The adrenaline will be pumping and high levels of excitement are expected when the wheels start to roll at the final two rounds of the 2020 South African National Cross Country Series (SACCS) that take place at Parys on the weekend of 23 and 24 October.
With two 350km events taking place in two days and national championship titles and the final points to go for, the teams as well as their support and service crews will feel the pressure. These are all factors that will contribute to a white-knuckled weekend of racing at the Ford Parys 400 and the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Vaal 400 in the Free State.
The route for both events is based on the 2019 route and competitors will recognise sections of it, however, changes due to development in the area and some new terrain will enhance the challenge. The Start/Finish as well as the Designated Service Point (DSP) and Race Headquarters will again be situated at the Parys Airfield and with two full days of racing, a hive of activity is expected at DSP on Friday afternoon after the Ford Parys 400 as teams prepare for Saturday’s Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Vaal 400.
The Pirelli Qualifying Race on both Friday and Saturday, will be a 14 kilometres dash to determine the starting order for the main race later on the same day. For round four of the SACCS, the Ford Parys 400, on Friday, 23 October a 164km loop awaits competitors who will have to complete it twice to earn their points. The first 100 kilometres of the loop will be fast and flowing while the last 60 kilometres will provide a technical and taxing challenge.
The layout and terrain of the event is very much suited to a two-day event and although the route traverses the same areas on both days, each event will have unique characteristics incorporating new territory.
After the 14km Pirelli Qualifying Racing on Saturday, competitors will take on the slightly longer 168km loop of the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Vaal 400 that forms round five of the SACCS and after completing it twice, the final points will be in the bag and the 2020 champions crowned.
Both events will include a compulsory de-control after completion of the first loop with competitors taking on the second loop in the order of finishing the first.
The Ford Parys 400, Pirelli Qualifying Race on Friday will get underway at 08:30 with the main race starting at 10:30. Proceedings for the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Vaal 400 will kick off at 08:00 on Saturday with the Pirelli Qualifying Race followed by the main race 10:00.
With less than 20 hours separating the two events, the pressure will be on the teams to not only produce the best result, but also to preserve their race vehicle for the next day’s race. This will be a mammoth mental and gruelling physical challenge and teams who can keep all the strings together, will conclude the season successfully.
No titles in either the Production Vehicle or the Special Vehicle categories have been concluded yet and the final battles on the outskirts of Parys will bring down the curtain on a dysfunctional year.
No spectators are allowed as per COVID-19 regulations and protocols. Fans can follow the action on the RallySafe App, which can be downloaded free of charge for iOS and Android devices. Information will also be shared on the SACCS Telegram App as well as on Facebook SACCS.
