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(Editor Note: This release comes courtesy of Charmaine Fortune from Videosport Television in South Africa. We appreciate her insights to the upcoming Inaugural American Speed Association event outside of the United States.)
Preparations for the first-ever American Stock Car race in South Africa are well advanced with 24 American stock cars having already arrived in the country for the inaugural Free State 500 at Phakisa Freeway near Welkom over four days culminating with a 207 lap race on the Super Oval on 31 January 2010.
A joint initiative of the Free State government and the American Speed Association (ASA) based in Daytona Florida USA, the "Battle Between Two Continents" (as the event is being billed) will see drivers from both countries compete against each other in the Transcontinental version of America's most popular motor racing formula.
The Phakisa Freeway's 1.5-mile (2.5-km) oval track, which is the only one of its kind in the country that can accommodate the monster American V8 stock cars, is undergoing minor alterations and refurbishment to meet ASA requirements, according to event technical manager Etienne "Oom Jim" Swanepoel. This includes widening of the pit lane by two metres and filling in the few cracks in the track surface.
The asphalt banked oval, which is D-Shaped and runs in an anti-clockwise direction, was built in 1998 and is modelled on the Las Vegas Speedway in Nevada, one of the fastest oval tracks in America. It has never been raced on and only two racing drivers have completed any laps in anger, Sarel van der Merwe at the time of the official opening and WesBank V8 racer Danie Correia in October. Correia completed some 20 laps in his #12 Liqui Moly Chev Corvette as part of a shakedown of the track for the information of the Free State 500 promoters.
"Initially the track was very dusty and I 'cleaned' it up a bit in my road car before testing it properly with the racing car," said Correia. "It wasn't as bumpy as I expected - in fact it was surprisingly smooth - and was in very good condition. We didn't have the right diff or gear ratios in the car, which was set up for the race meeting at Zwartkops, so we weren't really able to determine just how fast the oval can be lapped. We managed a top speed of over 250 km/h before running out of revs and track and I reckon top speeds in excess of 300 km/h are possible.
The cars arrived by container ship and will be delivered to Phakisa on Monday, December 14. The promoters are putting the finishing touches to many exciting side shows and promotions leading up to the event and on race weekend. These include the official Miss Free State competition.
Tickets can be obtained from Computicket outlets countrywide or go to www.computicket.com. Prices range from R20.00 on Thursday to R 330.00 on Sunday. Spectacular discounts for Saturday/Sunday tickets are available. All tickets include a 90 minute Pit Walkabout on all days.
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Issued on behalf of the Free State 500. For further information please contact Charmaine Fortune on 011 462 6243 or visit www.freestate500.com.
Ref ASA PR ON TRACK
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ALS GEREED VIR EERSTE VRYSTAAT 500 BY PHAKISA
Voorbereidings vir die eerste Amerikaanse Stampwedren in Suid-Afrika is reeds ver gevorder met 24 Amerikaanse stampmotors wat reeds in die land aangeland het vir die openings-Vrystaat 500 by Phakisa Freeway naby Welkom wat oor vier dae sal strek met die hoogtepunt 'n ren van 210 rondes wat op 31 Janaurie 2010 op die Super Ovaalbaan aangebied sal word.
In 'n inisiatief tussen die Vrystaat-regering en die American Speed Association (ASA) wat in Daytona, Florida in die VSA gebaseer is, sal die "Stryd Tussen Twee Kontinente" (soos die byeenkoms ook genoem word) renjaers van beide lande teen mekaar meeding in die transkontinentale weergawe van Amerika se gewildste motorsportformule.
Volgens die ren se tegniese bestuurder, Etienne "Oom Jim" Swanepoel, word klein veranderings en opknappingswerk tans aan die Phakisa Freeway se 1.5 myl (2.5 km)-ovaalbaan, die enigste van sy soort in die land wat die reuse-Amerikaanse V8-stampmotors kan akkommodeer, aangebring sodat die baan aan die ASA-vereistes kan doen. Dit sluit in die kuipe wat met twee meter verbreed word en 'n paar krake wat op die baanoppervlakte gevul word.
Die skuins ovaal van sement, wat D-vormig is en waarvan die rigting linksom is, is in 1998 gebou en is gebaseer op die Las Vegas Speedway in Nevada, een van die vinnigste ovaalbane in Amerika. Daar is nog nooit 'n ren op dié baan aangebied nie en die enigste twee renjaers wat aggressiewe rondes op die baan voltooi het, was Sarel van der Merwe tydens die amptelike opening en die WesBank V8-jaer, Danie Correia, in Oktober. Correia het ongeveer 20 rondes in sy #12 Liqui Moly-Chev Corvette gedoen om inligting vir die Free State 500-promotors deur te kan gee.
"Die baan was aanvanklik baie stowwerig en ek moes dit eers met my padmotor 'skoonmaak' voordat ek dit behoorlik met die renmotor kon toets," het Correia gesê. "Dit was minder stamperig as wat ek verwag het. Om die waarheid te sê, dit was eintlik verbasend glad en in 'n baie goeie toestand. Die motor was vir 'n ren by Zwartkops voorberei en het dus nie oor die regte ewenaar- of ratverhoudings beskik nie en ons kon dus nie regtig vasstel hoe vinnig 'n ronde op die ovaalbaan gedoen kan word nie. Ons kon 'n topspoed van meer as 250 km/h aanteken voordat die enjin sy revolusieperk bereik het en daar nie meer genoeg baanafstand was nie en ek reken dat topsnelhede van meer as 300 km/h moontlik is.
Die motors het met 'n houerskip gearriveer en sal Maandag, 14 Desember, by Phakisa afgelewer word. Die promotors is besig met die finale reëlings vir verskeie ander opwindende aktiwiteite en bemarkingsaksies wat die byeenkoms voorafgaan asook vir die rennaweek. Dit sluit die amptelike Mej. Vrystaat-kompetisie in.
Kaartjies kan by Computicket-verkoopspunte landswyd aangeskaf word of besoek www.computicket.com. Kaartjies se pryse wissel van R20 vir Donderdag tot R330 vir Sondag. Ongelooflike afslag vir Saterdag- en Sondagkaartjies is beskikbaar. Al die kaartjies sluit 'n daaglikse 90 minute-kuipebesoek in.
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Uitgereik namens die Free State 500. Vir meer inligting, kontak Charmaine Fortune by 011 462 6243 of besoek www.freestate500.com
Ref ASA PR ON TRACK afr
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