Nigeria’s motorsports promotion outfit, Work and Play, said the recent 8th Ondo Auto Rally in Ilara-Imokin, has helped it to deepen inclusion and collaboration among different industry players.
Ade Ojuoko, President of the Work and Play group, said the last event held a fortnight ago recorded the highest attendance as compared to the previous editions.
“Growth comes in different forms and for us, it has been interesting considering that we are experiencing it both in inclusion and collaboration across the motosports space,” Ojuoko said in his post-rally review.
The 8th Ondo auto rally, as the single biggest gathering of the motorsports community in Nigeria, had racers, enthusiasts, tourists and lately service providers participating as organisers sought to explore more innovative offerings for ardent followers of the sport.
“This year, we expanded the event to host the second edition of the X-Kart Series that debuted in Sagamu a few weeks back, along with some of the traditional races that the rally is reputed for,” he said.
Joseph Osanipin, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, also commended the use of the motosports platform to create a sustainable traction for tourism, employment and commerce in Ondo State.
“It is a great feat to have sustained the idea after eight years and the Work and Play group deserves commendation, even as we encourage more stakeholders to partner with them,” Osanipin said.
The director general stressed the need to infuse the X-Kart calendar into the Ondo rally to pursue collaboration and ultimately support the important aspect of the motorsports project development that would benefit the industry and Nigeria at large.
“We had the largest exhibition stand at this year’s edition as well, which goes to assert the event further as a key galvanising point for the beautiful multi-cultural expressions of Ondo State to tourists,” he said.
The event also featured drifting and a parade by the visiting motorbike community from different parts of the country who have been part of the rally since its inception in 2017.
Meanwhile, at the X-Kart Series 2 Race in the event, Team X, extended its dominance from its Series 1 win and now has 40 points after garnering 20 each from the two wins. The Work N’play X-Kart team is still in hot pursuit with 8 points adrift of Xers.
Metallic Crushers, FAME, OYSBA and Elizade are the other teams hoping to rev up their chances before the lined seventh and deciding series of the maiden X-Kart Series in Nigeria.