A DESCRIPTION OF THE SERIES
PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE TO THE END TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE ARE BUSY DOING.
We considered waiting for the SponsorshipSeekers website to go live before releasing this article, so that you can register as a SUPER77 SUPPORTER but due to the number of enquiries already – I decided to release this and then ask you later to register.
It is vital to the success of this project that every person who can possibly contribute in any way, to become involved, whether it is as a sponsor, competitor, supporter, club, organiser, official or simply as an enthusiast.
The bigger our numbers and the more supporters we have to offer the Sponsors through the SponsorshipSeekers system, the more value we will be able to give you!
This is our opportunity to bring sanity back to the sport as far as costs go.
Help us to succeed!
INTRODUCTION.
[Note: This article deals mostly with the reasons for the inception of the SUPER77’s series, its format and the intended classes we will run. All the finer marketing and promotion detail will be covered later on.]
The SUPER77 series has been designed to make the sport more affordable, bring back real rally action, emphasising entertainment value by making the sport user-friendly and easier to follow for the thousands of rally fans throughout the country.
This unique series will excite any and every motorsport enthusiast and it will revive the sport in South Africa.
The Super77 will be one of the preferred projects of SponsorshipSeekers – a unique marketing company that generates sponsorship and publicity through marketing of sponsor products and brands.
Every supporter, every person involved in this drive forward, no matter the role the person will play, will benefit from it.
Let’s make this series our own!
The Motivation for the project.
Due to many factors – special stage rallying at top level (I suppose in general) – simply became too expensive for the passionate “average” person to compete in and the costs of being competitive increased so much that even motor manufacturers and the wealthy, could hardly justify the costs, especially in a South African and “Africa” perspective.
In SA entries shrunk from well over 60 a few years ago to 15 and lower on National level. To crown it all the cost caused that only a handful of drivers could afford to give spectators true value for money and – to be honest the situation is such that the championship has been won at this stage already.
Competitors can simply not afford to push the envelope as any mistake can cost thousands, even hundreds of thousands to repair and in honestly there is not much reason for doing that!
This cost and a number of other factors contributed to the fact that the mystique of the sport was lost a few years ago and the accompanying traditional “hype” seemed to have disappeared as well.
Spectators do not get the same satisfaction from the sport, as up to a few years ago when they rushed from one stage to next, not to miss any of the action.
The real enthusiast realised that an answer to this problem had to be found or the sport would simply die a quiet death.
Unfortunately, all of us who thought they know anything about the rallying concentrated on “how to fix” the sport – while any half informed person could see that the answer lay in pumping more money after the already “silly money” that went into the sport.
I have to admit that I also spend a long time trying to find a solution as to “how to fix the sport”.
I also did my best to introduce Rallycross into South Africa on a different property as where Rallystar was but ran into a few impressive handicaps trying to make RallyCross work and work properly in Gauteng.
To make Rallycross work, competitors had to build special RallyCross vehicles and the costs of a “proper” cars and new facilities were out of our league, except with huge government and International backing.
Rallycross, especially based in Gauteng at a new venue was out of reach.
We may manage to find a few exciting cars for an event or two but as soon as the maintenance cost of this discipline kicked in, the enthusiasm would dwindle quickly and drivers would hold back rather than risk possible damage.
After almost three years of negotiation I simply realised that we were simply too far away from reaching any form of deal that would make world class Rallycross work.
The fact that the National Rally did not happen at the most suitable and entertaining venue at Rallystar anymore took its toll, making it even more difficult to establish a Rallycross series.
Another problem that faced the current format of rallying was that the low value of the Rand caused SA owners to sell S2000 cars off-shore and that obviously caused a lack of these cars landing in the hands of privateers down the line.
We needed the S2000 cars to remain in South Africa and the manufacturers to build new cars every year – that did not and will unfortunately not happen soon again.
The writing was on the wall.
Something in the sport had to give!
Drastic measures were needed to turn the situation around!
Welcome to the birth of “The Rallystar Super 77 Series”
Working through all the possible ways of “fixing” rallying I realised that instead of thinking out of the box, I had to climb out of it and come up with a discipline that would be close enough to rallying as we know it, but in a format that would suit the country, the economy and most of all bring the sport back into the hands of the real enthusiast.
