OSRAM AS CHALLENGING AS EVER
author: Andries van der Walt
The annual Osram Rally to be held in Barkley East on 20/21 August will be as challenging as ever. Fred Vroomen, the Clerk of the Course from the SCC Bloemfontein Branch, said that the rally roads will not be very different from previous years.
Vroomen said that they will be using the Heuningneskloof Pass this year instead of Jouberts Pass. He said that the roads are in a very good condition and that they have not had much rain in the area.
“As usual the roads will be fast and there will be no room for error. It is imperative that you stay on the road otherwise you are either going to fall off the mountain or drive into it”, Vroomen said.
The event, the 6th round of the Sasol South African National Championship, will consist of eight stages with a total stage distance of 175 km. Only one stage will be repeated. The rally will start at the Barkly East golf club on Saturday morning and finish there again the same afternoon. It is the only event that is held in one day.
Vroomen said that the new Safetrack timing and tracking system will be used in all cars for the first time on a South African Rally on the Osram. He said that the system gives the organisers the ability to track and know where every car is at any stage of the event, while the system will also time the cars and send the stage times to the scorers at short notice.
Vroomen said that the tracking system will also increase the safety on the event and assist in case there is a medical emergency as they will know exactly where to send the medical team.
He expected about 35 entries. Many competitors regard the Osram as one of their favourite events, while others don’t enter because it can also be dangerous.
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