Toyota of the Desert
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Toyota rookies take Polokwane Rally
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S2000 rookies Leeroy Poulter and Elvene Coetzee (Toyota Auris) won the inaugural Polokwane Rally in Limpopo.
Works S2000 Toyota Auris crew Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee have won the inaugural Polokwane Rally, the final round of the 2011 South African Rally championship, which ended at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Limpopo on Sunday morning.
It was their second win of the season after their debut victory in the Sasol Rally in Mpumalanga in April.
Second overall, just 2.7 seconds adrift after 16 special stages and 206km of high-speed gravel and tarmac, over two days, were Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton in their S2000 Ford Fiesta - but that was enough to (provisionally) secure them the 2011 Drivers' and Navigators' titles.
Former SA champions Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries (S2000 VW Polo) were third overall in the weekend's rally, which was held in hot and dusty conditions over a fast route that proved to be a worthy test to determine the championship.
They were actually leading Cronje and Houghton at the start of the final, three-kilometre tarmac stage by nine tenths of a second, but were overtaken by the Ford and finished 2.8 seconds in arrears.
Poulter and Coetzee, who took Toyota's tally of National rally wins to 101, led throughout the day after finishing first at the end of Friday's nine stages.
S2000 Ford Fiesta crew Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton are the 2011 SA Rally champions.
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Their victory did not come easily, however, as Poulter, competing in the top class of National championship rallying for the first time, lost time on Saturday when he sportingly used a part from his car to fix a power steering problem on team mate Johnny Gemmell's car.
That cost him 30 seconds to his pursuers on the next stage as he struggled to manhandle the Toyota over the tightest stage of the day. Later on he was slowed further when a front drive-shaft broke.
The defending Super 1600 champion held off a strong challenge from Fekken, Cronje and championship leader Conrad Rautenbach (S2000 Ford Fiesta) on Sunday morning, winning the second stage of the day in the process and doing enough to stay ahead to the finish.
Rautenbach started the rally as provisional championship leader and needed to beat Cronje to win his first South African title. In the end he and French co-driver Nicolas Klinger finished fourth overall, 26 seconds behind the winners.
There is still an unresolved protest regarding the results of the Toyota Gauteng Dealer Rally which could affect the outcome of the championship.
The Two-Wheel Drive championship for Super 1600 and Super 1400 classes saw a battle royal between the Super 1400 VW Polo of Henk Lategan and Barry White and the three Super 1600 cars of Christoff Snyders and sister Celeste (VW Polo), Guy Botterill and Schalk van Heerden (Toyota RunX) and Craig Trott and Robbie Coetzee (Toyota RunX).
Seventeen-year-old Lategan prevailed in something of a 'giant killing' act to take the two-wheel drive category by 17.5 seconds from the Snyders siblings, finishing a creditable 12th overall. The top three were separated by less than half a minute, with Botterill finishing third, 1 min 33 sec ahead of former champion Trott.
The Snyders eventually took the unofficial championship honours ahead of Trott and Coetzee.
Second in the Super 1400 class in Limpopo were Megan Verlaque and Hilton Auffray (VW Polo), 17th place overall and 6min35 behind Lategan.
Toyota Named One of DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies For Diversity
March 16, 2009 - New York, NY - Toyota today was named one of DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity, finishing 40th overall in the magazine's ninth annual survey.
Toyota's 2009 inclusion marks the third time the company has been recognized by DiversityInc. A total of 401 companies vied for the honor this year. The annual DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® competition is an editorial process, entirely driven by metrics obtained in a detailed survey. Top 50 companies demonstrate consistent strength in four areas: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity.
Commenting on the DiversityInc survey, Dian Ogilvie, senior vice president at Toyota Motor North America, said, "At Toyota, we consider diversity and inclusion to be a top priority, and our commitment has not wavered during these economically challenging times. We strive for diversity in every aspect of our business, including employment, procurement, and dealer placement as well as our philanthropic activities. A more diverse Toyota makes us a stronger company now and in the future."
According to DiversityInc, key factors in Toyota's success were its 11 strong employee-resource groups, including religious and veterans groups; its strong mandatory diversity training and the metrics used to assess its success; and its efforts to help multicultural communities.
"Earning a spot on the list for the third time in four years, Toyota has worked hard to increase the inclusiveness of its work force. The company also has demonstrated consistently high philanthropic giving in multicultural communities," said Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates 14 manufacturing plants. There are more than 1,800 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2.4 million vehicles in 2008. Toyota directly employs more than 41,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at nearly $21 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $30 billion.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About DiversityInc
Launched in 1997, DiversityInc is the leading business publication connecting diversity and the bottom line, with 1 million unique monthly visitors. DiversityInc.com includes the largest diversity job board in the nation. DiversityInc also produces events and conducts benchmarking, custom research and consulting.
Ingram's 'Champions' score with motivation
Tim Ingram, founder of the Camp of Champions nonprofit organization, challenges a student to some street hockey during one of the clinics. Submitted by Tim Ingram
How to help
To make a donation to the Camp of Champions or for more information, contact Tim Ingram at (760) 671-5494 or email campofchampions@roadrunner.com.
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When Tim Ingram started the Camp of Champions A&M five years ago, it was only supposed to be a small incentive for a handful of students.
Since then, the camp ? emphasizing athletics, academics and motivation ? has grown into a nonprofit organization serving more than 15,000 students in schools from Twentynine Palms to Mecca.
The camp offers free sports clinics for elementary and middle school students who have fulfilled various criteria focused on academics, attendance, behavior and testing.
As a former professional soccer and hockey player, Ingram understands the importance of motivation.
"The idea behind the camp is the the 'carrot and stick' method," Ingram said. "These kids are learning that if they work hard there is something good for them."
More than 1,000 students at a time have participated in Ingram's camp.
"Every week we are at a different school," Ingram said. "It can get crazy sometimes."
The camp also helps subsidize the schools' physical education programs which have received major cuts throughout the years.
"The students loved it and we wish he could come back twice a year instead of just once a year," said Maria de Lange, a teacher at Nellie N. Coffman Middle School in Cathedral City. "It was well organized and Tim and his team of coaches were great with the kids."
Since the expansion of the program, Ingram has focused on running the organization full-time with help from his wife, Michele Ingram, and a coaching staff of more than 12 people.
As with many nonprofit organizations, Ingram depends on donations to keep the camp going.
This past year Cadillac and Chevrolet of La Quinta and Acura, Toyota and Honda of The Desert jumped on board to help fund the organization.
"If we didn't have the dealerships we would be out of business," Ingram said, "Thanks to them, we have been able to expand our reach to different schools."
In addition to a certificate of participation, each student receives a coupon for a free meal donated by Red Robin Restaurants.
"Tim is so supportive and he really talks to the kids about working with others and what it takes to be a team member," said Karen Redfield, principal at Edward Wenzlaff Elementary School in Desert Hot Springs. "He is the perfect partner when it comes to motivating the students."
