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| Paolo Gouveia in his fire-breathing Skyline. |
Rally enthusiasts from the KZN Midlands and greater Durban will host the first “picnic rally” of the year near Dalton on Saturday, February 27, and they invite all fellow “rally addicts” to join the fun.
Course marker Dean Redelinghuys told Witness Wheels the route of the year’s first rally is a bit more challenging than the usual fast, sweeping runs the picnic rallies have become known for.
“We are hosted on the farm of Kurt Rencken, who has kindly graded the 11,6 km route through the cane fields and eucalyptus plantations.
“Navigators can expect to call a few closing corners after fast, straight stretches, which will make the event more challenging than our usual route.
Redelinghuys said no spectators are allowed in terms of lockdown regulations. Instead, the KZN Rally Club welcomes entries with stock standard cars in the Clubman class.
“This category is popular with drivers on a tight budget, and next weekend we look forward to a ding-dong battle between a little Daewoo Matis and a Fiat Uno, whose drivers challenge drivers of other small cars to ‘come race’,” he said.
Definitely not in stock standard cars will be KZN rally champions Brian and Ashley Scott in their VW Polo, multiple drifting champion Paolo Gouveia in his fire-breathing Skyline, and Redelinghuys with young navigator Johann de Goede.
Gouveia, who is also head mechanic of Toyota Gazoo’s multiple SA rally champion team, Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle, last year challenged all mechanics to compete in the picnic rallies on Dealerfloor.
“Winners get only local bragging rights, but these picnic runs are formal racing events that gets seriously competitive,” Gouveia said.
Redelinghuys said all entrants have to adhere to normal racing safety protocols as well as the new norm of social distancing.
He warned new racers that rallying is addictive, but reassuringly said that the KZN picnic rallies is “the most affordable motorsport addiction one can suffer. Entry fee is only R350, which covers the marshalls, electronic time keeping, paramedic, firefighters and even a trophy if you win.”
