Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Collin Matiza
19 November 2008
Harare — ZIMBABWE is likely to field three motor racing teams for the prestigious 2009 African Rally Championship whose first race has been set for February 20-22 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, The African Rally Championship attracts some of the best motor rally drivers from around the world, and next year's five-race series will be held in five countries -- Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
And Zimbabwe has indicated that it will be fielding three teams for this event and they will be led by Jamie Whyte.
He will be returning to the ARC after finishing a credible second place during this year's series.
Phil Archenoul, the veteran navigator who guided Whyte to his second place finish in this year's ARC series, said yesterday there were likely to be joined by fellow top local drivers Chase Atwell and Craig Green at the 2009 competition.
"This year we only had one team for the ARC series but we are hoping to have a strong Zimbabwean contingent for next year's competition.
"Apart from Jamie Whyte, we are likely to have Chase Atwell and Craig Green who are both going to represent Zimbabwe in the 2009 ARC series.
"In fact, Green is currently building a new car, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8, with the help of Colin Schreiber who is a very good technical guy in this field and we are hoping that their vehicle will be ready by the time we leave for the first leg of the 2009 ARC series in Dar es Salaam in February," Archenoul said.
Atwell is also expected to be in Dar es Salaam in February, driving his new Subaru N12, which he tested during last weekend's TT Rally in Harare.
Apart from competing in the 2009 ARC series, Atwell is also expected to represent the country in the Pirelli Star driver for Africa competition, which will also be held during the same year.
Meanwhile, FIA, the world's motor sport governing body, have already released a calendar for the 2009 ARC series, which is scheduled to start with the Rally of Tanzania on February 20-22.
The second leg of the 2009 ARC series has been pencilled in for April 3-5 with the staging of the KCB Safari Rally in Nairobi, Kenya.
The third leg of the series -- the KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally -- has been set for May 1-3 in Kampala followed by the Zambia International Rally on July 3-5. The Zimbabwe Challenge Rally, which has been set for August 14-16, will serve as the fifth and final leg of the 2009 ARC series.
This year's ARC series was won by Japan's Hideaki Miyoshi, who amassed a total of 41 points, beating Zimbabwe's Whyte (31 points) and Zambian Muna Singh (24 points) into second and third places.
Miyoshi's fellow Japanese navigator Hakaru Ichino won the 2009 ARC Co-drivers' title with 41 points while Zimbabwe's Archenoul came second with 32 points. Third place went to Zambia's David Sihoka who accumulated 24 points.
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