Huge Rock Concert to Follow the First African 6 Hour Race this Saturday
South Africa’s most successful rock band Prime Circle will take to the stage straight after the first African 6 Hour endurance race end at Phakisa Raceway in Welkom this Saturday, February 23. A huge fireworks display will signal that six hours of gruelling racing, which starts at 1 pm, has come to end.
And as the smell of hot oil and rubber mingles with the distinct aroma of meat being braaied by race spectators and pit crews, many of whom will be camping at the circuit overnight, South Africa’s most popular rock act will shatter the calm with its powerhouse sound that has seen it become a major act not only locally, but in Europe, India and Dubai.
“Rock and Roll and motor racing are imbedded in our souls,” said race organiser Roger Pearce, who in his youth hitch-hiked all over Australia with hair down to his shoulders.”
“Prime Circle epitomises that sound that made the classic rock acts like Led Zeppelin as much a part of our group psyche as Porsches and Ford GT40s did in the old Nine Hour events. What’s more, their sound is totally contemporary, which fits the profile of the 2013 African 6 Hour perfectly, because the race is not about nostalgia.
This first event is a preview to South Africa making a serious bid to hosting a round of the World Endurance Championships for sports cars in the years ahead.”
The Prime Circle concert at the Phakisa race track will be included in the admission price for the African 6 Hour. This represents an amazing bargain for race goers and rock fans alike. For an entry ticket costing R100, fans will be able to see qualifying for the race, which starts at 9 am on Saturday, the six-hour race, which runs from 1 pm to 7 pm, and then the Prime Circle Rock Concert, which will start minutes after the race and run late into the Free State night.
Admission to the race only will cost R50, and children under-15 will be admitted free of charge. The African 6 Hour has attracted some top names in South African racing. These include the likes of Dakar star Duncan Vos, who will be sharing a Pilbeam MP98 with this brother Graham, Toby Venter, who will run an official Porsche Centre entry in his race spec 911 GT3, multiple Shelby Can Am champion Darryn Lobb in a TVR, former Daytona 24-Hour winner Tony Martin in a Back Draft 4000, former Group N champion Neil Stephen in a Golf ( a potential saloon category winner) and multiple saloon car champ Robbie Smith in a very quick race-spec BMW 330d.
There are 36 entries for the race, and these number a total of 12 Porsches and a Lola Type T86 which is a potential race winner in the hands of the very quick Honda turbo exponent, Dawie Joubert.
Adding glamour to the driver line-up will be Fabienne Lanz, the karting champion with the fashion-model looks, who will be sharing the hot race winning Golf from East London with the father and son combo of Neil and Geoff Stephen. The attractive Fabienne is the daughter of past Group One and Wesbank Golf racer Peter Lanz, and she has competed in numerous overseas karting championships to great effect.
- Prime Circle was formed in Witbank over a decade ago, and to date all of its five studio albums have earned platinum or gold status. The band has shared the stage with some of the world’s top performers, including the likes of Robert Plant of Led Zepplin fame, Metallica, Annie Lennox and Queen.
- It’s hit songs that have become SA favourites include the classics penned by front-man Ross Learmoth, such as Hello, The Same Goes for You, and As long As I Am Here.