The most important thing was to create enough excitement and fun to draw the real enthusiast to the new form of the sport!
THE BASICS
We needed something that would entertain the crowd, fans and supporters and also stimulate adrenaline.
If we manage to achieve that, we would be able to guarantee Sponsors value for money! Real value through the SponsorshipSeekers system!
Vital to creating this discipline is the support of every enthusiast as this may be the last chance we have to turn around the sport we all love and create something that sponsors, competitors and fans will all support – because IT WORKS FOR THEM!
ALL FOR 7 and SUPER77 for ALL.
THE SUPER77 series will start off as an Inter-Provincial-Series.
The winners will receive just as much publicity – maybe even more, than much bigger titles, due to the sporty and exciting nature of the series!
On top of this, we have made provision for a substantial amount of prize money and other benefits to make life easier for those who supplies the entertainment – the COMPETITORS. The final amount will be announced when we officially announce the series.
We intend bringing back and creating personalities – like we used to have.
I personally want people to know the names of competitors, to know their faces, to follow and support them!
The series will grow into a championship and will hopefully include competitors from Africa and other countries.
THE INGREDIENTS.
In general, excitement through real action was first on the menu and non-negotiable, but the SUPER77 will contribute to the community and improve the lives of those in the local area of our activity.
We have to keep the future in mind and generate all the fun we want, while keeping our environmental footprint as small as we possibly can.
We will give back more than just a “thank you” to the landowners. They must want us back year after year and our choices should widen instead of shrink.
To survive and be successful we need to create and give the Sponsors:
- brand loyalty and awareness
- drive retail traffic to them and
- Show-case their products.
- Add to their customer value
- Create top class entertainment for their customers and
- most of all we had to give every role player REAL VALUE for money and so
- create a sport in which everyone wanted to invest.
In order to achieve this, the sport must be within the reach of the real enthusiast, while we keep the importance of a real performance spectacle in mind.
We must write the rules in such a manner that engine power of the cars can be generated “fairly cheap”.
The intended compact nature of the events will make control and safety easier to apply than that of the wider spread traditional rallies and will also reduce cost.
MEDIA PARTNERS
It is a given that, to be worthwhile to all, we have to get publicity for the sport.
We intend making a special effort to involve the media as a special partner of the Super 77 series and we have to prove to be worth quality coverage and awareness.
We need to generate enough interest to ensure that the media will sit up and take note.
Now that you have a broad outline on the thoughts that went into this, let us get to the core of this.
COSTS TO PARTICIPATE
ENTRY FEES
The current entry fee for participation in most forms of the sport, is too high for the average enthusiast and has to be brought in line.
Competitors are not supposed to part-sponsor the events they participate in and should rather stand a chance to make a few Rand back.
DURATION
To curtail unnecessary costs the series will consist of ONE DAY events, starting early (07h00) on Saturday morning with the qualifying stage, and finishing by around 16h30 after the Power Stage.
This means that crews will not have to be away from work for more than half a day or maximum one day per event.
DISTANCE
The total distance of every event as the name suggests – will be exactly 77 kms.
We will use one stage of 18,25kms, driven twice in both directions plus a 4km Power Stage to end the day.
We may add a short additional stage if the “waiting time” of competitors proves to be a problem or to accommodate another event such as a regional rally that would like to combine their event partly with a SUPER77 event.
THE SUPER 77 STRUCTURE
As previously stated the distance of the “normal” four runs will be 18,25kms each.
The stage will be divided into THREE SECTIONS.
Section One Will be measured from the Start of Stage to the beginning of the Spectator section,
Section Two is the Spectator section from beginning to the end of it, and then
Section Three which will be from end Spectator Section to the end of the stage.
The Spectator Section will be a maximum of five kilometres long but can be situated at any point of the stage. Not necessarily in the middle.
One of the requirements for a stage will be to set up the Spectator section in such a place that spectators will be able to see at least 2kms and more of the action from where they are situated. We hope to be able to set up a pavilion at every event.
THE SPECTATOR AREA
The spectator area will be placed as close as possible to the Service area.
The idea is to eliminate travel and inconvenience for the Spectators during an event.
They must be able to spend a fun-filled day under festive circumstances, in one spot and see real action all day long.
