New rally brings motorsport action to Dullstroom
The Mpumalanga 400, a new rally event in Dullstroom, will open the SA Cross Country Series and give motorsport enthusiasts a chance to watch top names in the industry in action.
The dust will fly at Dullstroom on March 16 and 17 when rally drivers take on the Mpumalanga 400.
This brand-new item on the racing calendar will open the SA Cross Country Series (SACCS).
Mpumalanga last saw an SACCS race when the Nkomazi 400 was held in Malalane in 2016 and once again the prime mover behind the new offering is also Toyota dealer principal Johan Horn.
READ MORE: T Class glory for Johan and Werner Horn at Nkomazi 450
The race is driven by Malalane Toyota, Lydenburg Toyota, Longtom Nissan and McGee Ford.
“The town fathers and the Dullstroom community have bent over backwards to make sure the Mpumalanga 400 is a resounding success. Land owners have also come to the party and enthusiasm and support for the event has been unprecedented,” SACCS CEO Archie Rutherford said.
According to route director Adri Roets, the course has a good mix of forests, open veld and vlei, and rocky sections. Due to the drought conditions, the route is dry and dusty.
“There is nothing in the route that experienced crews haven’t seen before when Mpumalanga hosted events based in Lydenburg and Malalane,” said route director Adri Roets. “It is an interesting course with a variety of terrain and should provide for an exciting challenge.”
The race starts and finishes at the Village Green Cricket Oval with the first spectator vantage point less than two kilometres from the designated service park on the outskirts of Dullstroom.
READ MORE: Horn brothers are the SA Cross Country Series Class T Champions
Competitors then head towards Belfast along the R540 via Swartkoppies, Lakenvlei and Vlakplaats before heading back to base via excellent cross-country terrain.
The route consists of a 170- kilometre loop which will be covered twice during the race, which starts at 08:30 on Saturday March 17.
The qualifying race to determine start positions for the main race will be run over a 45-kilometre route on Friday March 16 and starts at 14:00.
Race headquarters will be located at the Old Transvaal Inn adjacent to the Village Green Cricket Oval and the designated service park, and public entrance to these areas and vantage points along the route, is free of charge.
The Dullstroom community is enthusiastic about the event and there will be a variety of entertainment, exhibitions, and food and beverage stalls.
Motorsport fans will also be able to follow the race from wherever they are via the RallySafe app. It can be downloaded for iOS and Android devices free of charge, and follows the race via detailed maps with times and complete results.
