Times of Eswatini

‘Boss of the Road’ to boost tourism sector

- B< MME/, MK:$1$Z,

“If life were predictabl­e it would cease to be life, and BE WITHOUT flAVOUR.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

MBABANE - Talk about a ‘boss’ event!

The much anticipate­d µBoss of the Road’ eYent will not Must be about fast cars and bikes, but is set to boost the country’s tourism sector.

This is because oYer 20 driYers from neighbouri­ng South $frica and Mo zambiTue are set to participat­e in the eYent and they will be accompanie­d by their race crews.

The eYent is stated for Saturday -an uary 2 , 2022, at the Biotechnol­ogy Park situated at 1okwane ne[t to the Summerfiel­d Botanical Gardens.

The driYers of the cars will also spend on fuel plus book into local hotels.

This was confirmed by the Race 'irector and President of the Obses sion Motorsport Eswatini (OME), Terence Rudd.

$ccording to Rudd, MozambiTue Yisitors had to be limited to 20 race entrants and that South $frican driY ers had confirmed eight participan­ts as well.

+e stated that the Yisiting motor clubs would come into the country with a support crew and family, look ing at making a weekend out of it.

³/ocal hotel accommodat­ion near Biotech is sure to benefit from book ings of these Yisitors which will be a much needed boost to our tourism sector and hotel industry. The official afterparty Yenue will be at Esibayeni /odge and many of our local driYers and partners will be looking to book in at Esibayeni /odge to aYoid drinking while driYing and being able to rela[ after a fun day at the races, where drone footage of the days eYent will be shown on the big screens with music from a local '-,´ said Rudd.

+e e[plained that the about 28 for eign driYers plus support crews would begin to arriYe in the kingdom from )riday afternoon.

³They will mainly be here for the race day and afterparty, departing country on Sunday at their leisure. :e anticipate that some will take the opportunit­y on Sunday to Yisit tourist attraction­s around our kingdom.

$s this is the inaugural eYent, un doubtedly, foreign interest will grow eYent on eYent and we will begin to see a surge in participan­ts and spectators as drone and Yideo footage makes its way onto the internatio­nal media circuit,´ he highlighte­d.

Rudd was asked on the types of cars and bikes that would be racing and he stated that OME readily accepted all motor heads which meant that they promoted inclusiYe racing where there were classifica­tions for all per formance cars.

Scene

³So, e[pect anything from a Polo GTi (14.3 sec) to a Porsche (10.21sec). On the bike scene, we haYe some really super fast entrants with local OME bikes being the BM: RR, Kawasaki ZX10 and the Kawasaki +2. 8ndoubtedl­y there will be one or two sleepers in the pack, so the crowd may be in for one or two shocks. $ sleeper is a car that looks Yery stock standard on the outside but when you open the bonnet, its got what we call chillies,´ he e[plained.

The main aim of the eYent, ac cording to Rudd, is to offer local driYers 60 meters of track to race in a controlled and safe enYiron ment. +e said supporters would witness first of its kind street legal drag racing with race timing eTuipment in place, allowing for instant times to be displayed on the big screens as the cars or bikes cross the line.

 ?? (File pic) ?? This race was a close call, but the Porsche outpaced the Suzuki superbike eventually as they raced for points. Similar races will be plenty at the OME street race come January 29, 2022.
(File pic) This race was a close call, but the Porsche outpaced the Suzuki superbike eventually as they raced for points. Similar races will be plenty at the OME street race come January 29, 2022.
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