The 2024 South African Off-Road Rally-Raid National Championship for vehicles, drivers, and navigators is heading for the Goldfields.
On Friday, 13 September, and Saturday the penultimate Rally-Raid event for the season is to be staged, with Phakisa Freeway as the designated host and headquarters.
This rally attracts up to 5 000 spectators along the route – and visitors from all over South Africa, and even beyond the borders, are expected stream to the Goldfields to be part of it.
Presented and controlled under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) world motorsport body, in conjunction with Motorsport South Africa’s (MSA) rules and regulations, the event promises to be of international standards, complying to set guides and safety rulings.
Major motorsports teams, including Toyota Gazoo Racing and Ford NWN, have entered their top teams for the event, which will be contested over a tough testing route of 400 km consisting of high speed sweeping sections on gravel roads, as well as technical loose sandy tracks.
Fierce competition can be expected between crews with hard-on-the-limit driving, as only a few championship-scoring points separate the top teams going into this event, which could be the championship decision breaker.
A star-attraction to the event is certainly Giniel de Villers, a multiple South African racing and off-road champion. He is the only the South African driver to have ever won the notorious Dakar Rally outright in 2009 for Volkswagen.
Top contenders for overall victory are Gareth Woolridge with navigator Boyd Dreyer in a Ford Ranger; Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy – Toyota Hilux; Giniel de Villliers and Elvene Vonk – Toyota Hilux; Lance Woolridge and Kennith Gilbert – Ford Ranger; and Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings – Toyota Hilux.
The Phakisa 400 promises to be an action-packed event to thrill and entertain spectators along the route, offering many excellent viewing points.
Activities related to the event will start on Friday at Phakisa Freeway, with a qualifying race scheduled for 10:15 around the outside of the track. The results will determine the starting order of competitors for stage one of the main race, scheduled for 13:15.
This route will comprise 143 km next to the R30 main road towards Odendaalsrus in the direction of Wesselsbron and Bultfontein.
Crews will return to Phakisa via the R710 and R30, where they will take on the last section of racing for the day around Phakisa.
Saturday will see the leading team start stage two, a 181 km section next to the R30 and R710 from Phakisa at 08:00, followed by the rest of the field, to finish this section later the morning at the racetrack.
There, a 30 minute de-controlled session for servicing and refuelling will be operational.
After the break, crews will take on stage three, a repeat of stage two, to finish the race at Phakisa Freeway later the afternoon, where a prize-giving ceremony will be held.
Enthusiasts can enjoy the spectacle from various vantage points at Phakisa Freeway and along the route. Route maps and spectator guides will be available on the South African Rally-Raid Championship Facebook page, whilst the race can be followed on the Rally-Safe App, available as a free download.
Spectators are cautioned to obey the marshals and traffic officer’s instructions.
Entrance to Phakisa Freeway is free of charge for the duration of the event.
– Ludwig Pretorius
