ONLY eight of the 12 Shell V-Power/M+Z Grootfontein Rally contestants managed to complete the event on Saturday, described by Jaco Haasbroek of the Tsumeb Motor Club (TMC) as fast, technical and running in extreme heat.
The rally, held in memory of the late Jaco van Dyk – a motorsport figure who died in a motor vehicle accident in July – started at the Grootfontein showgrounds and ended at the farm Kokasib, 30km north of town, where two special stages were hosted.
Haasbroek commends the competing teams and local spectators who turned out in large numbers, noting that little usually happens in and around Grootfontein, which made the strong support significant.
“The high temperature did not favour the cars, especially those in the S-Class. Drivers reported temperatures of up to 40 degrees,” he says.
Haasbroek says grass seeds and thickets collected in the grilles and undercarriages of the sedans contributed to the challenges.
The two super special gravel stages – unlike Windhoek, where this stage is run on tar at the Tony Rust Raceway – produced plenty of action and clouds of dust, he says.
Looking ahead, Haasbroek says Van Dyk Petroleum has sponsored two floating trophies for Grootfontein and Tsumeb, ensuring rallies will be hosted at both towns during the 2026 season.
“Smaller towns like these work hard to stage rallies despite limited resources, aiming to deliver a spectacular event for both sponsors and spectators,” he says.
Leg five of the national championship is scheduled for Gobabis in early October.
Results:
S-4 Class: Alan Martin with JP Robinson (Skoda R5)
S-2 Class: Zachary Martin with Anique Schoeman (VW Polo 2.0)
CR-2 Class: 1. Rian Kritzinger with MP Pretorius (Ford V8); 2. Ettiene van der Heever with Willy van Wyk (BAT Venom); 3. Ruaan Viviers with Cecil Koorts (Renault Duster 5.0 V8)
CR-1 Class: 1. Ekko Eisenberg with Johan Steyn (JAC T8 D/C V8); 2. Michael and Darius Kotze (Toyota Hilux 2.7)
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