Community Takes Toyota Dealer 1000 Into Its Heart

THANKS to a lot of co-operation between local authorities, conservationists, farmers, business people and residents of the Mpumalanga Escarpment around the picturesque town of Lydenburg, competitors on this year's extended Toyota Dealer 1 000 will enjoy some of South Africa's most beautiful scenery. The event is the penultimate round of the Absa South African Off Road Championship.

"The drivers and co-drivers will probably visit places seldom seen even by locals, and known only to property owners or conservation officials," said local route planner Piet Rabie. The intrepid Rabie singlehandedly travelled more than 3 000 kilometres through the area over the past weeks, to finalise a route which will be both challenging enough to satisfy FIA standards, and aesthetically pleasing to participants and visiting motorsport enthusiasts.

Rabie lauded the locals for the spirit in which they took on the challenge which was sprung on the organisers a few months ago, when it was announced that the FIA had agreed to observe this year's Toyota Dealer 400, with the possibility of awarding South Africa the opportunity of hosting a round of the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies in 2006 and beyond.

"Farmers, staff members and scholars of small farm schools, rural general dealer shops, traffic authorities, owners of earth-moving equipment and even residents in small farming settlements were all involved in finding the required 1000 kilometres through some pretty rough terrain - at times nearly inaccessible - for the new route. And they all did it with a smile and uncomparable friendliness," said chief co-ordinator Fanie Erasmus senior.

Erasmus is the Lydenburg Toyota Dealer Principle and added interest in the event had grown tremendously over the past three years since it was shifted from the Lowveld region to the mountains surroundings of Lydenburg. This was because of serious forest fires which nearly devastated the forests in the Nelspruit and Sabie areas in 2003.

Not only has the event grown in status to receive recognition as a possible venue for international participation, but it has captured the hearts of the residents of base town Lydenburg, who now refer to the event as "our off road race" with pride.

The town has made its countryside available, and its people have opened their hearts to the competitors - and will continue to do so for as long as the participants want to come and take on the challenge of a unique, yet exquisitely beautiful terrain!

Come and see these tough off road drivers and co-drivers in their even tougher machines on October 13, 14 and 15 take on this challenge in the mountains of Lydenburg!