The new Phakisa Oval in Welkom is upstaging Kyalami as South Africa’s premier racetrack, writes Michael Finch
Silverstone, Estoril, Monaco, Monza …Welkom? A year ago, the suggestion that the sleepy northern Free State town would play host to a major international sporting event would have brought a wry smile to any face.
Compared to the major centres around South Africa – such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban – Welkom was just a smudge on the map, better known for its gold mining and dusty streets than its scenic splendour.
The reality is that this weekend, millions around the world will watch the world’s best motorcyclists competing in the 14th leg of the FIM World Road Racing motorcycling championships on the new Phakisa circuit.
Make no mistake, it was a big coup for Phakisa Major Sport Co-Operation and its chief executive, Bobby Hartslief; and when the track was awarded the race, it caused more than a few ruffled feathers – particularly up north where the Kyalami circuit was usurped as the country’s premier motor racing circuit.
And as far as Hartslief is concerned, he is confident that the centre of South African motor racing is about to move south.
”Next year we aim to have at least four major international events – the FIM world championships, a leg of the world Superbike series, a 24-hour endurance motorcycle race and sports car or Nascar racing,” Hartslief said this week.
”We expect to host about 20 major events next year, including national events.”
So if Welkom is to take over from Kyalami as the hub of South African racing, what does it have that Kyalami doesn’t?
For a start, the circuit is stuck out in the bundu, away from complaining residential and business areas, and can literally provide testing and racing facilities any time of the year.
”The owners at Kyalami need to face the sad reality that motor racing is a noisy sport and racetracks just don’t exist in built-up areas,” Hartslief says. ”There will come a time when the value of the 40ha that Kyalami is on will be more valuable to owners than the return they get from motor racing.
”Because Kyalami is in a built-up area, it has restrictions as to the number of days it can host events. We don’t.”
Secondly, the circuit is part of a proactive plan by the Free State provincial government to try and overcome the massive retrenchments that followed the collapse in the gold price.
Quite simply, the existence of the Phakisa complex will provide much-needed jobs to unemployed miners and keep alive an area that threatens to become a ghost town as its mineral wealth is eroded.
”This is a way to force people to come to Welkom,” Hartslief says. ”They wouldn’t come here normally because we don’t have things like mountains and rivers.
”But this weekend we’ll have 50 000 people converging on the area and that has huge benefits.”
An economic study was done before the circuit was constructed and just the arrival of the 3 800 international personnel means a boost to the local economy of nearly R60-million.
Compare that to the R90-million spent on the circuit, and it is clear that it won’t take long for the investment to pay for itself.
”We hope that we will be making a profit in our fifth year,” Hartslief says. ”But of course a lot will depend on how much support we get.
”At the moment there is nothing there … not even a McDonalds. We’re hoping that a hotel group will realise it’s worth building a hotel and so on.”
Although the dream of hosting a Formula One Grand Prix is high on the agenda, the owners of the circuit are not concentrating entirely on that objective.
The construction of the Nascar Oval around the circuit will hopefully bring a leg of the United States’s most popular motor racing format to South Africa, while Superbike and international sports car races are on the cards.
This week two inspectors from the Nascar series will be in attendance to look at the Phakisa Oval and if all goes well, a leg of the series has been earmarked for February 28 next year.
As for the weekend, spectators will be treated to races in the 500cc, 250cc and 125cc classes.
While the 500cc class remains the blue- ribbon event, the 125cc class is without doubt the most competitive.
In the 500cc class, Spain’s Alex Criville, on a Honda, could wrap up the championship after finishing fifth in Australia last weekend, despite having broken his left wrist.
His nearest challenger is Japan’s Tadayuki Okada, also on a Honda, who moved ahead of sensational Suzuki protg Kenny Roberts Jnr after Roberts suffered tyre problems while leading at Phillip Island. Criville holds a 41-point lead over Okada, with Roberts another 10 points behind.
In the 250cc class, Italian wild boy Valentino Rossi secured his seventh win of the season in Australia and now lead Japan’s Tohru Okawa and defending world champion Loris Capirossi by 35 points.
In the 125cc class, teenager Marco Melandri of Italy gained maximum points, overtaking compatriot Lucio Cecchinello on the last lap in Australia. Championship leader Emilio Alzamora failed to finish after crashing four laps from the end.