The Tzaneen Rally will this year once again feature on the calender of the South African National Rally Championship (NRC), scheduled from the 25th until the 26th of August.
This is thanks to the ongoing support from local motorsport enthusiast and a former works rally driver, Theuns Viljoen, as well as from local businesses like NTT Motors Tzaneen and other local businesses who vigorously stepped in to sponsor the event last year.
Bulletin spoke to Viljoen, who is one of the route directors of the Tzaneen Rally, who confirmed that the rally will be on the 2023 NRC fixture list. The Tzaneen Rally’s headquarters will once again set up camp at the Tzaneen Show Terrain.
“It is exciting to share the news with the community of Tzaneen. We really had a great event last year and we are hard at work to not only plan this year’s rally, but also starting well ahead of time to promote this spectacle of an event.”
Viljoen said amongst the upcoming action is another night stage through the streets of Tzaneen which will be held on the first day of the rally. The popular Testing Grounds stage and the Show Terrain stage to round of the rally will bring the event closer to the spectators.
“The Friday evening’s stage in town was immensely popular and hordes of people lined the streets to see the action. We might alter the times of some of the town stages which will help to attract even more spectators.”
The spectacular, though challenging Tzaneen Dam and Canal stages are earmarked for some alterations through the increasing of the distances.
“To promote the rally before the time, the Tzaneen Rally commission plans to showcase the event at the Letaba Show which will take place from the 9th until the 11th of August this year.”
“We are planning to have Theuns Joubert’s Salom Racing Toyota Yaris along with various other rally cars on display which will certainly draw the attention and support of the local community and businesses alike,” said Viljoen.
“We aim to have the spectator guides ready by then and not in the week when the rally is set to take place, so that we can hand them out to the visitors of the Letaba Show which will further help to promote the Tzaneen Rally.”
The return of the NRC to Tzaneen and Limpopo province was sparked with the return of a round of the regional championship to Tzaneen in 2021. The cherry on top of the preverbal cake was when Letsitele’s top tier national rally championship campaigner, Theuns Joubert from the Salom Labour Rally Team, entered the event and blasted his way to victory.
His entry and victory in the regional event further helped set the tone for a possible return to the National Rally Championship. Joubert enjoyed a brilliant 2021 NRC season and won the National Rally Championship for drivers. This also contributed to the return of the NRC to Tzaneen in 2022.
