Summarize

This weekend’s opening round of the Dunlop Tyres shod South African National Rally Championship will be a little different. With uncertainty around gravel stages as a result of the nationwide Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, the ICAM All Tar Rally returns as a National for the first time, ten years later. 

A curve ball for many, the ICAM All Tar Rally will also run on Dunlop gravel rally tyres, rather than the semi-slicks usually used on tarmac stages. Wonderfully spectator friendly, the single round rally will comprise six stages starting 11h00 at the Gerotek testing facility, before two more tests at Zwartkops Raceway from15h00 Saturday 21 March.

The Dunlop-shod ICAM National All Tar Rally has attracted a solid seventeen National Championship entries bolstered by a strong regional field with 28 starters confirmed at the time of writing. Reigning National Champions Benjamin Habig and Barry White top the all-wheel drive turbo NRC 1 list with their familiar Volkswagen Polo. 

Their main rivals from 2025, the Swazi Cowboy Jono van Wyk and Nico Swartz have now also migrated to a Volkswagen Polo, with Chris Coertse and Matt Kohler taking over their vacated Mazda2. Wildcards for 2026, Nico and Juandre Nienaber complete the NRC 1 lineup in their Hyundai i20. But will any of them have what it takes to stop former karter and Polo Cup racer Habig on tarmac?

There’s an interesting entry in turbo all-wheel drive NRC2. Journalist Mark Jones has been tossed in the deep end alongside Kesh Naidoo in an experimental Toyota Yaris. Their progress will be watched with interest against regulars, Johan Strauss and Caro Storm’s Subaru Impreza and Volkswagen Polo crews, Bruce Swatton and Craig Reyneke, Paul van Niekerk and Willemjan Human, Lynton Swatton and Tommie Coetzee.

Four Volkswagen Polos will do battle in front-wheel drive NRC2. George Smalberger’s smattering of race experience alongside star navigatrix Carolyn Swan could be seen as an advantage. Russel Stone and Johnty Brown, Johan Pretorius and Jack Radford and Rally-Raid refugees Kent and Justin Rutherford will want to prove that a fallacy.

Toyota trio Lood De Clercq and Dianelle Malan’s Tazz and Run-X duo, Anton and Isabel Raaths and Girlie Lukhele and Shaun Visser take on Henry Mostert and Willem Morgan’s Nissan Sentra in NRC4. The National entries will likely have their work cut out by the Northern Regions Rally Championship pack, not least in that top turbo 4x4 Class NR1.

Five Subarus are all in with a shout of a good overall showing. Watch for a surprise from Johan Strauss Jr and Francois Keyser, Juan De Wet and Gert Nienaber and Kobus Marais, Hans and Martie Vosloo and Izador Huzak’s Imprezas. And Michael Mullany and Lehlohonolo Letuka’s Forester.

Two-wheel drive NR4 will be a Toyota versus Volkswagen affair. Johann and Natasha Fourie, and Hennie Smit and Martin Barnard’s Tazzes take on Christo Swanepoel and Jacobus Van Zyl’s Polo and Marchant and Marnus Theron and Drian Le Grange and Yvonne Theunissen Golfs. And watch for a little interference from Reinhardt and Jo-Ann Janse Van Rensburg’s Fiat Uno.

Expected to become a regular part of the National calendar in future, the All Tar Rally was once a regular fixture in the Gauteng Northern Regions Championship that always thrilled and often delivered wildcard winners. With 90 kilometres of easy access special stages conveniently close to Gauteng, a trip to Gerotek, Zwartkops or indeed both promises a fine way to spend your Saturday at the Dunlop-shod National All Tar Rally.