The Rocar-Tech Twente Rally 2026: Van Deijne Strikes Again in Hengelo

Welcome to the 11th running of the Rocar-Tech Twente Rally, a weekend that brought the best of Dutch rallying to the roads around Hengelo With the event taking place on 24 and 25 October, the Twente countryside once again became the setting for a thrilling battle against the clock. A competitive field, a mix of fast country roads and challenging corners, and a dedicated crowd of rally fans made for an exciting end to the October rally calendar.

 

The Twente Rally marks the final round of the 2026 Open Dutch Rally Championship, bringing the season to its conclusion on the challenging roads of the Twente region. With the championship battle having taken shape over the preceding rounds, the focus now shifts to the final opportunity for crews to secure a strong result and end the season on a high. While the title fight has been a central storyline throughout the year, the Twente Rally offers one last chance for drivers and co-drivers to showcase their pace, precision and consistency in a competitive field. With the season reaching its climax, the event promises an exciting finale to Dutch rallying’s premier championship.

Co driver: Bart van Heun|Driver: Joep Lüth |Photographer: Ingmar Bouwman|Event: Rocar – Tech Twente Rally 2026

All eyes were on the Rally2 contenders, with Dutch championship leader Kevin van Deijne among the names to watch. Driving his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 alongside navigator Lisette Bakker, Van Deijne arrived in Twente looking to extend his remarkable run in the Open Dutch Rally Championship. With strong opposition from drivers including Dennis Rostek, Joep Lüth, Martin van Iersel and the Klein Kromhof brothers, victory would have to be earned over every kilometre.

Twente is ready for battle.

Photographer: Ingmar Bouwman|Event: Rocar – Tech Twente Rally 2026

 

 

As the afternoon gave way to evening, the sound of rally engines echoed across the roads around Hengelo. Saturday’s opening leg featured two loops of three special stages, taking the competitors through Dutch countryside, Hoeve, Stepelo and Twekkelo. With the daylight fading and the challenges of the stages changing with the light, precision and consistency were essential

Co driver: Stefan Kopczyk | Driver : Dennis Rostek |Photographer: Ingmar Bouwman|Event: Rocar – Tech Twente Rally 2026

The opening evening offered the crews their first opportunity to establish themselves in the standings. Every braking point, every change of direction and every acceleration out of a corner counted, with the narrow margins typical of modern rallying leaving little room for mistakes.

Co driver: René Bril | Driver : Jeroen Rutges|Photographer: Ingmar Bouwman|Event: Rocar – Tech Twente Rally 2026

Alongside the NRK, the Rocar-Tech Twente Rally also brought together competitors from several other championships and classes, creating a varied field of modern rally machinery, national contenders and historic cars. The Open Dutch Rally Championship (ONRK) featured the leading Rally2 crews, while the Historic Rally Championship showcased the character and sound of older rally cars, with its competition traditionally opening the event on Saturday.

Other categories included the National Rally Championship (NHRK), the Open National Historic Rally Championship (ONHRK), and crews competing in classes ranging from Rally3 and Rally4 cars to production-based machinery. This variety added another dimension to the weekend, with battles taking place throughout the field and demonstrating that the Twente Rally was about much more than the fight for overall victory.

The service area at Thales in Hengelo provided a central meeting point for teams and spectators, as mechanics prepared the cars for the next round of competition. With six stages completed, the crews could turn their attention to Sunday’s decisive leg, when the remaining kilometres would determine the overall winner.

The opening day was only the beginning. The real fight for victory was still to come.

The Porsche 992 Rally GT: A Different Breed of Rally Car

One of the most distinctive cars in the field was the Porsche 992 Rally GT, a machine that brings the character of a GT racing car to the world of rallying. Based on the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992.1), it combines a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine producing up to 510 horsepower in unrestricted specification with rear-wheel drive and a six-speed sequential gearbox. Adapted specifically for rally competition, it features revised suspension, underbody protection and a rally-ready cockpit designed for both driver and co-driver.

Unlike the four-wheel-drive Rally2 cars that dominate the top of many modern rally fields, the Porsche relies on rear-wheel drive to deliver its performance, demanding a different approach to putting the power down on the narrow, twisting stages. Its unmistakable flat-six soundtrack and classic 911 silhouette make it stand out from the crowd, while its growing presence in European rallying demonstrates that there is still room for something rather different in the sport. At the Twente Rally, the 992 Rally GT added a welcome dose of GT character to the varied field of competitors.

Sunday’s overview

Sunday brought the rally back to life with a fresh set of challenges. Two further loops of three stages were scheduled around Bentelo, Zeldam and Hengelo-Zuid, alongside the Arena spectator stage, which offered fans a chance to experience the action in a dedicated viewing area.

For the leading crews, the pressure was now firmly on. The accumulated times from Saturday had created the starting point for the final day’s battle, but the remaining stages left plenty of opportunity for the order to change.

Among the competitors, Kevin van Deijne continued to demonstrate why he has been such a dominant force in the Open Dutch Rally Championship. Rather than simply settling for a strong result, the Zeeland-based driver moved from third place to first in Sunday’s overall classification, turning a podium position into another rally victory.

The result once again underlined the importance of consistency across a full rally weekend. In a sport where a fraction of a second can separate two crews, maintaining speed while avoiding costly mistakes is often what makes the difference.

Van Deijne takes the victory

Kevin van Deijne and Lisette Bakker emerged as the winners of the 2026 Rocar-Tech Twente Rally, adding another achievement to an already impressive season. Van Deijne had won every event he entered in the Open Dutch Rally Championship this year, and his victory in Twente extended that unbeaten record.

Starting Sunday in third position, the Dutch pairing had work to do. Their climb to the top of the standings demonstrated the value of a determined final-day performance, with the pressure continuing until the last stages had been completed.

( Stefan Kopczyk, Dennis Rostek  Stefan ,Kevin van Deijne ,Lisette Bakker , Melinn Haverkate, Jeroen Klein Kromhof ) | Photographer: Ingmar Bouwman |Event: Rocar – Tech Twente Rally 2026

For Van Deijne, the Twente Rally was more than another trophy. It was further confirmation of his position at the front of Dutch rallying, with his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 proving once again to be a competitive package in the hands of an in-form crew.

Twente delivers another memorable rally weekend

The Rocar-Tech Twente Rally once again showcased the appeal of rallying in the eastern Netherlands. The stages around Hengelo and the surrounding countryside offered a demanding test for drivers and navigators, while the Arena stage provided an additional focal point for spectators.

Behind the scenes, the event also depended on the work of volunteers, organisers, marshals and service crews. Their efforts help keep the competition running and ensure that spectators can enjoy the action as safely as possible. Rallying may be decided by the drivers on the stages, but an event of this scale relies on a much larger team.

As the final cars completed the rally and returned to Hengelo, the headline belonged to Kevin van Deijne and Lisette Bakker. Their victory, achieved after moving up from third place on Sunday, capped another successful weekend for the Dutch championship leaders.

Twente had delivered its challenge, the crews had answered it, and Van Deijne left Hengelo with yet another victory to his name.

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