on Friday will be at Scribante.”
Day two of the event will cover much of the same ground, but will finish as usual at the very popular Kings Beach stage.
According to Fourie the event is shorter and more compact this year than previously as many of the roads that were used at other events are simply not available for the 2010 event. Despite the shorter layout, there is expected to be no shortage of action from the competitors and there are many battles to keep an eye on – most notably the three-way fight currently taking place in the S2000 class.
Here the BP Volkswagen competitors will be pitting their skills against their traditional rivals in the Toyota camp – and both will be fighting against the up-start Ford competitors who have caused more than their share of drama with the new Ford Fiesta rally car.
Spectators are urged to mark the dates on their calendar and keep their schedules open on Friday and Saturday, 23 and 24 July, when the Volkswagen Rally roars into action for two exciting days of rally action.
– Credit: Volkswagen of South Africa.
what happened to the stage in Jeffreybay
The stage was cut out from the programme due to costing, I believe. The organisers were unable to pay for Traffic Services to control the event.
Thanks for your comment.
Regards,
Evan
I believe the the final stage at scribante race track is R30 for spectating on friday, is it true? because if it is, then its the first time that i will be paying at a rally event.
Hello Grant,
Yes, that is correct. For one stage it is a bit pricey. If there was more than one stage at Scribante Raceway, I think the price would have been better justified. However, I WILL be there soaking up the action!
Regards,
Evan