Free State readying itself as season ending Cross Country Series battleground

The 2020 South African Cross Country racing championship will be concluded with a double-barrel programme around Parys this coming Friday and Saturday (23-24 October). Each day will see a full national championship round, enabling the crowning of South African title holders after a severely depleted competition season.

According to the organisers, Friday will see competitors take on a 14 kilometre dash to determine the starting order of the Ford Parys 400 race later the same day. The race will comprise two laps of a 164 km loop around the town of Parys. The first 100 km will be over fast and flowing farm roads, with the final 64 km to provide a technical and taxing challenge.

As was the case in the past, the event’s start/ finish, designated service point and race headquarters will be situated at the Parys Airfield on both days. After the 14 km Pirelli qualifying run on Saturday, competitors will take on two laps of a slightly longer 168-km loop during the Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa Vaal 400.

Both events will include a compulsory de-control after completion of the first loop with competitors taking on the second loop in the order of finishing the first. Both events will be based on the 2019 race route and competitors will recognise sections of it. However, changes due to development in the area and some new terrain will enhance the challenge.

Though the route traverses the same areas on both days, each event will have unique characteristics incorporating new territory. With less than 20 hours separating the two events, the pressure will be on the teams to not only produce the best result, but also to preserve their race vehicle for the second day’s race.

No titles in either the Production Vehicle or the Special Vehicle categories have been concluded yet and the final battles on the outskirts of Parys will bring down the curtain on a dysfunctional year. No spectators are allowed as per Covid-19 regulations and protocols.

Fans can follow the action on the RallySafe App, which can be downloaded free of charge for iOS and Android devices. Information will also be shared on the SACCS Telegram App as well as on Facebook SACCS.

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