The third edition of Gravel Kings, held in the Nuy Valley outside Worcester, South Africa, from September 18-20, has set a new standard for motorsport and outdoor festivals in the country. The event, created by the Cape Route Rally team of Antony Ashley, Louis Smit, and Jason Richards, offered a weekend of gravel drag racing, camping, exhibitors, food, entertainment, and family activities. This year's event saw a significant development in its festival side, with families attending for the entire weekend rather than just watching a few hours of racing.
One of the key developments at Gravel Kings 3.0 was the creation of a temporary off-road village, where campers and families could stay and enjoy various activities throughout the weekend. The event featured kids' activities and entertainment, making it a place where parents could watch the racing without having to leave their families behind. The combination of camping, food, live entertainment, exhibitors, Overlander Alley, and the Vendor Village helped create an atmosphere that continued long after the last vehicle had crossed the line.
The event still revolved around gravel drag racing, with a field of vehicles ranging from relatively standard cars to highly modified, purpose-built machines. The competition demonstrated significant speed, with a new course record of 11.9 seconds recorded over the 400-metre gravel strip, reaching a terminal speed of approximately 180km/h. The format allowed for a broad range of vehicles, including petrol and diesel, 2WD and AWD, standard and modified machinery, to compete across different classes.
More than 300 cars participated in runs during the weekend, with many making multiple passes. This volume of racing ensured that spectators were not waiting around for isolated moments of action, as cars continually returned to the start line in pursuit of better launches, quicker times, and more speed. The variety of vehicles, including heavily modified competition cars, diesel bakkies, 4x4s, and unexpected entries, made gravel drag racing an entertaining spectator sport.
Gravel Kings 3.0 also served as a meeting place for the off-road industry, bringing together vendors, exhibitors, sponsors, competitors, and spectators in one outdoor environment. The pre-event exhibitor programme provided dedicated spaces for brands to demonstrate products, display custom vehicles, and interact directly with the 4x4 and overlanding community. This setup allowed customers to see products in action, surrounded by the vehicles, people, and conditions for which they were designed.
The event took place under beautiful weather conditions, with sunshine and clear skies against the backdrop of the Worcester and Nuy Valley landscape. The dust clouds hanging over the strip became part of the spectacle, while campers settled in, braais were lit, and families stayed on after the racing. This atmosphere indicated the direction Gravel Kings was heading, combining South African 4x4 culture, grassroots motorsport, camping, and outdoor lifestyle into one weekend.
Three editions in, Gravel Kings has moved beyond its original proof of concept, with faster times, more serious machinery, and over 300 participating cars. Equally important was the development of activities around the racing, including kids' entertainment, family camping, and brand exhibitions. Gravel Kings 3.0 demonstrated that these elements could coexist, resulting in a well-attended outdoor festival built around powerful cars racing down 400 metres of gravel.
Key points
- The event featured a new course record of 11.9 seconds over the 400-metre gravel strip.
- More than 300 cars participated in runs during the weekend.
- The event combined gravel drag racing with camping, exhibitors, food, and family activities, creating a unique outdoor festival.
