Cooperation with local government and businesses has been key to the Sandblast Rally, an off-road car and motorcycle race that takes place in Chesterfield County. Until recently, the rally had run on a Friday and Saturday in early March; this year it's coming to the Pee Dee Feb. 27-28.

Sandblast Rally Organizer Andrew Frick — 47, of Greenville — cultivates relationships with the county and the towns of Cheraw and Patrick, as well as with local businesses, primarily hospitality. The rally brings with it an increased demand for gasoline, groceries and auto parts. Other partners in the region include the Sand Hills State Forest and H. Cooper Black Jr. Memorial Field Trial and Recreation Area facility, each of which hosts different legs of the race.

Addressing Chesterfield County Council at its Dec. 3 meeting, Frick said that the 2025 running drew 45 entrants and that he expects a similar turnout this year. He said that number is down from pre-coronavirus numbers, when the rally averaged 50-80 racers, each with a crew of three to four.

Frick is in his 10th year as organizer of the Sandblast Rally, which he operates under the banner of Sandblast Logistics LLC. Frick said in a phone interview that, between the entrants and their crews, about 150 to 240 participants come to Chesterfield County for the race each year. Additionally, he said he typically enlists about 150 volunteers, some local, some from as far away as California. A few even come from Europe, he said.

Because the race is run outdoors and not on a designated racetrack, it isn't feasible to charge spectators. Frick said most of the revenue comes from fees charged to entrants themselves.

Frick said he uses services from Chesterfield County, such as road permits. At its December meeting, Chesterfield County Council voted 9-0 to authorize road closures for this year's rally, including sections of Overflow Road and Wire Road 3, and part of McBride Road within the state forest, as well as "truck trails" in Sand Hills State Forest and roads within H. Cooper Black. Truck trails are roads the SC Forestry Commission sets up within forests so that it can maintain them, according to Roger Byrd, a fire warden with the commission.

The town of Cheraw sponsors the race yearly. Patti Norris, Cheraw's clerk-treasurer, said in a phone interview that the town's fiscal 2025-26 budget allocated a sponsorship of $2,625 for the Sandblast Rally.

Rob Wolfe, the former town manager of Cheraw, said over the phone, “It's worth noting that the sponsorship money comes from state accommodations tax money.” Part of SC Code of Laws Title 12, the tax applies a 2% charge on accommodations statewide.

Wolfe said the funds, collected from hotels by the state and "remitted back to the municipalities ... has to be spent on things that bring tourists to your community. The state wants to encourage people spending the night in hotels and things like that."

The town of Patrick has a population of 266. Its downtown lies at the intersection of US Highway 1 and state Road 102. Rosa L. Millsaps Privette served as mayor 2000-2005 and then again from 2014 to present. Privette said in a phone interview that the Sandblast Rally is "a nice event for the county ... Everyone in our area seems to love it."

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