The annual Phakisa 200 is the main feature for the Car Care Clinic SuperHatch competitors when they head to the Free State circuit for the fifth round of their 2022 championship on 9 & 10 September. The drivers will tackle an eight-lap sprint race before contesting the 200km main event.
The top three drivers in the overall championship standings, Nic Martin (Peugeot 207), Francis Aldrich (Opel Corsa) and Devon Piazza Musso (Hot 102.7 FM Racing VW Polo), will all be in action at Phakisa Freeway but, at the time of writing, Karel Stols who is the joint leader of the Class A championship race looks like he will not be taking his PTA Noord Toyota Etios to Welkom. This will leave the battle at the top of the log to be fought out between Andre Dannhauser (Pro Auto Rubber Opel Corsa) and Lenard Archer (ACD Welkom Hyundai Getz,) who are separated by just three points in the standings. Jonathan du Toit (Motul/Torch/CentParts Honda Civic) and Seten Naidoo (Honda Civic) will also be in the Class A action, as will Andre de Lange (Roofsure VW Golf), who will be making his first 2022 SuperHatch appearance.
Martin has tasted victory five times in Class B this season and will be out to continue that run of form at Phakisa. His closest challengers are likely to be Christiaan van Wyk (NBR Karting Ford Figo) and Mel Spurr (Car Care Clinic VW Polo), although Donovan le Roux (Honda Civic) and Ishmael Baloyi (Trans Africa Racing Hinda Civic) will be doing their best to take points away from those ahead of them in the standings.
After problems in the opening round back in March, Piazza Musso hasn’t been beaten in Class C and is now just six points behind Francis Aldrich in the class championship. Another good result for the VW driver could see that gap close even further. They will be joined on the Class C grid by Freddy Watkins (4js Auto/Gear Down VW Polo) and George Aldrich (Peugeot 206).
All the drivers in the Phakisa 200 have to make a pit stop during the race where a wheel has to be removed from the car, placed on the ground and refitted or replaced with a new one. Some of the drivers have opted to use this compulsory stop to change drivers as well. Dannhauser will be joined by Brett Garland, while Class B challenger van Wyk will be joined by Adriaan Vermaak in his Ford Figo. Le Roux and JP Nortje will share the driving duties in le Roux’s Honda Civic, while Francis and George Aldrich will be at the wheel of Francis’ Corsa with overall championship leader Martin being joined by Stols. The balance of the field will tackle the 200km race on their own.
As usual, the Friday action will be mainly dedicated to practice sessions before the cars go out for their qualifying session at the end of the day. The first race on Saturday will be a short, 8-lap sprint, which is scheduled to get underway at 11h35, with the 200km endurance race getting underway at 14h25.
For those that are unable to make it to the circuit, the event will be live-streamed on the Extreme Festival Facebook page and on YouTube.