Placing the Service Park close to the Spectator area will enhance contact between spectators, sponsors as well as competitors.
Spectators will be able to show their appreciation for their favourite team’s efforts after they completed their runs, talk to some of their heroes and in general get much closer to the sport.
- There will be a media tent where it will be compulsory for competitors to mingle with fans and attend media sessions arranged.
- We will market souvenirs as well as promote sponsor products here as well.
- Every new sponsor will be introduced to the fans during events, products and prizes may be handed out and special promotions will be applicable.
- The catering tent will be operational for all and we will have special facilities for kids to be entertained.
- An electronic scoreboard and video display will keep the fans informed of the real standing of their heroes all the time.
- They will be able to see in-car and roadside action as it happens with possible replays as well.
Fans will be able to follow the action as it happens.
UNIQUE SCORING
Competitors will score for every section they complete and every point gathered will be added to the competitor’s score for the season, even if they do not finish an event.
Just as an example: – The first and last sections will score 20 points each while the “Spectator Section” and the POWER STAGE at the end of the day will score 40 – per class.
This will ensure a super effort by the competitors as they pass through the bonus point “Spectator Section” and the POWER STAGE.
Fastest qualifier in every class will receive some bonus points, probably 5 – 3 – 2 -1 format.
The total score could be as high as 525 for the day. It sounds high in comparison with the current situation, but it does not really matter.
Please note that this scoring system is just a guide to what will happen.
QUALIFYING AND RECCE
The competitors will qualify over the “Spectator Section” early on Saturday morning and use their run over the two other sections through the stage as a recce for the notes – that is if they have to follow the complete stage to exit.
There will be no recce for the return run in the other direction.
The organisers will ensure a near as possible perfect set of safety notes for the two runs anyway, with a high-quality video to entrants a week before the event.
QUALIFIERS
Only 40 maximum or 90% of any number of entries if less than 40 received will qualify to race. This is vital to ensure that we do not get any Sunday afternoon cruisers through stages.
The non-qualifiers will however still participate in a race of their own while the winner of that race will automatically qualify for the next race he/she enters replacing the slowest qualifier for that event.
More on – NON-QUALIFIERS
The non-qualifiers will, in pecking order replace any competitor who retires from the main event and the non-qualifying teams will all participate during the afternoon break for a handsome prize and some points during a special race over the “spectator section” just after it has been watered.
POINTS SCORED
All points scored for every event will count towards the final score but the Promoter may decide to allow an event, to be dropped. The Promoter hopes to be able to contribute towards competitor costs rather than allowing an event to be dropped.
MEASURES TO SAVE MONEY:
TYRES
COMPETITORS will be allowed 6 tyres per event.
SERVICE
Only one 35 minute service will be allowed for the day and certain point penalties may be placed on teams for specific and or major repairs.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation will be reduced to a maximum of two nights for out of town competitors.
PACE NOTES
There may only be one opportunity, to do a one run recce over the first stage of the morning, when the Qualifier takes place and the first run over the stages will actually serve as the recce. The notes will be tested at competitive speeds before the event and should suit most drivers.
MAINTENANCE
Maintenance on the cars for the season will be limited and some restrictions and penalties may be added after consultation with competitors.
SERVICING
Although the crews will return to the service area between the two sets of runs, they will only be allowed 35min. service time, with a maximum of two people working on any car, inclusive of the crew.
CLASSES (Nothing final – we will wait for your input)
There will probably be four(4) classes.
The Super 77 A Class – horsepower limited to a maximum of 300hp – two and four wheel drive cars.
S2000 will be included in this class and all being equal the promoter intent running seven SUPER77 300+ Hp 4 wheel drive cars to increase the excitement. These cars will be driven on invitation by well-known drivers. (Conditions will apply)
Especially during the initial period of this series the Organisers will have the right to change the class of any vehicle that does not fit into the rules when it arrives on the scene.
The Super 77 B Class – will consist of the typical S1600 and equally powered two wheel drive cars.
The Super 77 C Class – will be made up of two wheel drive cars limited to either capacity or on power.
If enough interest and cars are available we will run a classic or rear-wheel-drive class Super 77 Classic also limited only on power
If we have interest for a specific class or series we will introduce such a class.
