Series newsletter 2010-02-17

BOLD PLAN OF ACTION FROM MSA OFF ROAD CAR RACING COMMISSION

A bold plan of action to build for the future has been put into action by the MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission with four regional championship events to run in conjunction with Absa Off Road Championship national races.

Three Northern Regions and one KwaZulu-Natal regional championship events will run alongside high profile nationals. Northern Regions events will run alongside the Sun City 400, the Carnival City 400 and the RFS Magaliesberg 4000 with a KZN regional running in conjunction with the Sugarbelt 400.

"We are excited about what is an important phase in the development of our sport," said MSA Off Road Car Racing Commission president Richard Schilling. "Regional racing is in a healthy state but, as a commission, it is our responsibility to nurture the sport at grass roots level.

"One of our major objectives this year is to support regional racing and by exposing competitors to national competition we hope to encourage them to move up a notch. We are also hoping the move will encourage new blood into the sport at grass roots level."

Schilling added it was encouraging to see regional racing drew good fields, there was a high level of sophistication where vehicles are concerned and there was a competitive spirit. The new initiative, however, provided further incentives for regional competitors.

The opening event of this year's Absa Off Road Championship is the Adenco 400, in the Western Cape, on March 19 and 20. This year's series will be made up of eight events in the Western Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, North West Province, Botswana and the Free State.

-source: msa