The inaugural ASA Transcontinental Series Free State 500 was won in dramatic style at Phakisa Freeway near Welkom this afternoon by Briton John Mickel in an RS Capp Chev Monte Carlo. Mickel, who started the 207-lap 500-km race from fourth on the 24-car grid, took the lead three-quarters of the way around the final lap to win by less than half a second from American Toni McCray (Lucas Oil Chev Monte Carlo) and 2,6 seconds ahead of American Marc Davis (WHUR 96.3/The Word Network/Marc Davis Motorsports Chev Lumina).
In his first-ever race on a 2,5-kilometre super oval, Cape Town’s Johann Spies finished a remarkable fifth overall in a Speedspot Motorsport Cape Town Dodge Charger. Five other South Africans made their super oval debut in the 600 bhp 358 cu in V8 American stock cars. Welkom’s Danie Correia Jnr (Liqui Moly Chev Monte Carlo) finished three laps down in 10th place to make it a memorable two South Africans in the top 10.
Gugu Zulu of Johannesburg was 11th and five laps in arrears in a Phakisa Freeway Chev Monte Carlo, Johan Cronje of Welkom (Phezulu Plant/JCB Ford Fusion) was classified 15th after completing 155 laps before retiring with engine problems, Welkom’s Johan Coetzer (Phezulu Plant/JCB/Speed Pro Engineering/Signs4U) was classified 18th after retiring on lap 89 with engine problems, and Klerksdorp’s Jaco Correia was classified 21st after crashing his Liqui Moly Chev Monte Carlo into the concrete wall on lap 29.
Unluckiest driver in the race was the most experienced, 60-year-old American Geoff Bodine, who dominated he weekend. The 1986 Daytona 500 winner and NASCAR legend started the race from pole position and led the most laps (86), including the 49 between lap 156 and 205. He was forced into the pits for a ‘splash and dash’ with two laps remaining after running out of fuel and was eventually classified ninth.
The historic first NASCAR-type American stock car race ever held in South Africa on the continent’s only super oval track was watched by an appreciative crowd of just under 11 000 spectators on a hot and humid Free State summer’s afternoon.
Among the VIP guests were the premier of the Free State, Ace Magashule, who announced that his government would again bring the ASA Transcontinental Series back to Phakisa in 2011.
SuperSport will broadcast a 52-minute Free State 500 highlights programme at 17h20 on Thursday (February 4) on SS2 and SS2 Africa.
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
PDF version
Comments
Brilliant Event
Well done Free State government and Phakisa for an awesome event. What a special occassion to see this massive oval get used for the first time. You could feel the emotion when the US ambassador gave the signal: 'Ladies and gentlemen start your engines' and 24 V8s roared into action. This is still old style racing not ruled by money with great sportmanship across the board. We couldn't have asked for a better American testimonial and I'll definitely be there again next year.
Harry Welby-Cooke, Pretoria
Post new comment