The South African Cross Country Championship (SACCS) will, in many ways, present a fresh face when the 2020 series opens in Mpumalanga at the end of February.
New venues, new rules and regulations, new faces and the fledgling Side by Side (SxS) national championship all add up to an exciting start to a new decade for the SACCS championship, which last year consistently attracted good fields. And, with the trend likely to be unchanged, both the Production Vehicle and Special Vehicle championships will again be highly competitive.
Three new events will make their debut on the SACCS calendar this year. The events in KwaZulu Natal and the Free State will form part of a seven event race calendar in South Africa and Botswana. The KZN event will see Cross Country racing return to the Easton / Mid Illovo area for the first time in many years with new events in Clarens and Bothaville.
“We are delighted to see Cross Country racing break into new territory,” said SACCS chief executive officer Archie Rutherford. “Last season saw the introduction of two new events which turned out to be great successes, and we are confident this year’s debut events will be equally successful.
“The return to KwaZulu Natal is particularly pleasing and the new events will provide competitors with additional challenges in what is already a highly competitive championship.”
The season will start on February 28 and 29 with the 2018 award winning Mpumalanga 400 in Dullstroom. The event will again be supported by Malalane Toyota and the Horn family, who have for many years been involved in Cross Country racing via farther Johan and more recently brothers Johan and Werner Horn.
The SACCS championship returns to the Eston/Mid Illovo area in KwaZulu Natal for the popular Sugarbelt 400 steeped in history and tradition on April 3 and 4 after a hiatus of five years. The first new event of the season will be the Clarens 400 on May 22 and 23 and will be run in the foothills of the majestic Maluti Mountains.
The aim is to bring high-profile venues into the SACCS championship that benefit the community. Cross Country races provide a major financial boost for local communities via accommodation, food and beverage sales, fuel sales, incidental expenses and future travel destinations.
One of the longest running sponsorships in South African motorsport continues to flourish with the Toyota 1000 Desert Race in Botswana this year celebrating its 29th anniversary. The event had its origin in Botswana in 1975 before relocating to the Vryburg are in 1980. In 1991 Toyota took ownership of this iconic event.
The Toyota 1000 Desert Race from June 26 to 28 in Selebi Phikwe will again be the only marathon event on the calendar and enjoys the unparalleled support of the Botswana Government, Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) and the Selebi Phikwe Town Council.
The latter half of the season moves to Gauteng for the popular Bronkhorstspruit 400 on August 14 and 15. The event was first run in 2018 and last year won the prestigious Event of the Year award. The next new event on the calendar sees crews heading for Bothaville in the Free State and the Nampo 400 on September 18 and 19.
The final event on the SACCS calendar returns to Parys situated on the banks of the Vaal River on October 23 and 24. The picturesque little town is a popular weekend destination with lots of adventures and activities as well as pretty scenery enjoyed by locals and visitors.
“SACCS has strong structures in place that augur well for the success and growth of the championship. “We are enthusiastic about the new decade and its challenges and will continue to work at innovative ways to enhance the appeal of our sport to the widest possible audience and deliver safe and competitive motor racing for our stakeholders without compromising the adventure, excitement and fun of Cross Country racing,” said SACCS chief executive officer Archie Rutherford.
Amidst the fresh, SACCS has also employed the services of multiple South African champion Evan Hutchison as route director. Hutchison comes with a wealth of motorsport knowledge and experience which spans over many years and includes, motorcycle racing, rallying and Cross Country.
In 13 years of Cross Country racing Hutchison won no fewer than seven national titles that include a Class B championship in 2005 and six subsequent overall and Class A titles in the Special Vehicle category. Evan takes over the reins from Adri Roets who has served the sport well since 2010 and will be on-hand to guide Evan through the first few events of the year.
SACCS are confident that the multi-talented Hutchison will bring a new dimension not only to our future routes but also to the overall wellbeing of the sport.
This year will also see changes to the Toyota 1000 Desert Race points scoring format, while the compulsory Parc Ferme after the 30 minute DSP halt will also be introduced after loop one and three of this marathon event.
And, in a significant development, SACCS has decided to combine the SxS category - Class G with the Special Vehicle category for Classes A and P. The move is aimed at creating a stable platform for the Special Vehicle Championship and providing growth through the SSV internationally recognised platform of motorsport.
Class A will cater for two-wheel drive vehicles with a Commission Approved standard Group N engine not exceeding 6300 cc with no suspension or chassis restrictions. Class P will cater for two-wheel drive vehicles with a Commission Approved normally aspirated six cylinder petrol engine with a capacity not exceeding 4000 cc. There are no suspension or chassis restrictions. Class G will cater for the four-wheel drive nimble recreational vehicles with standard original manufacturers’ normally aspirated or turbo petrol or diesel engines.
“The Side by Side category adds another string to our bow,” said SACCS chief executive officer Archie Rutherford. “The championship ran as a stand-alone in 2019 and proved popular with competitors and spectators alike.”
2020 SACCS CALENDAR
28/29 February Mpumalanga 400 Dullstroom Mpumalanga
3/4 April Sugarbelt 400 Easton/Mid Illovo KZN
22/23 May Clarens 400 Clarens FS
26/27/28 June Toyota 1000 Desert Race Selebi Phikwe Botswana
14/15 August Bronkhorstspruit 400 Bronkhorstspruit Gauteng
18/19 September Nampo 400 Bothaville FS
23/24 October Parys 400 Parys FS
Source SACCS
