Drama on first day of Cape Rally

Drama on stage four of the Toyota Cape Dealer Rally saw two of the leading contenders drop out while Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton (Sasol Ford Fiesta) continued to lead.

Second place Hans Weijs/Bjorn Degandt (BP Volkswagen Polo) and fifth placed Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee were casualties on stage four with Weijs suffering engine problems while Poulter ground to a halt with no drive.

Second overall at the time of writing was Johnny Gemmell and Carolyn Swan (Team Castrol Toyota Auris), 22.5 seconds behind Cronje. Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson had moved up to third place overall, a slender 1.04 seconds in arrears.

Jean Pierre Damseaux and Grant Martin (Team Total Toyota Auris) improved to fourth overall, a further seven seconds back. Giniel de Villiers and Celeste Snyders (Imperial Toyota Auris) was fifth, with Jon Williams and Cobus Vrey in the second Sasol Ford Fiesta sixth.

In the S1600 class Ashley Haigh-Smith and Kes Naidoo (Castrol Ford Fiesta) and Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy-Lyle (Yato Tools Toyota RunX) maintained their positions while Paul Franken/Henry Kohne has moved up to third, a distant 1m13s in arrears.

Championship leaders Craig Trott/Robbie Coetzee (Team Total RunX) were over 90 seconds behind and 14 seconds ahead of Morne J van Rensburg/Rikus Fourie (GC Diesel Racing VW Polo).

Following this morning's single forest stage, which was damp and caused problems for the cars further back in the field, the subsequent stages in the Canola and Wheat fields around Caledon are super fast and slippery - ideal condition for the drivers

Only two stages remain, including a short spectator gravel stage at the Caledon Rugby Club.