Extremely hot, dry and dusty conditions greeted the nineteen entries in Porterville and the event delivered great entertainment to those who dared to spectate in the heat. A completely different scenario to what Porterville presents in June as the beautiful countryside turned harsh, but retained it’s challenges.
Owen Jones and Aden Bredenkamp will forever consider the 2021 event a brilliant highlight and they must have started the event with some doubt as to whether they could improve on their debut rally victory. Well, they found the only solution to the problem by simply romping to another overall victory in their 454 CPMCC S4 Subaru Impreza WRX STi 4×4 Turbo 2.0.
To sweeten the moment ever further they beat Dad, Shaun Jones, and Jason Thorpe in their Advanced Asphalt 424 CPMCC S5 Subaru Impreza WRX STi 4×4 2.0 Turbo 4×4. By a full 1min22 over 8 special stages covering 119.52km. In the seniors defence they had to complete the first two stages in “limp” mode and certainly turned up the pace to dominate the final four stages.
However, based on straight stage times, it was Inus du Plessis and Piet Carinus that made everyone sit up and take notice in their striking Coastal Tool Hire 461 WBMK S4 BMW E36 328i by being twenty seconds faster! They unfortunately had a waterhose tear and the sheer heat and position of the problem resulted in 24min lateness (10 sec per minute = 4 minutes) which dropped them back into third spot overall. Cannot wait for the Koekemoer, Swanepoel and Sassman BMW’s to join the series.
Warren Scholtz and Justin Gay came out guns ablaze in their 444 CPMCC S5 Subaru Impreza WRX STi 2.0 Turbo 4×4 but instead of winning another opening stage they managed to drive into the only windmill on the rally, fortunately doing only “cosmetic” damage by removing most of the nose of the car. Coming past the second spectator point on SS1 the car was still shaking off pieces. They still managed to add a stage win in SS4 before finishing fourth overall. But, they have served notice that they will be challenging for overall victory soon.
Mustapha Mia and Ameen Snell proved to be the S3 stars on the day by placing their 456 CCMCC S3 Toyota Conquest RSi 1600 fifth, just 28sec down on the Scoobie. Clint Lingeveldt and Lloyd Brady sixth overall in the 435 CCMCC S3 Toyota Conquest RSi 1700. They did their customary loss of bodywork and the heat had them enjoy the portable air conditioner during service but consecutive finishes had the team in high spirits.
Johann Zülch and Tania Vermaak brought a touch of nostalgia to the event in the Ceres Toyota supported 439 WBMK S2 Ford Escort 1600 Sport. Back in 1997 Johann Zülch and Patrick Vermaak closed seven years of competing as a team in a ditch shortly after the start of the first stage but now 25 years later Johann and Tania celebrated with a fine seventh position overall in the latest incarnation of the Ford. With the MkII Escort’s rather sought after it is a real privilege to still have one rallying in such pristine condition.
Julian Calvert and Nick Knights the final classified finishers in the ever consistent “Liewe Lulu” 409 CPMCC S3 Volkswagen Golf MkIII GTi 2.0.
Juneyed Edas and Reyanah Edas suffered a honest mistake in failing to refuel their 466 CCMCC S3 Toyota Conquest RSi 1600 and the organisers was left with no choice but to exclude the brother and sister from a potential sixth overall result. Shaheen Amlay and Yusaf Amlay beached their 402 CCMCC S4 Toyota Conquest RSi 1800 and with no chance of extricating their vehicle they retired from a potential seventh overall position.
Gareth Vernon and Marius Rudolph ran consistently in the CarsSave 459 CPMCC S2 Volkswagen Golf MkI 1.4i until a driveshaft broke in SS3 whilst Riyaan Amlay and Yaseen Amlay retired their Ramlay Builders 433 CCMCC S3 Toyota Corolla RXI 1600 at the first spectator point on SS1 with a broken CV.
Cobus Edas and Terry Croy was looking good in their 464 CCMCC S3 Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 until overheating forced their retirement after SS3. Seraaj Amlay and Ziyaad Amlay joined the Toyota brigade and but the opening two stages saw them lose minutes with various problems before retiring their 457 CCMCC S3 Toyota Conquest RSi 1600 after SS4.
Newcomers Justin Engle and Tyler Croy impressed in their ex-Keenan Sassman 445 CCMCC S3 Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 but a broken shockabsorber and hard hit through a drift led to their retirement after SS3.
Keenan Sassman and Weston Peiser represented a strong combination on paper in the Howard Centre Motors 413 CCMCC S4 Toyota Corolla RXi 1800 but they retired in pretty spectacular fashion when the flywheel on their car disintegrated.
Ismaeel Davids and Yusuf Ganief won the opening stage in their 431 CCMCC S5 Toyota Run X S2000 4×4 but suspension maladies saw them retire after SS4.
Warren Köhler and Ibraheem Amlay retired their Köhler Pac 465 CCMCC S4 BMW E36 328i enroute to the start of SS1 with propshaft failure and the Hollandse Motor Spesialis 405 CPMCC S4 VW Polo 2.0 16v of Rupert van Zyl and Craig Gray never reached the pre start holding area with an unknown problem.
Most encouraging was the presence of another group of rally veterans as spectators at the Nuwedrif (SS1 – SS3) spectator point. Rossouw Eksteen hosting Cindi Harding (her first attendance of any rally in ten years), Juan Louw, Willem Louw, Johan Verwey, Herman Jonker, Brady Dabner and Pierre van der Westhuizen amongst the very enthusiastic crowd in attendance.
Werner and Leané Koekemoer (set to debut a 328i E36 BMW in the Overberg), Sakkie and Jolene van Zyl (Shatterfix Volkswagen Golf MkI 1600) and Danie Heese (Subaru Somerset West) joined by the Nicolette Mouton (Nuwedrif farm). Derrick Benjamin and Herman Mathee also soaking up some rally atmosphere whilst Thorsten Pey and Mark Palmer opened the stages in the 0 LandRover Discovery V8 and newly weds, John and Sandy Peiser, flying follow-up in the Somerset West Subaru Impreza GT 2.0 Turbo 4×4.
Riyaan Amlay, Yaseen Amlay, Seraaj Amlay, Ziyaad Amlay, Shaheen Amlay, Yusuf Amlay and Ibraheem Amlay makes seven direct family members present in Porterville with the odds favouring a few related family members as competitors but Abduraghman Amlay has to be complimented for the incredible work he puts in behind the scenes to keep his family involved and motivated to enjoy rallying. They have a few cars and family members in reserve so chances are that they will eventually break their own record by the time the CCMCC All Tar happens at the Killarney International Raceway in August!
A thank you to the Porterville community for the great support at the Showgrounds with many vendors present. Whether it was as a result of the extreme heat or the fact that it was a long weekend spectator numbers did not live up to expectations and they should possibly spread their presence to the various spectator points.
Having various aircraft overhead added further interest to the day and of course the valued support of Subaru Somerset West, Polyplastix, CEJ Plant Hire, Amandla Construction, Wilries Snacks, Marshal Delicious Minerals and Dynamic Plant Solutions who eased the task at hand for Billy Thorpe and his CPMCC team of officials.
The next round of the Western Cape Club Rally Championship will be organised by the CCMCC on the weekend of 22/23 April 2022. The rally will enjoy national status and in order to curb travelling costs the event will in effect consist of two rounds of both the SA and WC championship.

-Patrick Vermaak