Drivers kick up the dust at Cooper Series
The Cooper Dust Series consists of three regional events within each of nine different regions - Mpumalanga being one, and of course, it is wise for those who compete to do all three legs in their particular province.
The regional winner will qualify to participate in the national final event. Scoring is on an all-or-nothing principle meaning that, whether a competitor chooses the 50- or 100-point line to an obstacle, should he/she stop or roll back in the obstacle, no points will be scored.
Yes, it is a tough take-no-prisoners approach, but it makes for exciting driving and precise line choice before you enter the obstacle. Where the terrain allows, a regularity raid model is also applied. This means competitors have to complete an obstacle within a set time limit and also arrive at the next obstacle, again at a set time.
Points are allotted depending on early or late arrival times. And then there is the navigational model where competitors are handed coordinates to reach the required location. Points are scored on the shortest distance travelled and of course the time it took compared with the target time set.
The previous events I have attended all took place in natural environments like game farms and so forth, which do not allow for spectators.
This leg of the Mpumalanga region was held on the Lowveld 4×4 Club’s track at the Mbombela Stadium. Although there were 17 entrants on the day, organisers were able to accommodate them in groups through the various obstacles – seldom possible in more natural environments – which meant that the official competition was done by about 11:00, which left plenty of play time (at own risk) and of course the traditional braai and gonsgroepie to reminisce about – not the big one that got away, but that near roll over or the lack of front lockers and the rest.
The Minefield, which I witnessed, challenged drivers to put a small table tennis ball on top of a PVC pipe. The latter is located all over difficult terrain and requires precise driving skills so as to position the vehicle close enough to the pole to enable either the driver or passenger to place the ball.
The more difficult placings are represented by red balls. The most balls placed/highest score within 90 seconds, win the challenge. All I can say is that this where the expression “buy a 4×4, it will be fun they say”, gets challenged to the extreme.
It is also important to remember that all 4×4 brands can enter. This is whether your vehicle is stock standard or highly modified. And by golly – there are those that comes seriously well kitted.
Results: Top five
1. Sjuan Cornelissen – 75,29
2. Rainier Jordaan – 72,65
3. Pierre Coetzee – 63,24
4. Divan Viljoen – 63,24
5. Willem Cruywagen – 55,29.
Enquiries: Johann Swanepoel on 061-500-4146.
