Serge Damseaux and Robert Paisley have won the Total Rally South Africa, which ended in Badplaas this afternoon, for the third successive year. The Castrol Toyota pair dominated the event from restart in Bethal on Friday and apart from a scare late in the closing stage when a differential failed they had a clean run in their new Class S 2000 charger.

Jannie Habig and Douglas Judd brought their Class S 2000 VW Polo home second ahead of teammates Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries who also won Class A7 in the VW Golf after an event long battle with Charl Wilken and Robin Houghton who finished fourth overall and second in Class A7 in their Castrol Toyota RunX RSi.

Namibians Richard Himmel and Adolf Botes (Subaru WRX STi) finished fifth and first in the N4 class and were followed by Barry Grobbelaar and Mike Burrows in the VW Golf 4 and Zimbabweans Jamie Whyte and Philip Archenoul in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7.

Eighth and first in Class S20 were Cliff Blackman and Johan Klaasen in a BMW 320i with Zambians Muna Singh and Dave Sihoka ninth in a Subaru Impreza and Craig Trott and John Costa (Total Toyota Corolla RS) tenth and first in Class A6.

Rodney Visagie and Caroline Swan finished 11th overall and won Class N3 in their Total Toyota RunX RSi while Michael Nathan and Graham Hooper finished 12th and first in Class N2 in the Total Toyota Corolla RX.

Claudio Piazza-Musso and Janine Labuschagne finished 13th overall and second in Class N3 in the Sasol Toyota RunX RSi with Class 5 winners Michael Houghton and Bryn Doherty 14th in a Toyota Tazz.

Provisional overall positions:

1. Serge Damseaux / Robert Paisley (Castrol Toyota RunX RSi) – 3:24:51

2. Jannie Habig / Douglas Judd (VW Polo) – 3:26:31

3. Hergen Fekken / Pierre Arries (VW Golf 4) – 3:31:00

4. Charl Wilken / Robin Houghton (Castrol Toyota RunX RSi) – 3:32:54

5. Richard Himmel / Adolf Botes (Subaru) – 3:36:37

6. Barry Grobbelaar / Mike Burrows (VW Golf 4) – 3:40:05

7. Jamie Whyte / Philip Archenoul (Mitsubishi) – 3:41:30

8. Cliff Blackman / Johan Klaasen (BMW 3201) – 3:41:31

9. Muna Singh / Dave Sihoka (Subaru) – 3:42:07

10. Craig Trott / John Costa (Toyota RunX RSi) – 3:50:27

11. Rodney Visagie / Caroline Swan (Toyota RunX RSi) – 3:53:04

12. Michael Nathan / Graham Hooper (Toyota Corolla RX) – 3:57:57

13. Claudio Piazza-Musso / Janine Labuschagne (Toyota RunX RSi) – 3:58:00

14. Michael Houghton / Bryn Doherty (Toyota Tazz) – 4:00:04

Toyota entries scooped five of the eight classes.

Provisional class winners:

Class S2000 Serge Damseaux / Robert Paisley (Castrol Toyota RunX RSi)

Class A7 Hergen Fekken / Pierre Arries (VW Golf 4)

Class A6 Craig Trott / John Costa (Toyota RunX RSi)

Class A5 Michael Houghton / Bryn Doherty (Toyota Tazz)

Class N4 Richard Himmel / Adolf Botes (Subaru)

Class N3 Rodney Visagie / Caroline Swan (Toyota RunX RSi)

Class N2 Michael Nathan / Graham Hooper (Toyota Corolla RX)

Class S20 Cliff Blackman / Johan Klaasen (BMW 3201)

Only 21 crews were able to finish the event.

All times and positions are unofficial.

Original article from Car