South Africa Launches Atlanta Speedway Push to Drive Trade and Tourism Deals

Brand South Africa is running a two-day activation at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta this weekend, coordinating business networking, motorsport visibility and culinary promotion into a single operational push aimed at positioning the country as a destination for trade, investment and tourism.

The programme moves through two distinct phases. Friday, July 10, opens with a business networking event titled “Accelerating to Africa: The Fast Lane to the Future of Global Commerce,” held at Constellations in downtown Atlanta in partnership with Global Atlanta. Business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, media and community partners will gather to explore South African opportunities spanning commerce, travel, food, wine and cultural exchange. Then on Saturday, July 11, the activation shifts to the track itself, where NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series rookie Lavar Scott will drive the country-branded No. 45 Chevrolet for Alpha Prime Racing at EchoPark Speedway.

The choice of Atlanta is deliberate. The city has become a significant hub for African business engagement, diaspora networks and international commerce, making it a natural market for South African outreach. The motorsport platform, Brand South Africa argues, extends the nation’s narrative to U.S. audiences through one of the country’s most prominent sport and entertainment stages.

Jimmy Ranamane, Head of Global Markets at Brand South Africa, framed the activation as a calculated integration of multiple engagement channels. “Atlanta provides an important platform for Brand South Africa to engage U.S. stakeholders through a combination of business, culture and sport,” Ranamane said. “This programme enables us to showcase South Africa as a nation of opportunity, innovation, talent and partnership, while strengthening relationships that support trade, tourism and long-term market engagement.”

The weekend builds on earlier regional efforts, including the South Africa Business and Investment Forum and a networking mixer held during Team South Africa’s FIFA World Cup participation. Those events established momentum this Atlanta activation is designed to extend.

Operationally, the programme draws on a network of partner organizations. Brand South Africa is coordinating with Alpha Prime Racing, Brooklyn Biltong, Southwestern Talent, Oryx Desert Salt, Fumana Wines and the South African Chamber of Commerce. The motorsport partnership itself has precedent: Brand South Africa worked with driver Kyle Weatherman and his No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro in 2024, and with Anthony Alfredo and the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro just last year.

The culinary component adds a distinct delivery layer. Brooklyn Biltong will use the speedway event to introduce NASCAR fans and Atlanta food tastemakers to biltong, embedding product exposure directly within the racing programme. Atlanta-based food influencers The Food Stalker and Atlanta Food Guy will be hosted at EchoPark Speedway as part of that effort.

Jusan Hamilton, President of Alpha Prime Racing, described the partnership in operational terms. “We are proud to work alongside Brand South Africa on a programme that brings international business engagement, cultural storytelling and motorsport together on one platform,” Hamilton said.

By concentrating business dialogue, cultural experiences and sport visibility into a single weekend, the programme aims to reach multiple stakeholder audiences simultaneously. Whether the Atlanta activation translates into measurable trade and investment leads, or remains a visibility exercise, will be the real test of the model.