Redevelopment of Phakisa Raceway | Global Africa Network

Project location

ERF 3410 and 3411 Odendaalsrus, Matjhabeng Local Municipality, Lejweleputswa District Municipality, Free State Province, South Africa.

Project developers

DESTEA, through its entities (FDC and FSGLTA) and Matjhabeng Local Municipality.

Project description

The Phakisa Freeway/Raceway is a motor-racing circuit located between the towns of Welkom and Odendaalsrus in the Free State. It is the only oval speedway in Africa.

The intended project will redevelop the Phakisa Raceway and improve its standards in line with Motorsport South Africa (MSA) regulations.

The Phakisa Freeway/Raceway consists of a 4.242 km road course and a 2.414 km oval course. The road course uses the oval’s pit lane as its backstraight and crosses the oval’s backstretch twice.

Phakisa Freeway. Supplied: DESTEA

History

The Phakisa Freeway/Raceway hosted the penultimate leg of the 1999 Federation of International Motorcycling Grand Prix in 1999, just a few months after it opened. Regarded as very demanding on riders, the oval course is an exact replica of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Built on the site of the old Goldfields Raceway which hosted Springbok Series sports car racing from the 1970s, the modern track hosted three consecutive FIM World Motorcycle Championship Grand Prix, culminating in 2001. The last one was held in 2004. Although a return was promised in 2014, this did not happen.

Testing and track day events are sometimes held at the venue, but regular racing such as used to draw large crowds is something that new investment will hopefully bring back. The Phakisa Freeway has a possible capacity for 60 000 spectators.