Red Bull Box Cart Race brings high-energy action to Sandton Drive
Spectators flock to the sidelines as 57 homemade carts take on jumps, obstacles, and sharp turns in a display of gravity-powered creativity.
Sandton Drive was transformed into a high-energy downhill playground on October 4, as the Red Bull Box Cart Race got underway.
With 57 teams taking to the course, hundreds of spectators packed the sidelines, cheering, laughing, and holding their breath as colourful homemade carts hurtled towards the finish line.
Read more: WATCH: Box cart races down Sandton Drive
The atmosphere was electric, with spectators on their feet as drivers tackled jumps, obstacles, and sharp turns in wildly creative machines. Every run had the crowd reacting — cheering when a cart picked up speed, gasping when drivers struggled to stay on course, and erupting when teams successfully made it through the obstacles.
From elaborate designs to eye-catching costumes, the teams brought as much personality to the race as speed. Teams were also judged on their creativity, showmanship, and the entertainment they brought to the course.
Also read: Box Cart Day at Junior College in Sunninghill
For spectators lining Sandton Drive, however, the biggest attraction was the unpredictable action unfolding in front of them. With gravity doing the heavy lifting and drivers left to steer their unconventional creations, every run brought the possibility of a spectacular finish — or an equally spectacular crash.
While the action continued, motorists were reminded that major road closures remain in place around Sandton Drive. Sandton Drive between Grayston Drive and Alice Lane is closed for the event, with full closures at the Sandton Drive and Grayston Drive, and Sandton Drive and Alice Lane intersections.
The main event road closures are scheduled until 17:00 today, with Sandton Drive only partially reopening from October 6.
Motorists are advised to use alternative routes, including Winnie Mandela Drive, the M1 via Marlboro Drive or Katherine Street, Katherine Street, Fredman Drive, Fifth Street, Ballyclare Drive, and Bryanston Drive.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department warned motorists to expect delays and urged them to follow temporary traffic signs, barricades, and instructions from officers on the ground.
For those who made their way to Sandton Drive, however, the road became the perfect stage for an afternoon of speed, spectacle, and gravity-powered chaos.
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