The Fox Sin City MX Shootout took place under sunny skies at Durban's Springfield Race Track in Durban on Sunday.

Motorcross racers as young as six and veterans 50 and over gathered at the Springfield Park race track for the Fox Sin City Shootout. An event unlike any other, the Shootout uses a much shorter track than most races and with only four riders per heat and five laps long, the action is intense and non stop. The course had a number of sharp turns to add a technical challenge but the majority of it allowed for flat out speed and open throttles.

"We wanted to shake things up and offer motorcross racers and fans something different," said Fox Marketing Manager Jon Channing. "Races normally take twenty minutes or more and most tracks are so long spectators can only see a portion of them. This way the spectators can see all the action as it unfolds."

The four man qualifying rounds allowed the top two qualifiers to progress to the final and gave the remaining two riders one last chance in the Hard Luck rounds. Another aspect of the Shootout unique to this event is the roulette table.  The top racer of each division and the winners of the Hard Luck rounds had the choice of taking the money and running or putting it on a number and spinning the wheel. Hitting their number would triple the prize money. Getting any other number in the right colour would increase the pot, the wrong colour would diminish it. The majority of the winners chose to gamble. It seems motocross racers are, by their very nature, risk takers.

The class races were intense affairs with several closely fought battles for first place but the highlights of the day were the Tag Team and King of Dirt races. In the Tag event a team was made up of a rider from each class who had to get two laps done as fast as possible before relaying a team member. Starting from the smallest and youngest and working its way up to the top riders in the Pro and All Star classes, it was utter chaos of the highest order, with bikes and riders of all sizes careening around the track. Despite the mayhem, the participants and spectators loved it and watching the youngest members of his team cheer as Ross Branch took the checkered flag for his team must have made him smile. Branch, originally from Botswana, was met with a lot of success and thoroughly enjoyed his time at the Shootout. "It's flat out all the way, and difficult but a lot of fun. It's something different and unique and I had a total blast."

The finale of the Shootout was the King of Dirt. The eight All Star riders consisting of the best motocross riders were joined by the top two finishers in the 250cc class and the top two riders in the 450cc class for a five lap scramble, no holds barred for a prize of R5000, and more importantly, the throne. A dozen racers lined up on the starting line and sent dirt flying as they scrambled for the all important hole shot and a chance at claiming the crown. The action was intense with several racers vying for the lead and a single mistake meaning the difference between victory and defeat. Ross Branch held onto a slim lead and made sure to fend off all challengers to take the win and add the title of King of the Dirt to his impressive record on the day.

The Fox MX Sin City Shootout is an annual event and though it's only in its second year is rapidly becoming one of the most popular events on the national MX calendar and a race not to be missed. Video highlights form the day will be screened on the show Fox Forward soon.