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Big Fiesta debut up in smoke

2010-03-08 08:34

Author: Peter Burroughes

 

Reigning champions Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries (BP Ultimate Volkswagen Polo) won the opening round of the Sasol SA Rally Championship in KwaZulu Natal on Sunday. 

The Total Tour Natal Rally was run over 12 special stages and 168 km in the Stanger and Scottburgh/Park Rynie/Umzinto areas on Saturday and Sunday and saw Fekken and Arries lead home a record entry of  17 S2000 premier class cars.



Second, 24,9 seconds in arrears, were VW team-mates Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson, who won six of the stages to Fekken/Arries’ four and dominated day one, winning three of the four stages. Mark Cronje and Robert Paisley won two stages on their way to third in a Castrol Toyota Auris, 1m 10,7s behind the leaders.

Former World Rally Championship contender Conrad Rautenbach of Zimbabwe and compatriot Peter Marsh were fourth in a class N4 Subaru Impreza in their first appearance in the SA championship together. Japie van Niekerk and Robin Houghton were fifth in a New Africa Developments Toyota Auris.



The event, run in sweltering heat, was marred by three major accidents.

Schalk Burger Jr and Armand du Toit (S2000 Automark Toyota RunX) escaped serious injury after rolling down a bank and landing upside down in a river. 

Mohammed Moosa and Grant Martin crashed their Team Total Toyota RunX at the exact same spot and survived a multiple roll. All four were taken to hospital and are in a satisfactory condition.

The brand new Basil Read/bizhub Ford Fiesta of Charl Wilken and Greg Godrich made an impressive debut, running seventh overall at the end of the first day before it caught fire in an open section on Sunday morning and shockingly burnt to a shell.


 


 
JFR
3/9/2010 1:21 PM
What Dave says is absolutely true. I watch the Total rally each year and the great thing this year was a new car that looked and sounded different to all the Toyotas and VWs that fill the field. I saw the car burning and it was very sad. This is not a full works team that will simply have a replacement in 5 minutes. We may not see a Fiesta back again and that is bad for rallying in SA, Ford fan or not!
smithcza
3/9/2010 1:13 PM
Ford, excactly where you expect it. Overheating or catching fire somewhere.... I once had a Ford in my life, never again. I am now a loyal VW driver, and will stay that way!! Go VW!
xmd
3/9/2010 6:33 AM
Once again proving that VW is a serious player - always winning the SA rallies, winning the Dakar 1-2-3...so where is Toyota then? Every dog has its day, I guess...GO VW!
Bob
3/8/2010 10:34 PM
"Sean", "Editor@BOB&JP", "@ Who ever commented to me" > You guys remind me of the type of people who go to events just to see accidents happen then run back to the school yard and tell your friends about how "jisssstie did u check that boue!?" Maybe if you worked in a team and put effort into the work you do you'll understand the personal investments these teams and their team members put into these cars... but you probably still dont get it... nevermind, common sense isnt all that common after all...
Dave
3/8/2010 8:53 PM
Everyone is missing the point. Ford's presence in rallying is/was a major boost for the sport and this is a set-back that they may not recover from. Which is very sad indeed. It was shocking to see and the investment by all roleplayers involved in this team is substantial...
francois
3/8/2010 8:33 PM
I think the 2 Toyotas crashed because the floormats got stuck on the throttle pedal. Also they could'nt steer propaerly, cause lately thats the problem with Toyota. And concerning the Ford...Ag shaim, a Ford is still a ford, burns for no reason, probably leaked oil that cought fire or something.
Editor@BOB&JP
3/8/2010 8:07 PM
you idiots...these rally drivers choose knowing all the risks involved in motorsport. if ya do wana die then play marbles, thats safe. Your comments reflect how immature you both are. This is part of motorsport and its spectacular and humorous also. oh dont use that holier than thou crap to comment. Shup! my owens sean n FOW24.
@ Who ever commented to me
3/8/2010 5:08 PM
Please give me the names of the people who died in this accident. Who, oh, you cant, there is no names because everyone was ok. And just for the record, my wife, mother/father, doesnt drive rally cars. So guess what, I am not worried. Wake up, and dont be so serious. If you are going to take everything so serious then dont read anything on the internet. "psycho tendencies" - who is the chop now?
Hennie
3/8/2010 4:09 PM
FORD - First On the Rubbish Dump He had to tow in the VW...... hahahahaha
Sean
3/8/2010 4:00 PM
@JP & Bob: You need to learn not to take things on the internet so seriously. Trust me, the internet is not serious business. Lighten up.
@ FOW24
3/8/2010 3:56 PM
@ FOW24, remind me to laugh at you when your wife, mother/father dies. Except I won't laugh because I'm not sick like you. Stupid comments like those by Sean insult those affected by the loss of some of the crew in the road accident. If you think that is funny, you are one of those ppl who should be investigated for psycho tendencies. what a chop you are, you chop.
Mbongs
3/8/2010 2:15 PM
theres no way toyota cld step up their game mayb they thought they wld zoom past every1 thanx 2 the faulty accelerators but alas! they landad in a ditch
Koos
3/8/2010 1:43 PM
Not good for the Ford team, better luck next time guys!
FOW24
3/8/2010 1:37 PM
@Sean HAHAHAHA, funny man. @JP, get a life dude, no one is dead, only a car that burned down. They will have another car in no time. I can see a Ford recall after this :)
Bob
3/8/2010 1:14 PM
@JP> I couldnt agree more. Not only that, remember this is the team who lost two of their support crew as well as their Subaru Rally car last year in a horrific accident on the highway en route to Cape Town... now they lost their new car as well. @Sean> You must be so proud of yourself for cracking jokes at other peoples misfortunes. I hope the team gets a replacement car soon though, they've been through enough and deserve some good fortune...
AnTiyota
3/8/2010 1:10 PM
FORD - For Only Real Drivers
JP
3/8/2010 12:38 PM
@ Sean......not very funny man, you have any idea how much they spent on that car??? grow up!
CASTROL TOYOTA AURIS SUPORTER
3/8/2010 9:36 AM
Very sad day for the Basil Read Ford Team. Not a fan of Charl Wilken nor his father but whish the team all the best in finding a new car before the Cape Rally later this year. Well done to the BP Volgswagen team proofong that they are still the best. Toyota really needs to step up there game because VW is on the road making it the 7th year in a row...
Sean
3/8/2010 9:19 AM
Ford = Found On Road Dead :-P

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