Norton rally promises fireworks

By Collin Matiza
IT’S the clash of the Titans.
Four of the country’s motor rallying “heavyweights” — Jamie Whyte, Craig Green, Chase Attwell and Big “Bigs” Chitima — will go head-to-head for the first time this year when they compete in the Norton Rally in Norton, situated in the west of Harare, this morning.
The Norton Rally is the first event of the six-legged 2011 National Motor Rally Championship series and it has attracted most of the country’s top drivers.
More than 11 cars are expected to be flagged off at the Norton Country Club, starting at 10am, today and among the starting line-up will be four of the country’s top motor rally drivers — Jamie Whyte, Green, Attwell and Chitima.
Spills and thrills are always the order of the day whenever these four drivers take on each other in local motor rallying events and today’s race will be no exception.
All eyes will be on Jamie Whyte, Green, Attwell and Chitima as they once again fight for the top honours in this day-long event which promises to keep the spectators spellbound in the surrounding areas of the Norton Country Club.
Jamie Whyte will arrive at today’s event with his tail still up after he successfully defended his FIA African Rally Championship Drivers’ crown last year.
And with his vastly experienced co-driver Phil Archenoul by his side, the 50-year-old Jamie Whyte starts as the hot favourite to win today’s race in his Subaru N10.
Jamie Whyte and Phil Archenoul will be out to steal an early lead in this year’s national championship series points standings by claiming victory in the Norton Rally today.
But they are unlikely to have it all their own way as former national champion Green is likely to pose a serious threat in today’s race in which he will be assisted by his trusted co-driver Mike Exton.
Green last year saw the national championship crown being snatched from under his nose by debutant Shaun Whyte and it’s no secret that he is itching to regain it this year.
And Green will have to post a good result in his Mitsubishi Evo 8 today inorder to give himself a morale-booster in his quest to regain the national championship title this year.
Also in contention today will be young Attwell and his co-driver Miles Skinner who will be driving a Subaru.
Attwell has always been a threat in local motor rallying events and could spring a surprise or two in today’s race.
Also in the mix today will be Chitima and his co-driver Amos Chamunokara.
A likeable character, Chitima showed promising form in his second outing as a motor rally driver last season while driving a Mitsubishi Evo6.
Although Chitima was competing in his second season last year, he adapted very quickly to the demands of the top class racing and is quite capable of spoiling the day for the likes of Jamie Whyte, Green and Attwell in today’s race.
Also in the mix today are a brace of Mitsubishi Evo6 entries of Jess Watson and Sherwin Evans, who, on their day, can be quite a handful to the opposition.
Watson will have his wife Sasha as his co-driver in Norton today while Evans will be assisted by Malcolm Thornicroft.
To this mix can be added the team of the first black       female motor rally driver in this country, Laureen Marufu, and her co-driver Clint Ashdown who will be in a Toyota Corolla.
Marufu made her debut appearance in the local motor rallying scene last year and she showed no ghost of inferiority complex while racing against the seasoned male campaigners.
She has certainly shown the potential that she can rise to become one of the best drivers in this country and it will be interesting to see how she will fare in today’s season-opener in Norton.
Marufu’s co-driver Ashdown recently told The Herald that they were both looking forward to this season in which they would like to leave a mark in both the local and international motor rallying scene.
“Last year was really great for us. We are definitely a team (to beat) this year.
“We will be starting off the year on February 12 (today) at Norton and we will use this time to iron out problems and make sure the car’s condition is 100 hundred percent before we take part in the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally (in March).
“Our most exciting news is that we are expecting our sponsorship to be through before the 2011 Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally and if this happens, we will definitely be registering for the Africa Rally Championship.
“Other than that, we are looking forward to a very exciting year in the car together. Last year, as you know, was our first year together and I think we did exceptionally well and as for Lolo (Marufu), she was a different driver by the end of the year, she really gave it her all.
“So for this year, sit back and enjoy the ride it is going to be a good one,” Ashdown said.
Marufu and Ashdown will be joined by in today’s race by “novices”, young Rowan Whyte and his navigator Craig Archenoul.
Rowan and Craig were introduced to the sport by their fathers Jamie Whyte and Phil Archenoul last year and they will be competing in their second race today in a Subaru.
Mohammed Essa of Zambia is also coming in as a guest driver and his presence will add an international flavour to today’s event.
Meanwhile, one of the Norton Rally organisers, Exton, said today’s event will be staged over eight competitive stages with all the cars capable of setting stage times within seconds of each other.
Stage results are often scored down to tenths of a second so just the slightest slip or the smallest mechanical glitch or a puncture can see you sent out of any meaningful points position. The first car will be flagged off at 10am at Norton Country Club situated some 40km outside Harare and the finishing point will be at the Sables Motorsport Club in the Eastlea area of the capital.