The rules will include many of the current rules applicable to NRC and regional rallies but will avoid costly FIA and local homologation rules.
We will have a full set of rules ready soon, but now need to confer with all involved and work towards obtaining sponsorships. This is why it is so important for everybody to work with us, to achieve this awesome project in a relatively short time.
A final announcement and decision on the number of events will be taken by December 2016 and then all else will be finalised.
We will do our best not to clash with NRC or National Off-Road events.
PRIZE MONEY
We intend raising enough funds to be able to pay out a substantial amount of money to the competitors at the end of the season.
The prize money will be such that the winners will actually make some money from the series instead of running at a loss.
ROADS AND GENERAL REMARKS
Due to the compact nature of every event, we have budgeted to prepare the stage surface to such an extent that competitors will be able to compete in road-legal “Track Racing” cars with slightly altered suspension setups and rally tyres.
The roads will be kept in shape as far as possible during the events.
We will accommodate “Off-road” vehicles as there are a number of competitors from that discipline who would love to compete.
Off-road vehicles will be forced to stay on the road and they will have to use tyres with the allowed thread.
We may even add one or two more “spectacular” jumps on “their” route to ensure equal chances for all.
We will hand better roads back to the landowners that we initially receive. This will enhance the relationship between the sport and the landowners.
In the Super 77 format, we will leave a much smaller environmental footprint than traditional rallies do.
The challenge will obviously be to find stages in the various places that will suit the requirements of especially the “Spectator Areas” and also to make the stage challenging enough to satisfy the “needs” of the real competitors.
I say this again, if we believe that we need to add one more stage to the events we will make sure that it is very close to the “main” stage, and that it also complies with the aim to keep costs as low as possible without limiting the excitement, the challenge and of course the spectator value!
START OF THE SUPER 77
We intend running 7 events per year starting in March/APRIL 2017 with at least two events in Gauteng. The rest will be held in the Cape, Mpumalanga and then probably Port Elizabeth and Durban area.
We will obviously have to see how many events we manage to fit into the calendar and then decide on the final number as well as areas.
INTEREST
We have spoken to a number of competitors, also some who have recently retired from the sport and we can without doubt report that they are not only excited by the concept and format, but we can expect to get a number of them back to add some colour and excitement to the sport.
We are tentatively negotiating with companies to sponsor 7 cars that we to build for the top class – driven by these well-known drivers on special invitation.
All information on this will be revealed as soon as we have finalised the format and have some sponsors on board.
CONCLUSION
There can be no doubt that as a country in Africa we have moved too far down the road following the costly trends set by Europe and elsewhere for the sport, while the difference between “them” and “us” is simply too vast for this to work.
The argument that was used in the past, that we need to prepare or at least give our young drivers a chance to go to compete overseas, fell as flat as has been predicted.
If you want to compete overseas, you need to go and learn overseas – which needless to say very few people can and will ever be able to afford.
The Super 77 Series has been designed with all the present problems in rallying in mind and to address those problems.
The series will cater from grassroot level right up to the Top Class where only limited money can be spent productively. We will see to that!
The real talented enthusiast will always stand a chance to win a championship – without breaking the bank and with the continuous involvement of SponsorshipSeekers we should be able to draw new Sponsors into the sport all the time.
The enthusiasm of the fans will be revived and the sponsors will find that even medium companies will have the budget to compete in this series.
The use of the SponsorshipSeekers system will actually stretch budgets so far that relatively small businesses will be able to get involved in this project – even at a profit!
New sponsors and competitors, new ideas and direct interaction with all concerned will ensure not only the survival of the sport but will open doors for the traditional rally format to re-establish itself again in future – if that is necessary.
We have spoken unofficially with role players in Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda and in every case they were keen to introduce the Super77 format in their countries, while some even thought it would be affordable to keep a car in South Africa to be used in this great series only.
The promoter divided the sponsorships into smaller as well as substantial packages and we believe that we will be able to pull this off through the SponsorshipSeekers system.
We have some serious interest in most of the facets already without really going into the detail and the marketing value.
We will where possible involve local clubs and obviously do all we can to do something for the local community.
We have no doubt that we will draw some of the better-known names back into the sport and that on its own, will draw the expected paying spectators to the events!
Welcome to The Rallystar Super 77 Series !!
