# Phakisa Freeway

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Motor racing circuit in South Africa

Phakisa Freeway Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present) Speedway (1999–present) Location Odendaalsrus, Free State, South Africa Coordinates 27°54′18″S 26°42′43.2″E / 27.90500°S 26.712000°E / -27.90500; 26.712000 Capacity 60,000[1] Broke ground September 1998; 27 years ago (1998-09) Opened 1970 Re-opened: May 1999; 27 years ago (1999-05) Closed 1997 Former names Goldfields Raceway (1970–1997) Major events Former: Grand Prix motorcycle racing South African motorcycle Grand Prix (1999–2004) Free State 500 (2010) South African Formula One Championship (1971–1975) South African Springbok Championship Series (1971–1972) Website www.phakisa.co.za Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present) Length 4.242 km (2.636 mi) Turns 14 Race lap record 1:33.208 ( Max Biaggi, Honda RC211V, 2004, MotoGP) Speedway (1999–present) Length 2.414 km (1.500 mi) Turns 4 Banking 3 – 12º Short Circuit (1999–present) Length 3.199 km (1.988 mi) Turns 10 Goldfields Raceway (1970–1997) Length 4.168 km (2.590 mi) Turns 10 Race lap record 1:23.000 ( Dave Charlton, McLaren M23, 1975, F1)

**Phakisa Freeway** is a motor [racing circuit](/source/Racing_circuit) located between [Welkom](/source/Welkom) and [Odendaalsrus](/source/Odendaalsrus), [South Africa](/source/South_Africa). It is one of the few oval speedways outside of the United States and the only one in [Africa](/source/Africa).

## History

Phakisa Freeway was built on the same site as the former Goldfields Raceway, which closed in 1997.[2]

The current track opened in 1999.[3][4] It consists of a 4.242 km (2.636 mi) road course and a 2.414-kilometre (1.500 mi) [oval](/source/Oval_track_racing) course.[3] 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](/source/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.[3] It was built to attract American oval racing like [NASCAR](/source/NASCAR) or [IndyCar](/source/IndyCar).

## Events

From [1999](/source/1999_Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing_season) to [2004](/source/2004_Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing_season), the venue hosted the [South African motorcycle Grand Prix](/source/South_African_motorcycle_Grand_Prix) of the [MotoGP](/source/MotoGP) championship.

The [Superbike World Championship](/source/Superbike_World_Championship) announced their intention to run at Phakisa Freeway from 2014 onwards.[3] Due to homologation issues the series never raced at the circuit.[3]

Since 2014, Phakisa Freeway has only hosted national events.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

The only event held on the oval was the Free State 500 in 2010.[3] The [American Speed Association](/source/American_Speed_Association) imported [NASCAR gen 4](/source/Generation_4_(NASCAR)) [stock cars](/source/Stock_cars) to South Africa for the race.[11] Various drivers from South Africa, [Europe](/source/Europe) and the US competed – including former NASCAR driver [Geoff Bodine](/source/Geoff_Bodine).[3]

## Lap records

As of April 2004, the fastest official race lap records at the Phakisa Freeway are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event Phakisa Freeway Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present): 4.242 km (2.636 mi)[3] MotoGP 1:33.208 Max Biaggi Honda RC211V 2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix 500cc 1:35.508 Valentino Rossi Honda NSR500 2001 South African motorcycle Grand Prix 250cc 1:35.593 Sebastián Porto Aprilia RSV 250 2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix 125cc 1:40.711 Roberto Locatelli Aprilia RS125R 2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix Goldfields Raceway (1970–1997): 4.168 km (2.590 mi)[3] Formula One 1:23.000[12] Dave Charlton McLaren M23 1975 Welkom 100 Group 6 1:30.200[13] John Watson Chevron B19 1971 Die Volksblad 3 Hours Group 5 1:28.000[14] Gerry Birrell Chevron B23 1972 Goldfields 3 Hours

## See also

- [Calder Park Raceway](/source/Calder_Park_Raceway)

- [EuroSpeedway Lausitz](/source/EuroSpeedway_Lausitz)

- [Rockingham Motor Speedway](/source/Rockingham_Motor_Speedway)

- [Twin Ring Motegi](/source/Twin_Ring_Motegi)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Phakisa Freeway in Welkom"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090207001600/http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/africa/south_africa/welkom_phakisa.shtml). World Stadiums. Archived from [the original](http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/africa/south_africa/welkom_phakisa.shtml) on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Phakisa | Welcome to Lejweleputswa District Municipality"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190413095423/http://lejweleputswa.co.za/tourism/tourist-attraction/phakisa/). Lejweleputswa.co.za. 10 October 1999. Archived from [the original](http://lejweleputswa.co.za/tourism/tourist-attraction/phakisa/) on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-RC.info_3-8) ["Phakisa Freeway - Racing Circuits"](https://www.racingcircuits.info/africa/south-africa/phakisa-freeway/). *RacingCircuits.info*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210121015259/https://www.racingcircuits.info/africa/south-africa/phakisa-freeway/) from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Phakisa Race Track"](https://racetrackworld.com/africa-race-tracks/south-africa-race-tracks/phakisa-freeway/). *Race Track World*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RC14_5-0)** ["Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2014"](https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2014). Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RC15_6-0)** ["Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2015"](https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2015). Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RC16_7-0)** ["Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2016"](https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2016). Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RC17_8-0)** ["Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2017"](https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2017). Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RC18_9-0)** ["Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2018"](https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2018). Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RC19_10-0)** ["Events at Phakisa Freeway in 2019"](https://racingcalendar.net/circuit/phakisa-freeway/2019). Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Stock Cars In South Africa: The 2010 Free State 500"](https://tb98nj.wordpress.com/2018/12/10/the-2010-free-state-500/). 10 December 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["VI Welkom 100"](https://www.racingyears.com/race/VI_Welkom_100). 22 March 1975. Retrieved 6 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["1971 South African Springbok Die Volksblad 3 hours"](https://www.racingyears.com/race/1971_South_African_Springbok_Die_Volksblad_3_hours). 11 December 1971. Retrieved 6 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["1972 South African Springbok Trophy Goldfields 3 hours"](https://www.racingyears.com/race/1972_South_African_Springbok_Trophy_Goldfields_3_hours). 2 December 1972. Retrieved 6 August 2023.

## External links

- [Map and circuit information at RacingCircuits.info](https://web.archive.org/web/20141007041446/http://racingcircuits.info/africa/south-africa/phakisa-freeway.html)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Phakisa Freeway](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Phakisa_Freeway).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Phakisa Freeway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phakisa_Freeway) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phakisa_Freeway?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.