Sarel van der Merwe
Encyclopedia
Sarel Daniel van der Merwe (born December 5, 1946) is a South Africa
n former rally
driver, who was a multiple South Africa
n Rally Drivers Champion. He is sometimes referred to as "Supervan".
Van der Merwe won the South African Rally Drivers Championship a record eleven times in 1975, from 1977 to 1985 and in 1988. Van Der Merwe also drove one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen
for Hendrick Motorsports
#17 Tide Chevrolet Lumina
team in 1990 while the team's regular driver, Darrell Waltrip
, was recuperating from a severe leg injury a month earlier, where he finished 24th. He also held the SA Saloon Car Championship (1994), SA modified Saloon Car Championship (1994 & 2001), and won the 1996 Castrol International Rally in Swaziland. He received his Springbok Colours
in 1976 and his South African National Colours in 1997. In 2002, van der Merwe was awarded the Motorsport South African (MSA) Lifetime Achievement award.
Van der Merwe began his racing career in 1967 racing saloon cars. His international career took off in 1983 in the IMSA
series in the USA, with his most notable win in the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona
race driving for Kreepy Krauly Racing, an all-South African team in a March
83G-Porsche
. He shared the win with Graham Duxbury
and Tony Martin
. Van der Merwe did exceptionally well in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans
where he finished 3rd on debut. In the 1986 Le Mans
race, Sarel pulled in a lap early and Jo Gartner
took over. A lap later the suspension broke and the car veered off the Mulsanne Straight
in the middle of the night and Gartner was killed.
He retired from competitive motor racing on November 23, 2002 after Round 12 of the Vodacom Power Tour at Kyalami
.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n former rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
driver, who was a multiple South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Rally Drivers Champion. He is sometimes referred to as "Supervan".
Van der Merwe won the South African Rally Drivers Championship a record eleven times in 1975, from 1977 to 1985 and in 1988. Van Der Merwe also drove one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
for Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
#17 Tide Chevrolet Lumina
Tide Ride
The Tide Ride is a nickname given to any NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car that has carried the sponsorship of the detergent brand Tide, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble over the years...
team in 1990 while the team's regular driver, Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
, was recuperating from a severe leg injury a month earlier, where he finished 24th. He also held the SA Saloon Car Championship (1994), SA modified Saloon Car Championship (1994 & 2001), and won the 1996 Castrol International Rally in Swaziland. He received his Springbok Colours
Springbok colours
Springbok colours were historically awarded to South African teams and individuals representing the country in international competition. With the arrival of South Africa's new democratic regime in 1994, the name 'Springbok' was abandoned by the various control boards since they felt that the term...
in 1976 and his South African National Colours in 1997. In 2002, van der Merwe was awarded the Motorsport South African (MSA) Lifetime Achievement award.
Van der Merwe began his racing career in 1967 racing saloon cars. His international career took off in 1983 in the IMSA
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
series in the USA, with his most notable win in the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
race driving for Kreepy Krauly Racing, an all-South African team in a March
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
83G-Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
. He shared the win with Graham Duxbury
Graham Duxbury
Graham Duxbury is a South African racing driver, business man, and motorsport commentator. Duxbury won the South African National Drivers Championship in 1982 engineered by Ken Howes driving initially a March 78B before taking delivery of a ground effect March 822...
and Tony Martin
Tony Martin (motor racing)
Tony Martin is a South African racing driver. He won the Daytona 24 Hours in 1984 driving for Kreepy Krauly Racing, an all-South African team in a March 83G-Porsche. He shared the win with Sarel van der Merwe and Graham Duxbury.-References:...
. Van der Merwe did exceptionally well in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans
1984 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 52nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 16 – 17 June 1984. It was also the third round of the World Endurance Championship....
where he finished 3rd on debut. In the 1986 Le Mans
1986 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 54th Grand Prix of Endurance as well as the third round of the 1986 World Sports-Prototype Championship. It took place on May 31 and June 1, 1986.-Pre-race:...
race, Sarel pulled in a lap early and Jo Gartner
Jo Gartner
Jo Gartner was a Formula One and sports car endurance driver from Austria. After a successful junior formula career, including wins in Formula 2. He participated in eight Formula One Grands Prix for Osella, debuting on 6 May 1984, scoring no points...
took over. A lap later the suspension broke and the car veered off the Mulsanne Straight
Mulsanne
Mulsanne is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-Motor racing:The Circuit de la Sarthe, which is used in the sports car endurance race 24 Hours of Le Mans, features the long straight Ligne Droite des Hunaudières leading to Mulsanne, making a...
in the middle of the night and Gartner was killed.
He retired from competitive motor racing on November 23, 2002 after Round 12 of the Vodacom Power Tour at Kyalami
Kyalami
Kyalami is a motor racing circuit located in Midrand, Gauteng province, South Africa. The circuit has been used for Grand Prix and Formula One races and has hosted the South African Grand Prix many times. In recent years, the area surrounding the circuit has developed into a residential and...
.