The popular race was dealt a severe blow when its official sponsor withdrew following controversies at last year’s race. In an exclusive interview with NBC Sport, the newly elected president of the Namibia Motorsport Federation, Dan Tjongarero, said the Windhoek Motor Club is hard at work to pull off this year’s event. The rally is set to take place from the 19th to the 21st of November in and around Windhoek, as well as in Okahandja. "Tara Event as far as my information to date, will still take place unless anything has happened in the meantime . I’m still hundred percent sure that Tara will take place this year" said Tjongarero Tjongarero also said the new council is working tirelessly to try and meet the minimum requirements of the FIA and bring Tara back to its Africa Rally championship status. "Once we get that right, we want to push that process and I think once we get that right we will get the sponsors back on board. We will build confidence of the sponsors in the event and I mean the quality of the drivers and the competition speaks for itself." added Tjongarero Richard Slamet and Wiets Coetzee were declared last year’s winners, but the decision was surrounded by controversy after the second−placed Wilro Dippenaar and Riaan van der Westhuizen withdrew out of protest at officiating inconsistencies. The results were later declared null and void by Total Namibia, following their investigations. Tara Rally made its debut in 1969 and has since been held every year, with last year’s event being the 47th consecutive rally.