The Namibian National Rally Championship series at Gobabis has set the stage for the last and final rally later this year.
Gobabis Motor Club (GMC) route director Stefan Labuschagne recently told TopRevs that the attendance at the event was above expectations in terms of both rally teams and spectators.
The M+Z JAC Gobabis rally is one of the most spectator friendly rallies locally, with thousands of onlookers flocking to the stages to see their favourite teams and cars.
From the 16 entries, only 10 managed to finish the rally, said Labuschagne.
Most of the teams that fell out were due to technical and other mechanical issues, he added.
“Our stages were not designed to breakcars, but it was a very technical route it was quite soft on the cars. Some of the cars that fell out were due to fuel pumps or tyres that damaged part of the cars, or even some tree trunks (and often big stones) that eliminated the vehicles,” Labuschagne said.
One of the drivers, Werner Bartsch who always took part in a rear-wheel drive Ford V6 vehicle or an all wheel drive Land Rover with a 210kW engine, had the time of his life rallying in a car that could be described as world’s apart from his previous vehicle.
Bartsch and his navigator Christel Fourie came third overall in the CR-Class (Bakkie class). Bartsch told TopRevs the vehicle’s machine is a 5.4L LH8 V8 engine, delivering 224kW and 434Nm of torque.
This car will ensure good competition with teams like Rian Kritzinger and Ruan Viviers in their powerful 5.0L rally spec vehicles.
Derek Jacobs from the Namibia Motor Sport Federation (NMSF) set foot as a navigator with Jaco Redelinghuys, managing to end first in the S-Class (sedan vehicles).
As an avid NMSF official responsible for the smooth and safe running of all motorsport events in Namibia, he could not hide his excitement at finishing first.
Jacobs noted that the rally was good, yet challenging.
“It was very hot and humid, it looked like it was going to rain at times but it did not. The route was very technical,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs commended the residents of Gobabis who turned out in numbers to the event.
He said there will be a short break for the rest of the year until mid-November, when the final rally takes place at Swakopmund.
“We had a bit of a setback for the next round and we understand the logistics and everything around it, so there is a possibility the championships are going to be a short round, but the rules and regulations allow the NMSF to score the championships with one round less,” said Jacobs.
The results are as follows:
S-Class: Redelinghuys and Jacobs (S4), Zachary Martin and Anique Schoeman (S2), Pieter Greeff and JP Robinson (S1), Wido Bartcsh and Raymond Fourie (S2).
CR Class: Loic Bathfield and Johan Steyn (CR2), Kritzinger and MP Pretorius (CR2), Bartsch and Fourie (CR2), Ekko Eisenberg and Horasio Rietz (CR1), Llwellyn Loftie Eaton, Damion Honniball (CR2), Chrizelda Engels and Ruan de Lange (CR1).
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