HARARE - Zimbabwe Motorsports Federation president Austin Whitehead says he has high hopes for this years edition of the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally that for a change will open this years FIA African Rally Championships. (Pictured: Zimbabwe Motorsports Federation preside
The Zimbabwean edition, which has been the last leg of the ARC series for the past four years, has been a dead rubber that most drivers skipped because points gathered in the event would not be enough to alter driver standings established from preceding races.
But this year the three-day challenge from March 11-13 in Harare, Ruwa and Norton will be the opener to the continental race. Whitehead said: Starting the series means we will get more foreign competitors because what tends to happen when they (drivers) do well in the first one thats when they decide they want to carry on to the next one because it is quite an extremely expensive exercise to travel all over Africa.
We are hoping to have between 10 to 14 international drivers and it will be hopefully to our advantage if we stage it first for the next three years. Whitehead said the preparations were at an advanced stage and that he was hoping for a successful race that would set the tone for other races to take place across Africa.
He said: We are planning to have the Donnybrook triple spectator stage on Friday, on Saturday they go out to Ruwa; based at Ruwa country club and there will be a whole day of racing around the Ruwa area. On Sunday, based at Norton country club, there will be four or five stages. The Donnybrook circuit in the capital will present the continental drivers with a unique stage, which will also be a marvel to watch for the spectators.
Most rallies have their spectator stages set up for two cars, but the exceptional circuit at Donnybrook make way for three drivers racing in three loops, which will cover the same distance for the trio. The Zimbabwe Challenge Rally has been part of the ARC since 1981.
Zimbabwean James White is the both defending champion of the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally and the ARC series and is expected to defend his title this year with a good start in the first leg on home soil. We have been extremely fortunate that only in two years of the 30 years have we battled for sponsorship, gathering the support, muddling through going ahead and managing to do it anyway, Whitehead said.
2011 ARC SERIES
March 11-13: Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally?May 20-23: The Zambia International Rally.?June 17-19: KCB Pearl Safari Rally of Kenya.?September 15-17: KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally.?September 30-October 2: Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally.?November 25-27: Total International Rally of Madagascar.
Post published in: Athletics