WATCH: Box cart races down Sandton Drive
SANDTON – 25 000 people lined Sandton Drive to watch the Red Bull Box Cart race.
About 25 000 people descended on Sandton Drive to witness this year’s Red Bull Box Cart Race.
The day saw racers in their homemade box carts attempt to race down the course with several obstacles to test their metal. There were 70 teams all tearing down the 500m hill, which was one of the steepest tracks in 128 editions of the race.
After eight weeks of preparation, four major obstacles, 37 odd crashes, there were just three spots on the podium and only one winner.
The box carts fuelled only by gravity, and consisting of four people per team, were judged on various aspects and categories.
There could be no more than two people in the race, all carts had to be 2m wide, 2,5m tall and 4m long. The maximum weight of the box cart was 80kg (excluding the driver). All entries had to be homemade and modified carts were not permitted. All racing machines had to have functional brakes and steering and braking using the feet or hands was not permitted.
In addition, the judges scored the entrants on their creativity and they were looking for the outrageous, the preposterous and the ostentatious.
Following an eight-year hiatus, the day saw team SA Bobsled from Benoni awarded the title and the winner’s trophy. They impressed the judges with their dance routine and near flawless plunge down Sandton Drive.
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The winning team comprising Stuart Turner, John Turner, Marius Lategan and Gareth Turner commented: “It was mostly a blur. There were some really big bumps which were exciting. The chicane was tricky too, trying to get a good racing line through there was tough. The back start sliding out, but you know, we’re used to this…”
The biggest crash of the day went to Durban-based, Rich Kids of Mzansi whose epic antics saw them do a flying face plant right on the final kicker of the track.
Did you watch the crazy races on the day? Share your experience with us on the Sandton Chronicle Facebook page
