Sarh

**Sarh Speedway** is a motorsports facility located in Sarh, Chad. It currently hosts the seventh race on the Utica Rallycross Series schedule.

 Time zone
 Capacity
 Owner
 Broke ground
 Opened
 Closed
 Events Held
Utica Rallycross Series Season 2, Race 13
 Surface
 Turns
 Lap record

## Pre-URCS

Sarh Speedway was first conceptualized by Chadian race care driver Kondy Chari. Chari, who raced primarily raced open wheel, would also dabble in off-road endurance racing. Wanting to bring racing back to his home country, Chari proposed plans to build a dirt-racing facility in the outskirts of Sarh in 1998. Chari's plan was relatively cost effective and his status as a racing icon in Africa convinced investors and zoning representatives to go forward with the plan.

The track was cleared in December 1999 and ground broke in February 2000. Laborers from Chad and Niger were contracted to build the circuit. Harsh work hours allowed for quick development of the track, and the circuit opened in June of that year.

The track, christened Chari Speedway, hosted bi-weekly buggy and off-road truck events, commonly featuring local drivers. The speedway also held two Global Motocross events in 2002 and 2003.

However, many oversights in the development and construction phases made the track treacherous. In 2002, Nigerian driver Ali Djibo perished in a violent crash with a misplaced wall. Seven drivers received career ending injuries between 2003 and 2004, culminating in a tragic crash in October 2004, when Oumar Kandamaye lost control of his racetruck and crashed into an unprotected grandstand.

Facing legal action and scrutiny, Chari closed down the speedway in January 2005.

## New Ownership

The speedway was left abandoned for the next five years. The town of Sarh considered demolition in 2009, but an Egyptian business firm, West Nile Business Ventures, put in a bid to revive the race track. Officials were skeptical of the deal, hoping to avoid another tragedy, but were eventually convinced through monetary means.

Renovation began in September of 2009 and was completed in June 2009. The track was renamed Sarh Speedway and had added safety fences and runoffs to protect fans and drivers. The local buggy and truck races were reinstated before the track made a Utica Rallycross Series bid in 2012.

## Season 1

The Utica Rallycross Series in Sarh sold out and drew crowds from neighboring countries. Original founder Kondy Chari also attended the race and gave tips to some of the drivers.

Seth Cole was the first car to take to the track. The bumpy, bucking race surface proved to be a challenge, but he manage to pull out a 50.63. Friend Joseph Bryant was the second car up, but ended up on his roof and finished the event in last place. William Duncan became the first driver to dip below forty-seven seconds. Matt Evans was also able to dip below this number, stealing first away with four cars remaining.

Ray Davis had spent the week leading up to the race volunteering in small African villages and was the second to last car to take to the track. Davis set a blistering time and stole the race lead. It would be Davis' first and only Rallycross Series victory.

During the race, several drivers figured out a way to cut one of the corners of the race track, which caused some controversy in the pits. According to Utica Rallycross rules, track cutting is legal so long as all checkpoints have been hit, so no penalties were given following the event.

The event was also notable for the debut of eventual champion Adam Dunlap, who ran as a one-race replacement for Emile Michaels, who had a scheduling conflict and could not attend the event. Dunlap finished an impressive fourth, giving the #13 car it's second best finish of the year.

## Season 2

The track was changed slightly in the off-season to prevent course cutting. An addition checkpoint forced drivers to stay on track, which resulted in many drivers floundering on the difficult circuit.

Rei Takita and Matt Evans were the first two cars out on track. Both cars had done well the previous season, but wrecked out early on the new layout. By the end of the race, ten drivers were unable to finish the course, while Adam Dunlap had one of his poorest finishes of the season, finishing fourteenth.

Multi-time winner Colin Bartell had the race lead with nine drivers to go, but was overtaken by Alex DiMarco, who was on a streak of top ten finishes in his first three starts. He was soon beaten by Joseph Onesto, who had also entered the sport during the mid-season as the replacement for Emily Michaels. With only Anthony McCrury to go, McCrury set a fast time, but came up short of DiMarco and Onesto. Onesto would go on to get his first career Rallycross victory and get the second victory for the #14 car that season.

The event was also notable for Jeffery Finguy's return to the sport, running several events in place of Stephen Carter. Finguy managed to score a bonus point for leading in the early going of the event, but was quickly passed by the fourth car up, Tyler Benoit.

## Season 3

The track saw a massive revision and expansion during the off season. Drivers were upset with the tedious difficulty of the track, and fans were upset with the small seating capacity. The track was redesigned to be longer and better-flowing. Addition grandstands were constructed, doubling the seating capacity.

Colin Bartell was the first car to take the track, but unfamiliarity with the new course hurt his time, resulting in a nineteenth place finish. Defending winner Joseph Onesto was the second car out, once again taking the race lead. He held onto the race lead until Alex Hawkins stole the lead on a blazing run.

In an upset maneuver, Hawkins had set a time that few could challenge. Hawkins would be the only driver to break fifty two seconds, resulting in his first career Utica Rallycross Series win. Hawkins won the race as the seventh car out, tying a record set by Matt Evans last season.

Michael Aurelio, who considers this one of his worst race tracks, finished in last place. He previously was the slowest completed time in Season 1 and the second slowest completed time in Season 2.

The off-season renovations proved to be successful, as all twenty cars finished the race.