Mixed fortunes for Eastern Cape rally teams

The King Price Swartland Rally, which hosted Rounds 2 and 3 of the National Rally Championship, proved to be a weekend of contrasting emotions for Eastern Cape competitors.

For local stars Oliver de Man and his navigator Jeandre Coetzer, along with the experienced pairing of Neels Vosloo and Rikus Fourie, it was a rally to forget.

Both teams suffered devastating engine failures on the opening stage of Friday’s Round 2, bringing their campaigns to an abrupt halt before they had properly begun.

In contrast, Nick Davidson and Ashley Bezuidenhout delivered an impressive performance in their debut national outing with their new four-wheel-drive VW Polo.

The duo showed pace and composure, securing an excellent fourth overall and second place in the NRC2 class on Friday.

They carried this momentum into Saturday’s Round 3, finishing sixth overall and once again second in class, an encouraging result that signals strong potential for the season ahead.

The Nienaber brothers Nico and Jeandre, also flying the Algoa Rally Club flag, experienced a dramatic rollercoaster weekend.

After an early promise, their rally came undone on Friday when their Hyundai I20 caught alight during Stage 2, forcing them into retirement.

However, displaying remarkable determination and resilience, they returned on Saturday with renewed focus and pace, storming to an outstanding second-place overall finish.

At the sharp end of the field, Benj Habig and Barry White continued their dominant form. Piloting their VW Polo with precision and consistency, the pair secured their third consecutive rally victory, further strengthening their grip on the championship lead.

“The car ran faultlessly this weekend, and as we continue development we’ve managed to unlock more pace while maintaining reliability,” an elated Habig said.

“A huge thanks to my dad, Jannie, our engineer and team manager, and Barry, who was spot-on with the notes.

“The technicians were phenomenal. It was a real team effort. Of course, the support from the fans was incredible.

“Having so many spectators out on the stages makes a massive difference.”