Phakisa
Phakisa Freeway Raceway
History
Phakisa Freeway is a motor racing circuit located between Welkom and Odendaalsrus, South Africa. It is one of few oval speedways outside of the United States and only one in Africa.
It was built by Basil Read and numerous companies that include companies by previously disadvantaged construction companies, on the same site as the former Goldfields Raceway, which closed in 1997.
The current Phakisa Freeway Raceway was built in 1998 an opened in 1999. It consists of a 4.24km road track and a 2.4 km of oval track. The main track uses the oval pitlane as its backstraight and crosses the oval’s backstraight on two times.
The oval is similar to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in its 1997 configuration. It was built to attract American oval racing like NASCAR or INDYCAR.
From 1999 to 2004 the venue hosted 6 rounds of the South African Motorcycle Grand Prix of the MotoGP championship. The only event held on the oval track was the Free State 500 in 2010. The American Speedway Association imported stock cars to South Africa for the race.
Various drivers from South Africa, Europe and the United States competed including former NSACAR driver George Bodine.
Phakisa Major Sport Events and Development Corporation is Act of Parliament signed and declared by Free State Legislature. This corporation embodied major different sporting events that included both indoor and outside sporting codes like motor sports, sheep sharing, powerboat, cycle racing, development sports for school children.
Phakisa Backround
Major Events and Activities Hosted
- 6 rounds of World Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP)
- 10 rounds of Powerboat Championship including World Event.
- World Soccer Confederation Cup Screen Viewing
- World Cup 2010 Screen Viewing
- World Sheep sharing Championship
- Taxi Racing Championship
- Advance Driving
- Athletics Marathon
- 12 Music Festival
- NUM National Conference
- National Cars Motor Racing Championships Since 1999
- National Bikes Motor Racing Championships Since 1999
- Regional Motor Racing Championships Since 1999
- Club Motor Racing championships
- International Testing of racing cars
- International Testing of New Vehicles
- International Tyre
- International Launch of New Vehicles and Motorcycles
- Education Seminars
- National Tour de Free State Cycling Race
- School Visits
Current technical state of the facility and Challenge (Ntate Lerumo may you please advice if this it is necessary)
- Technical state of the facility has collapsed alarmingly
- Camera capturing races on the track are not operational since after MotoGP
- The tarmac / surface is fading and becoming rough. its wearing tyres badly. The track needs re-surfacing.
- Security cameras are not operational
- Lighting system at the facility is not good enough
- Cable supplying electricity to the facility is exposed to theft
- Facility lacks in working tools especially an old tractor and mower
- Security staff shortage
- Labourers staff shortage
- Tunnel pump continuously defected
- Cracks noticed at buildings
- Potholes under tunnel are a problem to motorists
- Air conditioners in some buildings are not operational
- Celling at Race Control and VIP Suite Tower need attention as some are missing
Types of Events can be hosted
- Motorsports events
- Individual practices
- Bike Schools
- Regional championships
- National championships
- International championships
- Car testing
- Advance driving
- Car Spinning and Drifting
- Top Speed/ track race
- Motocross Events/ Off Road Events
- Phakisa Motocross is off road racing on a dirt track, this type of racing controlled on sport in a closed circuit.
- Phakisa Motocross hosted national and regional championships
- Motorcross had 9 Events – 6 National championship – 3 Regionals championships
- Social events
- Music Festival
- Weddings
- Conferences
- meetings
- Exhibitions
- Team building
- Camping
Facilities – offered
- The raceway has 4-racing circuits in one namely:
- Flat track – 4,24m this is the main track for motorcycle and racing cars
- Short track -this is the same track as flat track build shorter.
- Oval Speedway -1.8m this is for racing cars racing around the oval at speed of up to 300km. They are Nascar.
- Up and down track- this is track where cars race on the flat track and join the oval at some places Moto Cross Track
- Motor Cross Track
- New Pits Complex : 30 Pit garages
- Old Pits Complex : 20 Garages Roof cover
- Media Centre:
- Big Hall : 300 px
- Imbizo Restaurant : 50 px
- Small hall : 50 px
- New Race Control Building : Four Floors
- Old Race Control structure : 3 floors
- Bistro Cafeteria : Take Away tuckshop
- Hospital with a helipad : medical room for emergencies
- VIP Hospitality Suite : Three Floors
- Main Office : 4 offices, 1 reception area, 2 ablution facility, 1 board room
- Race Marshals Building : office where marshals keep their equipment and working tools
Tariffs changes yearly
| No: | Item Description | 2022/2023 OLD Amount | 2022/2023 10% | 2023/2024 Increased Amount |
| 1 | Rental of the Track (Includes the FLAT Track and OVAL Pit Buildings and Medical Centre) | R 31 278,50 | 10% | R 34 406.35 |
| 2 | Track Rental for practice hourly rates | R 2 608,76 | 10% | R 2 869.64 |
| 3 | Rental of PIT garages | R 7 266,60 | 10% | R 7 993.26 |
| 4 | Rental of Paddock Area | R 5 343.95 | 10% | R 5 878.35 |
| 5 | Rental of the Media Centre | R 5 490.35 | 10% | R 6 039.35 |
| 6 | Rental of the big hall in the Media Centre | R 1 966.50 | 10% | R 2 163.15 |
| 7 | Rental if the Imbizo in the Media Centre (Including the kitchen) | R 1 943.26 | 10% | R 2137.59 |
| 8 | Rental of a small room in the Media Centre (Two small rooms in the Media Centre) | R 572.33 | 10% | R 629.55 |
| 9 | Rental of Suites Main Area | R 1 947.25 | 10% | R 2141.98 |
| 10 | Rental of bar area in Suites (second floor) | R 532.40 | 10% | R 585.64 |
| 11 | Rental of a small room in the Suites | R 532.40 | 10% | R 585.64 |
| 12 | Rental of a wooden hut per night(Safety Concerns) | N/A | N/A |
Information for bookings
Contact personnel:
– Seboka Matete
Email: matetes@fsglta.gov.za
Tell: 051 140 3107
Cell: 082 874 3843
– Tlalane Mokhomo
Email: mokhomot@fsgrb.co.za
Tell: 051 140 3107
Cell: 072 510 9500
