{{Short description|Motor racing circuit in South Africa}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Use South African English|date=September 2012}} {{Infobox motorsport venue |name = Phakisa Freeway |nicknames = |location = [[Odendaalsrus]], [[Free State (South African province)|Free State]], [[South Africa]] |coordinates = {{coords|27|54|18|S|26|42|43.2|E|display=inline,title}} |image = [[File:Phakisa Freeway - Road course.svg|class=skin-invert|250px|Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present)]] |image_caption = Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present) |track_map = [[File:Phakisa Freeway - Speedway.svg|class=skin-invert|250px|Speedway (1999–present)]] |track_map_caption = Speedway (1999–present) |capacity = 60,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/africa/south_africa/welkom_phakisa.shtml |title=Phakisa Freeway in Welkom |publisher=World Stadiums |accessdate=11 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207001600/http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/africa/south_africa/welkom_phakisa.shtml |archive-date=7 February 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |fia_grade = |owner = |operator = |broke_ground = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1998|09}} |opened = 1970<br />Re-opened: {{Start date and age|df=yes|1999|05}} |closed = 1997 |construction_cost = |architect = |former_names = Goldfields Raceway (1970–1997) |events = '''Former:'''<br />[[Grand Prix motorcycle racing]]<br />''[[South African motorcycle Grand Prix]]'' (1999–2004)<br />Free State 500 (2010)<br />[[South African Formula One Championship]] (1971–1975)<br />[[South African Springbok Championship Series]] (1971–1972) |layout = Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present) |surface = |length_km = 4.242 |length_mi = 2.636 |turns = 14 |record_time = 1:33.208 |record_driver = {{flagicon|ITA|2003}} [[Max Biaggi]] |record_car = [[Honda RC211V]] |record_year = [[2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|2004]] |record_class = [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing#MotoGP era|MotoGP]] |layout2 = Speedway (1999–present) |surface2 = |length2_km = 2.414 |length2_mi = 1.500 |turns2 = 4 |banking2 = 3 – 12º |record_time2 = |record_driver2 = |record_car2 = |record_year2 = |record_class2 = |layout3 = Short Circuit (1999–present) |surface3 = |length3_km = 3.199 |length3_mi = 1.988 |turns3 = 10 |banking3 = |record_time3 = |record_driver3 = |record_car3 = |record_year3 = |record_class3 = |layout4 = Goldfields Raceway (1970–1997) |surface4 = |length4_km = 4.168 |length4_mi = 2.590 |turns4 = 10 |record_time4 = 1:23.000 |record_driver4 = {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Dave Charlton]] |record_car4 = [[McLaren M23]] |record_year4 = [[South African Formula One Championship|1975]] |record_class4 = [[Formula One|F1]] |website = {{URL|http://www.phakisa.co.za}} }}
'''Phakisa Freeway''' is a motor [[racing circuit]] located between [[Welkom]] and [[Odendaalsrus]], [[South Africa]]. It is one of the few oval speedways outside of the United States and the only one in [[Africa]].
== History== Phakisa Freeway was built on the same site as the former Goldfields Raceway, which closed in 1997.<ref>{{cite web |title=Phakisa | Welcome to Lejweleputswa District Municipality |url=http://lejweleputswa.co.za/tourism/tourist-attraction/phakisa/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413095423/http://lejweleputswa.co.za/tourism/tourist-attraction/phakisa/ |publisher=Lejweleputswa.co.za |date=10 October 1999 |archive-date=13 April 2019 |access-date=10 August 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
The current track opened in 1999.<ref name="RC.info">{{cite web |title=Phakisa Freeway - Racing Circuits |url=https://www.racingcircuits.info/africa/south-africa/phakisa-freeway/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121015259/https://www.racingcircuits.info/africa/south-africa/phakisa-freeway/ |website=RacingCircuits.info |archive-date=21 January 2021 |access-date=1 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Phakisa Race Track |url=https://racetrackworld.com/africa-race-tracks/south-africa-race-tracks/phakisa-freeway/ |website=Race Track World}}</ref> It consists of a {{convert|4.242|km|mi|abbr=on}} road course and a {{convert|1.500|mi|km|adj=on|order=flip}} [[Oval track racing|oval]] course.<ref name="RC.info"/> The road course uses the oval's pit lane as its backstraight and crosses the oval's backstretch on two times.
The oval track is similar to the [[Las Vegas Motor Speedway]] in its 1997 configuration: 12 degree banking in the turns, nine degrees on the tri-oval and three degrees on the back stretch.<ref name="RC.info"/> It was built to attract American oval racing like [[NASCAR]] or [[IndyCar]].
