The challenging Volkswagen Rally in the Eastern Cape this weekend proved to be a bittersweet result for rookie sister and brother pairing Megan and Oliver Verlaque. The Johannesburg-based crew, in their first National Championship season, was forced to retire their Class N3 Toyota RunX RSi near to the finish of SS1.
After powering through to the finish of the first stage, driver Megan found the RunX out of fuel: scarily, the fuel was sloshing about their feet in the cockpit. A burst fuel line was guilty, and the crew who were fortunate to not have been poisoned from inhaling the fumes were able to safely park their pink-liveried Toyota rally machine out of harms way while waiting for their service crew to collect them in-stage.
“It was an unfortunate and bittersweet end to our weekend, especially as the car was going so well in the stage,” said Megan. “We were pumped up for this rally, and were aiming for a Class win here. This can be a cruel sport, and this burst fuel line proves it.”
Fighting for the Class N3 Championship title in only their first season, Megan and Oliver were aiming to finish ahead of Championship leaders Abduraghman Amlay and Yusuf Ganief (in a similar Class N3 Toyota RunX) in order to edge closer to their title aspirations.
After the final stage of the opening day, SS6, Amlay and Ganief retired from the event with mechanical problems too. This now means Megan and Oliver will have an opportunity to once again attack for the Class N3 title in next month’s Osram Rally in and around Barkly East.
“Aduraghman was driving well in the stage in Longmore Forest, and we obviously feel his frustration at exiting the event prematurely,” said Megan. “This does, however, allow us to fight another day!”
The Volkswagen Rally was won by Johnny Gemmell/Drew Sturrock (Castrol Team Toyota Auris S2000) followed by two BP Volkswagen Polo S2000 crews of Enzo Kuun/Guy Hodgson and Jan Habig/Ralph Pitchford. Of the original 40 entrants, only 25 crews made it to the finish line on Saturday afternoon after 11 stages were completed.
Media Release prepared by Evan Rothman.
Picture Credit: Motorpics.
evanrothman@gmail.com / 083 452 6892