JJ Potgieter and Tommy du Toit put down one more marker of their quest to turn into the 2023 South African National Rally Champions after they convincingly gained each rounds of the NTT Tzaneen Rally double-header at the weekend in an occasion that noticed a number of prime contenders fall by the wayside.
Of the 13 Special Stages over the 2 days, Potgieter (Hyundai i20 – R4) gained 11 of them – a process made simpler when the forests fought again and noticed his prime rivals for the title, Jono van Wyk/Nico Swartz (Toyota Gazoo Racing Starlet) irreparably blow an engine within the opening phases, adopted shortly thereafter by defending champions Chris Coertse/Greg Godrich (Rally Technik Mazda 2) who went off the highway and hit a tree and then teammates Mandla Mdakane/Kes Naidoo who hit a rock and broken the Starlet’s sub-frame.
JJ Potgieter and Tommy du Toit efficiency
National Rally Championship Round 5
The horrors of the opening phases and the attrition fee meant it was a comparatively simple run for Potgieter who mentioned earlier than the beginning: “This is a very technical rally and going too quickly to try and make up seconds is likely to land you in trouble. My plan for the event is to take things cautiously and just see what happens. I have to finish to score the points I need.”
Cautious may need been in his head however within the opening stage, the Salom Shooting Range, he blasted away to complete 2,9 seconds up on Van Wyk and 8,6 away from Coertse. For the following stage within the Agatha forests, the decimation started with Van Wyk going out so he may lengthen his lead, coming residence 40,6 seconds forward of Coertse with Theuns Joubert/Schalk van Heerden (Toyota Yaris).
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In the NRC 2 class for two-wheel drive autos, it was not begin for Benjamin Habig/Barry White within the Just Tools Volkswagen Polo. Normally operating in shut rivalry with the all-wheel drive NRC 1 vehicles, Habig’s day began badly.
“We lost nearly six minutes in the first two stages when the boost pump failed,” he mentioned at the Service Park. “Now that’s sorted maybe we can start to get back into it. The stages are slippery and rough in places but I’m happy with that.”
With Coertse out after the altercation with the tree, Stage 3 at NTT Isuzu Dam once more had Potgieter nicely out in entrance, this time chased by Nico and Juandre Nienaber of their Toyota Etios R2 with Habig getting on the tempo he was searching for and ending a robust third.
Habig went faster on the following stage to displace the Nienaber pairing with Potgieter once more nicely to the fore however the struggle in NRC 2 gained one other contender with a fast run by Gerald Klopper and Etienne Lourens (Toyota Etios R2) who had been fourth quickest and forward of the following NRC 1 runner, Johan Strauss/Elzaan Venter (Subaru Impreza).
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Major retirements at this level included Mdakane/Naidoo and Magriet Potgieter/Rikus Fourie (Ford Fiesta R2) .
The second run for the sector via the NTT Honda Agatha stage was gained by Joubert/Van Heerden from Paul van Niekerk/Willemjan Human (Subaru Impreza) with Habig third forward of Klopper and the Nienabers – Potgieter dropping time on this stage to complete sixth.
That was a minor hiccup and he went again to prime the instances on the NTT Town Twister – an evening stage run on the streets of Tzaneen, cheered on by the big crowds who gathered all alongside the twisty route. The stage was run twice and he repeated the hassle to win the occasion total with fourth-placed Van Niekerk/Human the second of the NRC 1 runners adopted by Joubert van Heerden who positioned eight total.
In NRC 2 the Nienabers held sway and topped the desk from Klopper/Lourens with Habig/White in third place.
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National Rally Championship Round 6
Some late-night work by the Toyota Gazoo Racing staff was in a position to restore the injury to Mdakane’s automobile so he may begin the fully new rally afresh – sadly not so for Van Wyk who noticed extra priceless championship factors slip from his grasp.
Potgieter wasted no time in setting the tempo and gained the technical Supaquick Test Centre stage by a bit total second from the fired up Mdakane/Naidoo pairing with Strauss/Venter displaying good tempo to be third quickest.
Getting again into the forest for the CIM Lubri Fuel Agatha stage, Potgieter once more blitzed the opposition with Mdakane ending second quickest and Klopper/Lourens turning up the warmth to be third on the stage.
“I am pacing myself but I cannot ease up too much,” mentioned Potgieter. “Doing that can mean a disastrous loss of concentration.”
This ‘easing up’ confirmed on the primary go to to the NTT Isuzu Dam stage and he was second on that to Joubert/Van Heerden and simply forward of Habig/White, whereas Mdakane slipped a bit and may end solely ninth quickest.
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Order was restored on the PPS Pipeline stage and Potgieter went quickest forward of the exceptionally tense battle creating between Klopper/Lourens and the Nienabers with Habig now out of the operating, having blown a gearbox within the Dam stage.
Behind Potgieter within the second operating of the Dam stage, Klopper and Nienaber fought it out with each their vehicles creating issues with third gear leaping misplaced at very inopportune instances. At this level, Klopper was operating a shade over a minute forward of Nienaber on whole time.
The ultimate stage of the day, the Star Spares Finale, and the data he had gained the occasion allowed Potgieter the posh of ‘cruising’ via and he completed third behind the Regional Championship pairing of Erik de Jager and Jonty Brown (Subaru Impreza) and Klopper/Lourens.
Their total wins in each rounds give Potgieter/Du Toit and virtually unassailable factors lead within the 2023 Championship with two double-header occasions left to run.
Series Partners to the NRC – Ctrack, Fixed Mobile Telecoms, Electrothread, Trans African Concessions – TRACN4, Mibern Medi-Call, MRF Tyres Africa, Raceday TV.
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For extra previews and critiques of the 2023 South African National Rally Championship season, observe our motorsport web page.
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