== Events == From [[1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1999]] to [[2004 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2004]], the venue hosted the [[South African motorcycle Grand Prix]] of the [[MotoGP]] championship.
The [[Superbike World Championship]] announced their intention to run at Phakisa Freeway from 2014 onwards.<ref name="RC.info"/> Due to homologation issues the series never raced at the circuit.<ref name="RC.info"/>
Since 2014, Phakisa Freeway has only hosted national events.<ref name="RC14">{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2014|title=Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2014 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="RC15">{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2015|title=Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2015 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="RC16">{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2016|title=Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2016 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="RC17">{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2017|title=Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2017 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="RC18">{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2018|title=Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2018 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="RC19">{{cite web|url=https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2019|title=Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2019 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref>
The only event held on the oval was the Free State 500 in 2010.<ref name="RC.info"/> The [[American Speed Association]] imported [[Generation 4 (NASCAR)|NASCAR gen 4]] [[stock cars]] to South Africa for the race.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stock Cars In South Africa: The 2010 Free State 500 |url=https://tb98nj.wordpress.com/2018/12/10/the-2010-free-state-500/ |date=2018-12-10 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref> Various drivers from South Africa, [[Europe]] and the US competed – including former NASCAR driver [[Geoff Bodine]].<ref name="RC.info"/>
==Lap records== As of April 2004, the fastest official race lap records at the Phakisa Freeway are listed as:
{| class="wikitable" !Category!!Time!!Driver!!Vehicle!!Event |- ! colspan="5" | Phakisa Freeway Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present): {{cvt|4.242|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name="RC.info" /> |- | [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing#MotoGP era|MotoGP]] || '''1:33.208''' || [[Max Biaggi]] || [[Honda RC211V]] || [[2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix]] |- | [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing#Pre-MotoGP era|500cc]] || '''1:35.508''' || [[Valentino Rossi]] || [[Honda NSR500]] || [[2001 South African motorcycle Grand Prix]] |- | [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing#Pre-MotoGP era|250cc]] || '''1:35.593''' || [[Sebastián Porto]] || [[Aprilia RSV 250]] || [[2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix]] |- | [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing#Pre-MotoGP era|125cc]] || '''1:40.711''' || [[Roberto Locatelli]] || [[Aprilia RS125R]] || [[2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix]] |- ! colspan="5" | Goldfields Raceway (1970–1997): {{cvt|4.168|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name="RC.info" /> |- | [[Formula One]] || '''1:23.000'''<ref>{{cite web |title=VI Welkom 100 |url=https://www.racingyears.com/race/VI_Welkom_100 |date=22 March 1975 |access-date=6 August 2023}}</ref> || [[Dave Charlton]] || [[McLaren M23]] || [[South African Formula One Championship|1975 Welkom 100]] |- | [[Group 6 (motorsport)#Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars (1966 to 1971)|Group 6]] || '''1:30.200'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1971 South African Springbok Die Volksblad 3 hours |url=https://www.racingyears.com/race/1971_South_African_Springbok_Die_Volksblad_3_hours |date=11 December 1971 |access-date=6 August 2023}}</ref> || [[John Watson (racing driver)|John Watson]] || [[Chevron B19]] || [[South African Springbok Championship Series#1971|1971 Die Volksblad 3 Hours]] |- | [[Group 5 (motorsport)#3rd Generation Group 5 – "Sports Cars" (1972 to 1975)|Group 5]] || '''1:28.000'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1972 South African Springbok Trophy Goldfields 3 hours |url=https://www.racingyears.com/race/1972_South_African_Springbok_Trophy_Goldfields_3_hours |date=2 December 1972 |access-date=6 August 2023}}</ref> || [[Gerry Birrell]] || [[Chevron B23]] || [[South African Springbok Championship Series#1972|1972 Goldfields 3 Hours]] |- |}
== See also == * [[Calder Park Raceway]] * [[EuroSpeedway Lausitz]] * [[Rockingham Motor Speedway]] * [[Twin Ring Motegi]]
==References== <references />
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20141007041446/http://racingcircuits.info/africa/south-africa/phakisa-freeway.html Map and circuit information at RacingCircuits.info]
{{commons category|Phakisa Freeway}}
{{MotoGP circuits}}
[[Category:South African motorcycle Grand Prix]] [[Category:Motorsport venues in South Africa]] [[Category:Grand Prix motorcycle circuits]] [[Category:Matjhabeng Local Municipality]] [[Category:American Speed Association tracks]]