Top Kenyan motor rally driver Don Smith and Zimbabwe’s South Africa-based Robson Maganezi are doubtful for the 50th edition of the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally which revs off tomorrow after missing the first recce for the foreign crews yesterday.
The Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally is the opening round of the eight-legged African Rally Championships Series.
During the recce or reconnaissance, competitors are allowed to run on the stages of the course before competition allowing the co-driver to write down shorthand notes on how best to drive the stage.
While the local drivers had their recce last weekend, foreign drivers such as Giancarlo Davite (Rwanda), Mohammed Essa (Zambia), Jas Manga(Uganda) and Pieter Pilusa (South Africa) got their opportunity yesterday.
The recce for foreign competitors ends today. The chairman of the organising committee, Craig Batten said participation of the duo was hanging in the balance but added that the organising committee was still hopeful they would arrive before the start of the event tomorrow.
“At the moment 15 drivers completed their documentation on Tuesday thereby confirming their participation. We are however still waiting to hear from Don Smith from Kenya while Robson Maganezi informed us he was having problems with his car.
“We have had similar situations in the past when competitors come through just before the start and we hope that will be the case. Should they arrive later today (yesterday) they will have one day for the recce which will be good for them than missing it altogether,” said Batten.
A total of 17 cars are expected to be flagged off at Cresta Lodge where the start ramp will be tomorrow afternoon with the first car going onto the ramp at 1400hrs.
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The Rally then moves to Donnybrook for the famous “Three Car” Super Special Stage which will take 45 minutes starting at 1450hrs.
On Saturday, the Rally Cars leave Cresta at 0845hrs for some stages at Donnybrook before heading for Ruwa Country Club and shifting to Norton Country Club on Sunday.
The final prize giving ceremony is set to take place at 1700hrs on Sunday at Cresta Lodge.
2012 Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally Final Entry List in Seeded Order 1 Jamie Whyte/Gareth Dawe (Zimbabwe) (N4 Subaru Impreza) 2 Chase Attwell/Miles Skinner (Zimbabwe) (S2000 Toyota Auris) 3 Mohammed Essa/Greg Stead (Zambia) (N4 Subaru Impreza) 4 Craig Green/Mike Exton (Zimbabwe) (N4 Mitsubishi Evo8) 5 Giancarlo Davite/Sylvia Vindevogel (Rwanda) (N4 Subaru Impreza) 6 Richard Robinson/Colin Schreiber (Zimbabwe) (N4 Mitsubishi Evo8) 7 Jas Mangat/Gihan de Silva (Uganda) (N4 Subaru Impreza) 8 Jess Watson/Sasha Watson (Zimbabwe) (N4 Mitsubishi Lancer) 9 Big Chitima/Amos Chamunokara (Zimbabwe) (N4 Subaru Impreza) 10 Don Smith/Sony Smith (Kenya) (N4 Subaru Impreza) 11 Robson Maganezi/Dannie Stassen (Zimbabwe/South Africa) (N4 Subaru Impreza) 12 Rowan Whyte/Craig Archenoul (Zimbabwe) (S Subaru WRX) 13 Ronald Parsell/Bronwyn Ebrahim (Zimbabwe) (S Mitsubishi Evo6) 14 Michelle Yorke/Stephen Murton (Zimbabwe) (S Mitsubishi Evo4) 15 Laureen Marufu/Malcolm Thornicroft (Zimbabwe) (N3 Toyota RunX) 16 Pieter Pilusa/ George Chitepo (South Africa/Zimbabwe) (S Nissan 140GX) 17 Tyronne Carr/Clint Ashdown (Zimbabwe) (N2 Toyota Corolla)
