Possibly the rise and popularity of the E36 Cup at Rally X, but most encouraging was the 19 entries that stepped forward as Challengers for the 2024 All Tar Rally. An event within the event had the track oriented teams shifting their focus to the world of driver and navigator.
If rally drivers consider navigators as enforced ballast then racing drivers cannot be blamed for having absolutely no use for pathfinders as they simply follow the same snake of asphalt lap after lap.
Somewhere the penny dropped fortunately and Kosie and Marlene Swanepoel opened their home for a pre event navigator training session where most of the “newcomers” actually showed interest in knowing what their passengers would be doing on Saturday.
Pointless exercise really as drivers do not do well in the read and write department and once those lights go out their ears shut down completely. Rule number one applies – drivers do not make mistakes! Thus, navigators provide a balanced flight over yumps and take the blame for anything that may go wrong.
On a more serious note, they seemed to grasp the basics of rallying and cooperation between driver and navigator – promising that whatever happens in the car stays in the car!
With most of these teams having much experience around Killarney International Raceway driving cars that have been extensively lightened there was an air of confidence present early on Saturday morning and though the bulk of the entry were present to enjoy and learn a new skill there was a number of very serious entries too.
Reconnaissance served little purpose as crews had only a single lap of each stage, driving very close to each other and in almost complete darkness. It possible did sooth the nerves a little as potential dangers could be identified before actually strapping in an doing the stages at speed.
Emile Assure and Ridwaan Nordien unfortunately becoming the first statistic when their really good looking Krisp 33C BMW E36 had to be withdrawn on SS1 with mechanical maladies. Emile have experienced the solid side of tarmac rallying at Killarney in the past, but it was disappointing to see them retire on SS1.
Kobus de Kock and Andrew Goslett next to park their Lemon 77C BMW E36 328i with a suspected clutch problem after SS3. Andrew in process of finishing the rally 328i of Werner Koekemoer and hopefully the Koekemoer father and daughter team will be back in action on the Klipdale Rally in September.
Father and son, Pierre and Wynand du Plessis, struggled with leaking injector seals on their rapid Du Plessis Auto Ceres 241B Toyota Conquest 1.8 16v. Though they managed to replace these seales prior to the start the same problem would eliminate them from the event after SS3. Hopefully Pierre will now prepare the Conquest for the Klipdale Rally.
Former All Tar winner Danie van Niekerk and Ernest Roos had a proper rally spec 9C BMW 1 Series present and were just beginning to look like a potential threat when the 325 engine holed a piston. As an active competitor in many national races Danie hopes to enter the odd rally where his schedule allows.
Clubmans combination, Jaco Lambert and George Schutte, attempted to move the slipway wall between Malmesbury Sweep and Hoals Hoek with their Lawntech 61C BMW E36 Cup 328i and after some repairs completed the event under Super Rally rules.
Faizal Jacobs and Tyren Bailey started the event as favourites in their Thermo fires Clubman 144C BMW E46 M3 but after having posted two stage winning times they found themselves parked on the back straight for reasons unknown.
13th overall and the final classified Challenge finishers went to Naaime Elloken and Matthew O’Connell in their bright orange Mischief Motorsport 16B VW Golf Citi MkI. Clearly not the fastest car present, but they certainly enjoyed the event. Layne Hutchings and Braddon Hutchings just ahead of them in their HSC Racing 71B VW Golf Citi MkI. Deceptively quick this Clubman driver always impresses with smooth driving, despite having misjudged the entrance to the old pit.
Tiaan Burger and Anke Burger surprised in 11th spot as they were clear examples of the driver not listening to the navigator (obviously defending the navigator here) and they managed to add new sections to most of the stages in their brightly coloured 69C BMW E36 Cup 328i. Fortunately they did not require any Equipment or Spares from Burgers to finish the event intact.
Ruan Reynders and Herman Mathee are much better known as Herman Mathee and Ruan Reynders, but then they are rallying Datto. This was tarmac and they had the extremely impressive Zakspeed Gp2 replica Rey Trucking 54B Ford Escort MkII back in action. 10th was a very satisfying first finish for the car that was complimented as equal neatest with the Zulch Escort. Must be because neither leaked oil?
Most entertaining driver of the day had to be Divan Wentzel with Juan Wentzel in the Motul 26C BMW E36 Cup 328i and 9th place may have improved had he considered driving with a slightly lighter right foot – but then the spectators would have complained!
Arno Michels and Ilanza Smalberger kept it neat and tidy enroute to 8th spot in their Alkom Tool 66C BMW E36 Cup 328i, finishing on the same minute as 7th placed Brian Dark and Anlo Schietekat in their Orchard Engineering 2C BMW E36 Cup 328i. Ren Adriaanse and Nashrené Schloss placed their Toyota Beams powered N2 Towing 4B BMW E30 sixth overall. Son of former rallyist Mark Adriaanse there must be some desire to get onto gravel and Nashrené still the only lady driver to have won a WBMK Gymkhana overall.
Barry Williams and Jason Thornton enjoyed a great run to 5th overall in their neat Tri Brake & Clutch 117C BMW E36 Cup 328i whilst Gerard Kloppers and Samatha Kloppers really impressed by placing their wieldy 24C Nissan Maxima 3.0 4th overall. Simply ignoring the fact that there was no space to fit the big car safely, they really drove a very neat and impressive rally.
Matt-Jason Köhler did the Tara Rally Namibia and lost a wheel with Paul van Wyk, then he won the Algoa national as navigator for Chris Coertse in the R4 Mazda. Rolling his Golf on the Darling Rally as driver and a few spins in his father Warren’s Köhler Pac 36C BMW E36 328i with Lloyd Brady now realised a fine 3rd place. Hopefully enough to see this BMW return to proper rallying now.
Wayne Wilson and Stacy Wilson simply do not admit to driving a tank amongst midgets and their determined style has spectators cringing every time the big DTM Helderberg 23C Nissan Maxima 3.0 disappears behind the walls. Somehow they managed to avoid contact and 2nd place was certainly well deserved.
Dexter Bruce and Junaid Hamid showed maturity by keeping their noses clean whilst really driving with determination to record a well deserved victory in their A&K Auto 143C BMW E36 328i.
To finish first, you must first finish and they truly drove faultlessly.
Roll on 2025!
Dexter Bruce – Junaid Hamid – BMW E36 328i. 1st Challenge (5) 
Wayne Wilson – Stacy Wilson – Helderberg DTM Nissan Maxima 3.0. 2nd Challenge 
CCMCC Matthew Köhler – Lloyd Brady – Köhler Pac BMW E36 328i. 3rd Challenge (6) 
Gerard Kloppers – Samantha Kloppers – Nissan Maxima 3.0. 4th Challenge (1) 
WPMC Barry Williams – Jason Thornton – Würth BMW E36 328i. 5th Challenge (2) 
WPMC Reno Adriaanse – Nashrene Schloss – N2 Towing BMW E30 Toyota. 6th Challenge (1)
Published by: Patrick Vermaak
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