After a first day featuring 8 regularity tests (RT), the competitors of the 2024 Spa Rally Classic contested the entire Sunday programme, including the three runs through Trois-Ponts – with the Power Stage – and the two through Chevron. With treacherous conditions at the start of the morning, and darkness for the finale, a lot could still happen\
Leaders in VHRS 65 since the start of the event, Yves Deflandre and Baptiste Gengoux completed the job, especially as the orange Porsche 911 was free of its gearbox problems from the previous day! This victory means that the pair can now claim the national crown for both drivers and co-drivers.
Right behind the winners, Benoit Verlinde and Jens Vanoverschelde (Volkswagen Golf 2 GTi) confirmed their growing momentum by taking the silver medal, having maintained the upper hand over Pierre Louys and Dominique Lejeune (MG B GT V8)… before René Georges and Romain Lahaye (Volkswagen Golf 1 GTi) burst onto the scene in the Trois-Ponts Power Stage, to deny the MG crew by a few tenths of a point! The result of an impressive comeback, also helped by clutch issues for Michael Bartholemy and Patrick Lienne (Ford Escort Mk1) and an error for Sam De Wolf and Julie Cole (Porsche 924) earlier in the day. Quite an achievement nonetheless
Benoit Scheen and Colin Barvaux (Ford Escort Mk2) completed the final top 6, ahead of other established regularity performers Claude Ninane and Freddy Cara (Opel Kadett C). Thierry Caignie – making his regularity debut – and Thomas Collard (Porsche 911 SC), Volker Scheck and Yves Chantraine (Ford Escort Mk1), as well as Pieter Van Loocke and Tom Vanbecelaere (Citroën Visa GTi) found their way into the final top 10.
After the cancellation of two ‘problematic’ stages on Saturday, the gaps were still narrow before the start of the final day in VHRS 50! Michel Thibaut and Philippe Verpoorten (Mazda 323 GTX Turbo) started out in the lead, but Felix Jacobs and Roberto Conego (Porsche 912) found their way to victory! Gilles Thibaut and François Souka (Mazda 323) confirmed the excellent form of their family team to complete the podium.
Fourth in the standings, Mario Varrewaere and Pablo Cracco (Nissan Sunny GTi) may have been frustrated by the cancellation of the two Fays Show results on Saturday evening, but they were able to comfort themselves with the title of Belgian VHRS 50 champions, the culmination of an excellent season! They beat André Lamotte and Joseph Polet (Lancia Fulvia HF), Jérôme Ambrosini and Yves Thirionet (Audi 80 GT), Olivier Haleng and Michel Graeven (Ford Escort Mk2), Clemens and Harald Noé (Volvo 240), Guy Legros and Joseph Guiot (Porsche 924), as well as youngsters Benjamin Simar and Milla Ylieff (BMW E30), who rounded off the top 10.