It will be quite a change of scenery for the South African National Cross Country Series (SACCS) when the fourth round of the championship takes teams from their recent excursion in the Botswana desert to the mealie fields of the Bronkhorstspruit area when they tackle the Atlas Copco 400 on 3 and 4 August.
The area is traditionally in a summer rainfall district and with a harsh July almost something of the past, dust will be one of the major challenges competitors will have to face when taking on the Bronkhorstspruit area for the first time at national level. With the season at the halfway mark and obstacles like dust and a level playing field, nail-biting racing can be expected on the Gauteng border.
According to SACCS Route Director, Adri Roets, the route will primarily be based in the mealie fields in and around the Bronkhorstspruit area.
“Competitors can expect some fast sweeping sections, small rocky outcrops and low-water highveld streams,” Roets explained.
The route skirts the N4 in the direction of the Kusile Power Station before returning to the Soetdoring Function Venue situated in a bushveld setting on the outskirts of Bronkhorstspruit.
The action will start early on Friday, 3 August at the Soetdoring Function Venue where race headquarters as well as the Start/Finish of the race on both days and the designated service park will be located. Race headquarters will open at 11:00 for documentation and scrutineering on Friday morning before the teams in the national SACCS championship and the SxS Interprovincial Challenge (IPC) take on the 40 kilometre Qualifying Race.
The Qualifying Race will determine the starting order for the main race on Saturday, 4 August. The main race route will consist of a 170 kilometre loop, which competitors complete twice, with a compulsory service at the designated service point after the first loop. The SxS IPC Class as well as the teams competing in the fifth round of the Northern Regions Championship, will have to complete approximately 220 kilometres with no service point during their race.
The route is spectator friendly and as Bronkhorstspruit is in close proximity to Johannesburg and Pretoria, spectators are expected to turn up in their numbers for a weekend of exciting racing.
Enthusiasts will have an opportunity to meet their heroes and have posters autographed during the break at the halfway mark between approximately 10:30 and 12:00 on Saturday. Tasty treats and beverages will be on sale throughout the weekend.
It will also be easy for cross country enthusiasts at the event, at home or anywhere in the world to keep a finger on the racing pulse and follow the teams by means of the RallySafe App where the map, times and results as well as lots of other relevant information is available. The App can be downloaded free for iOS and Android devices.