The South African National Rally Championship is a series of rallying events that has taken place each year since 1960. It was won eleven times by Sarel van der Merwe in the 1970s and 1980s and ten times by Serge Damseaux from 1989 to 2004. Toyota and Volkswagen vehicles have won the title of champion car in most years since 1998.
Now in its 61st consecutive year, the sport has been kept alive by privateers since 2017 with the decline of sponsorships and non involvement of manufacturers due to the world wide economic slow down.
The South African Rally Championship has seen the exciting development of the new Africa Rally 1 (AR 1) Category car, competing in the NRC 1 class. A normal Aspirated 1600 Turbo, AWD car. New combers to this class is the Hyundai i 20, Mazda 2 and Toyota Starlet. These cars compete with the S2000 and old group N cars (Subaru's). A very exciting class to watch on every event.
The NRC 1 class took over from the 1600 R2 Homologated cars as the official Championship class of the SA Championship.
The Championship has been supported by CTRACK, TRACN4, MRF Tyres Africa, Fixedit Mobile, Mibern Medi-Call, Electrothread, Motorsport Technic
South African Rally Champions
Champion Manufacturers
Championship Wins
Drivers
Co-Drivers
Manufacturers
Rally Wins
Drivers
Co-Drivers
Manufacturer Rally Wins
Season Results
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
First South African crew home. Overall winners were Aldo Riva and Enrico Rivida in an Audi Quattro
Coupe.
1994
1995
1996
First South African qualifying crew home. Overall winners were Sarel van der Merwe / Franz Boshoff in a Daewoo Cielo
1997
First South African crew home. Rally was won overall by Robbie Head / Franz Boshoff in a Daewoo Cielo.
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
1 First R2 Class car home. Overall winners were Lee Rose / Elvene Coetzee in Classic Class Ford Escort
2 First R2 Class car home. Overall winners were Johnny Gemmell / Carl Peskin in Classic Class Porsche 911
3 First R2 Class car home. Overall winners were Theuns Joubert / Etienne Lourens in a S2000 Toyota Auris
2018
2019
2020
Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic and the Disaster Management Legislation being implemented, the 2020 National Rally Championship had 3 events only. Each of the 2 days per event counted as an individual round. The National Rally Championship adapted this formula as it proved to be very effective. Competitors are now able to re-enter a new event the following day if they did not complete the 1st day of the event.