The sixth and penultimate round of the 2024 SA Rally-Raid Championship, the Phakisa 400 that takes place on 13 and 14 September from Phakisa Raceway outside Welkom in the Free State, promises to excite with thrills and spills, and with the championship now in the final stages and no titles confirmed yet, a nerve-wrecking 400 kilometres are on the cards.
Competitors return to Phakisa Raceway for the second consecutive year, and most will be familiar with the Free State landscape they will have to successfully conquer before claiming points towards the various national championship titles in the overall standings; the FIA Ultimate T1+ and Adventurer T1 Classes as well as the SSV and Challenger Classes.
The Phakisa 400 will not only be a thrilling event for teams and competitors, but also for enthusiasts who will be able to absorb their full share of the action.
The Phakisa 400 will be a Super Event and consists of the Castrol Qualifying Race followed by Stage One on Friday, 13 September and Stages Two and Three on Saturday, 14 September with the Race Headquarters, the Start/Finish and the Designated Service Point (DSP) all situated at Phakisa Raceway on the outskirts of Welkom.
On Friday, competitors will be able to test their vehicles on a short section of the Phakisa racetrack as the 14-kilometre Castrol Qualifying Race will start at 10:15 and will take place around the outside of the track. The results will determine the starting order for Stage One due to start at 13:15 and will comprise 143 kilometres in total. The route will take teams around the mine dumps towards the R30 on fast tracks and will then head towards the Wesselsbron and Bultfontein areas where they will encounter sandy tracks around ripped fields with very thick and loose sand in places. There will also be some nice flowing sections around the pivot watering systems. Teams will then work their way back on the R710 and R30 via a decontrol before taking on the last section at Phakisa.
Although the area might feel familiar, competitors can expect 90% new tracks that will combine the technical with fast flowing sections.
On Saturday, the leading team will take on the 181 kilometres of Stage Two from Phakisa at 08:00. They will again aim for the R30 on fast tracks around the mine dumps before heading in the direction of Wesselsbron and Bultfontein on sandy tracks around the ripped fields before splitting from Stage One and will cross the R710 into a completely new section of pivots and technical and fast tracks. While working their way towards the R30 crossing, they will again encounter new sections around the fields and some fast tracks around the mine dumps with this stage providing them with 60% new sections.
Stage Two will finish at the DSP at Phakisa and after the 30-minute de-control, they will leave on the same route again to complete Stage Three before finishing at the racetrack where the podium ceremonies will take place.
Spectators are invited to enjoy the spectacle from various vantage points along the route. Route maps will be available on the SA Rally-Raid Championship Facebook page while the race can also be followed from the Rally-Safe App that is available as a free download from Google PlayStore and the iStore.
Published by: SA Rally Raid Championship – (Charmaine Fortune)
Photography by: Dave Ledbitter
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