Spectating is back for 2023!! Please be respectful of the volunteers and their desire to stay safe during this ongoing pandemic.
Here’s what you need to know.
Timeline:
Friday, March 3th
The rally cars and motorcycles will be in downtown Chesterfield, SC from 5:30-7:30pm for public display, aka parc expose. Come see all the vehicles fresh from shakedown and meet the competitors. Restaurants and bars in the downtown area will be open. Rally merchandise will be also available for sale.
Saturday, March 4th – Race Day!
The race officially starts in Downtown Chesterfield at 8:30am as the teams leave to head out to the first of the day’s racing stages. Teams are expected to finish in downtown Cheraw, SC before sundown, but unexpected situations sometimes arise which can delay the racers’ arrival at the finish.
In between the start in Chesterfield and the finish in Cheraw, the cars and bikes will tackle 9 race sections on unpaved roads called special stages. At 3 times during the day, teams will stop at Festival Field in Patrick, SC for service breaks.
Service Park:
The service park is a great place to see the racers after they’ve returned from racing in the woods, as they rush to repair damage within the allowed time and get back out on the stages. If teams are not having issues, most are happy to talk with you about the race, their vehicles, and anything else. Food and rally merch will be available at service as well. Spectator vehicles are not allowed in the service park, but you may park on the roadside and walk in.
The racers will be in and out of service between 10:00am and 4:00pm. The map below shows the service area (green block) in relation to the blinking light at the Rt 1 / Rt 102 intersection. Directions are below under “Patrick Service”.
Watching the Race:
We’ve set up 4 spectator areas which provide great views of the action on 8 of the day’s 9 special stages. Due to the rally schedule it’s not practical to make it to all of them, but the racers will come past some of the spectator points more than once. These locations are very popular and parking is limited, so allow time to walk in from where you have to park. Please park on the right side of the road and leave the left side clear for emergency vehicles.
Many spectators stake out a spot at a single area and stay there all day. Spectator areas are marked with yellow banner tape and manned by one or more marshals. Please stay behind the banner tape and obey instructions from the marshals. Marshals are there to keep the spectators and racers safe, and they have the authority to stop the race if they feel there is a safety concern.
Spectator Schedule
| Spectator Area Name | Stage Name | Vehicles Scheduled |
| Sextons Big Curve | Sextons Pond | 11:40am – 12:45pm |
| Sand Trap Hairpin | Sand Trap | 12:10pm – 1:15pm |
| Headquarters Double S | Sugarloaf Horseshoe Mountain I Horseshoe Mountain II |
8:50am – 9:55am 12:45pm – 1:55pm 4:25pm – 5:35pm |
| H Cooper Black Four Way | Campbell Lake Campbell Lake Reverse CJ’s Loop |
9:40am – 10:45am 2:20pm – 3:25pm 5:40pm – 6:50pm |
What to Expect
We have all your favorite rally car machinery: rally ready motorcycles and cars! You will see everything from the Ford Focus all the way up to the Mitsubishi Evo, from the Triumph Tiger to the KTM 690 Enduro! Get ready as everyone battles it out in the first round of the Atlantic Rally Cup, the Atlantic RallyMoto™ Cup.
You will see the course opening Zero Cars just before the bikes race. Then, we will clear the course with the Combo Car; so, expect a short delay before the cars show up on stage. Please help us out and be careful when parking at the spectator areas. We need room to bring emergency vehicles as needed. The best solution is for everyone to park on the right side of the road and leave the left side clear for emergency vehicles. Enjoy your day in the woods!
Directions to Spectator Areas
All directions start “From Patrick” and assume that you are at the intersection of Route 102 and Route 1, where the blinking light is, in the center of Patrick.
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Sextons Big Curve
- GPS: 34.440433, -80.319933
- From Patrick, drive 14.8 miles west on Route 1, toward McBee.
- Cross Pine Ave / Route 151 in the middle of McBee and continue straight.
- After driving 4 miles, turn Right onto Old Creek Rd.
- After driving 0.5 miles Turn Right
- Park immediately and walk 100 yards to spectator area.
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Sandtrap Hairpin
- GPS: 34.498833, -80.217333
- From Patrick, drive 11.3 miles west on Route 1, toward McBee.
- Watch for large sign on the right side of road reading:
Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
Maintenance Area
Wildlife Drive - Take the next Left (0.1 miles) onto Over-Flow Rd.
- Drive 0.4 miles to spectator area.
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Headquarters Double S
- GPS: 34.56130, -80.118367
- From Patrick, drive 4.0 miles west on Route 1, toward McBee.
- Watch for large sign on the right reading:
Sand Hills
State Forest - At that sign turn Right into the State Forest headquarters.
- Pass the office (office is on the right) and turn Right. At the corner will be a small post with the number 16222.
- After driving 0.55 miles, arrive at the railroad tracks. Park here. The sand on the other side of the tracks is pretty soft, so to prevent folks getting stuck, you’ll need to walk about three minutes up to the intersection on the other side of the tracks.
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H Cooper Black Four Way
- GPS: 34.565483, -79.939183
- From Patrick, drive 6.5 miles east on Route 1, toward Cheraw.
- Turn Right on Teal Mill Rd / Society Hill Rd.
- Drive 4.4 miles.
- Turn Right onto H. Cooper Black Rec Rd, also known as TT19.
- After driving 1.9 miles you will arrive at a four way intersection that is the spectator area.
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Patrick Service
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- GPS: 34.572667, -80.042483
- From Patrick, drive a quarter of a mile south on Route 102.
- Turn Left onto Cranford Street.
- Drive 0.1 miles.
- Turn Left onto Douglas Street at the T and park on the side of the road.
- The service area is the field on your left.
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Link to Spectator Map (PDF)
Safety!
Cars and motorcycles racing down the road at crazy speeds? Staying at home on your couch is certainly safer. Be careful out there! Let’s cover some basics so you can have fun while enjoying the race!
The most likely trouble you will encounter is exposure to the elements! Sometimes there are delays to running the stage; so, be prepared to spend some time out in the weather. Sun, heat, cold, hunger, and thirst are the most common problems for rally spectators. Pack a few extra water bottles, some nutritious snacks, anti bug spray, sunscreen and rain gear. You are in the woods after all!
Be sure to stay inside the defined spectator areas and heed the word of the volunteer safety marshals. Spectator safety is our top priority. Your safety is more important to the race organizers than the race itself. We will cancel a stage if we cannot guarantee the safety of all involved, including you! Everyone is bummed when we cancel stages. Please do your part: listen to the safety marshals and stay behind the tape!