Former South African champion Terence Marsh will have not one but two celebrity co-drivers helping him navigate the Sun City 450, penultimate round of the Donaldson Cross Country Motor Racing Championship, on September 30 and October 1.
Marsh has commandeered the services of Calvin Fisher, editor of TopCar, and Justin Hume, marketing director of electronics giant Samsung, for an event that makes a reappearance on the cross country calendar. Fisher will accompany Marsh on the qualifying race on September 30 and Hume on the main event on October 1 with both crew out in the Red-Lined Nissan Navara competing in the FIA Class of the Production Vehicle category.
‘The Sun City race is where it all started,” said Marsh. “Cricketer ‘Vinnige’ Fanie de Villiers was our first celebrity co-driver, and since then we have had a stream of celebrities from the spheres of sports, entertainment and the corporate world experiencing the rush of adrenalin and excitement that goes with national championship motor racing.
“This time around we decided on a media versus corporate double dose and I am sure Calvin and Justin will do well and enjoy themselves.”
The celebrity/corporate challenge has presented a new face this season and high profile sports personalities, celebrities from the entertainment and media fields and corporate guests all get a taste of what it is like to be in the co-drivers seat alongside Marsh. The aim is to boost cross country racing to wider audiences and celebrity appearances will be rotated.
“Calvin and Justin have enormous influence in our target market,” said Marsh who is also marketing executive for SANORA which controls cross country racing in South Africa. “The celebrity/corporate challenge offers personalities like Calvin and Justin an opportunity to experience cross country racing at the coal face, and provides us with a valuable marketing exercise aimed at exposing our sport to a wider commercial base.
“Through the challenge companies are given the opportunity of exposing senior executives, staff and clients to the adventure and excitement of national championship motor racing,” Marsh said. “They can see cross country racing in a different light, and the celebrities help take our message to new audiences.”
Fisher and Hume won’t be going into the event without ‘seat’ time in the Red-Lined Nissan Navara. Both will be put through courses to familiarise themselves with the road book and other systems.
Race headquarters and the designated service park will be located within the main Sun City complex. The qualifying event to determined grid positions will start at 11:00 on September 30, and the race at 08:00 on October 1.
After the ceremonial start at Sun City competitors will travel to Tweelaagte, 30 kilometres to the west, where they will be flagged away at two minute intervals. The race will be run over two laps with a compulsory 20 minute service halt at the end of the first loop, loop two will be restarted at 12:00
There is free public entry to race headquarters and easily accessible spectator points along the route. Catering, refreshments and route guides will also be available at race headquarters.
Cross country enthusiasts can also follow the event on the RallySafe app for Apple and Android devices. The app is downloaded free of charge and enables enthusiasts to track the cars on a detailed map, download split times and access results.