Rohith, Aravinda, Gayan and Nadeera stars at Southern
Super Cross at Tissamaharama
The newly constructed Ceylon AutoDrome Race Circuit at Tissamaharama
was declared opened on Sunday by the Minister Chamal Rajapakse and
Chairman of the D.A. Rajapakse Foundation Shashendra Rajapakse along
with Officials of the Southern Motor Sports Club the organizers of
the event in front of a large gathering of Motor racing fans.
Aravinda Premadasa, Nadeera Jinasena and D.M.D. Gayan Sandaruwan
carried away the Grand Prix President's Trophies on offer on this
day.
Premadasa won the Sri Lanka Best Drivers Award, Nadeera Jinasena was
adjudged the Best Emerging Driver, while Gayan Sandaruwan was named
as the Best Sri Lanka Rder for his unique ahievment on his Hond
CRF250 motor cycle.
The day began with the race meant for the Novices who are eagerly
waitng to enter the motor racing field in the near future. This
first event created history on this day with a southerner bagging
the event in style.
The driver responsible was none other than Yoshitha Rajapakse who
hails from Hambantota the most southern part of Sri Lanka.
Though he has entered the event every one was in doubt whether he
would compete as he was not seen on practice day to record his
timing. As he was not timed the previously he had to start from the
back of the grid (behind the other competing drivers).
Though he was behind he caught up with other drivers and went ahead
of all others in the first lap and continued to increase his lead to
completed the race on a highly successful note.
This gave the southern spectators the opportunity of witnessing one
of their young drivers enter the history book by winning the first
event on the new track. This on the other hand is an encouragement
for the motor racing fans of the south.
The Super Cars event also was an interesting one every spectator as
all leding drivers in class were competing making it the event with
the highest number of entries. Here Aravinda Premadasa another
driver from Matara became the hero taking the victory.
Premadasa who occupied the pole position was off to a fine start
with his arch rival in this class Dinesh Dehragoda trailing.
But Deheragoda could not pose a big threat as he had to pull out of
the race when his car went off the track in the second lap. This
gave Premadasa a chance to bag the race minus any opposition.
Dilantha Malagamuwa who flew all the way from Japan to compete in
this inaugural meet could not make an impression as he could not
control his vehicle due to the dust storm that was caused by the
front runners vehicles. He had to pull out when his car went off the
track causing damages to the car.
But the second round of the same class which was considered as the
championship event for the coveted President's Trophy for the Best
Sri Lanka Driver saw Premadasa once again became the winner beating
Deharagoda to go away with the trophy.
Here too it was Premadasa who was in front from the word go. But the
Deheragoda competing posed a threat but was not sufficient to stop
Premadasa wining the race.
The only lady driver Shehara Jayawardena proved that she is matured
enough to compete alongside her opposite sex when she won the 'One
Make Nissan March Class'. Driving her Nissan march in great style
put all male competitors behind in this event.
The closest competitor for her was Devinda de Silva, while Shehan de
Tissera took the third slot. With her victory she too entered the
records books of Southern Motor Sports Club.
Nadeera Jinasena who won the President's trophy for the Best Sri
Lanka Emerging driver also made mark winning two events. First he
went on to win the Group SL-H car s upto 100 cc in his Honda Civic
pushing Thushara Hamachandra to second slot.
Rizvi Farook another experienced who competed in the Group SL-A 1400
clas had acomfortable victory over young Gayan Perera. Farook was
behind the wheel of his 'Honda Civic', while Rohan de Silva had to
content with the third position in this category.
Ramees Mahamoor a man who has done well uring the past decade
winning all competitions he competed in his 'Suzuki Cultus' could
make an impact on this track losing to Rohan Dammapala from Kandy.
Dhamapla was in full control of the race from the commencement of
the event.
Dinesh Jayawardene who has won many events in the past few months
kept his form intact winning the GroupSL-N over 12.0kg. class
competing against another Mazda specialist Upulwan Serasinghe and
Prasanna de Alwis. Upulwan Serasinghe was the most unlikiest driver
on this day failing to snatch a single win.
Shantha Suraweera too came up with good performance to go the podium
after winning the 10-12kg. Class in his Subaru Legacy. He was
followed by Pradeep Wijesirsiwrdene.
The Muni Saloon Class was a battle between the old brigade
comprising of K. gham, Mudalige Wickramasinghe, Donald Buultjens and
Sasitha Gunawardene. Balasingham took honours in this calss.
The SL-A cars upto1050 csaw Rohith de Silva Mini specialist take the
top spot with Rohan de Silva and M. Wickramasighe taking the two
runners up positions.Mansoor Hassan was another winner in the cars
category.
He had stiff opposition coming from Buddhika deSilva. Sanjeevw de
Mel and Upul Perera came up as winners in the Trucks & Jeeps Open
and non-Turbo events respectively.
Motor Cycles
D.M.D. Sandaruwan the Super Cross champion for the last three years
who has dominated in all Super Cross' in the island proved that heis
capable of taking any sort of challenge on any track that he rides
on.
The riders of yesteryear Ananda Wedisinghe and Nalin Perera too were
attracted to this new track. Their presence was immensely
appreciated by the large number of motor racing fans that thronged
the Tissamaharama track.
These three riders thrilled the crowds with their dare devil riding
skills to the maximum. It was seen at times Wedisinghe and Perera
ahead of the others. But it was none other than Gayan that stole the
limelight at end.
Young Gayan on his Honda CRF 250cc showed that he is in full control
of his machine though he is with a small made structure. He was at
his specially on jumps.
He used this to his advantage at all times. He went on to win the
Group MX Racing category with ease pushing the experienced riders
Perera and Wedisinghe to runners up positions.
In this it was Tuan Ossen who got off to flying start but faded away
after crashing in the same lap. The Street Tail Bike events were
dominated by the rider Buddhika Sandaruwan from Anuradhapura.
He won the Standard Street Trail Bike event and made it adouble by
winning the Standard Motor cycles Open event. Issan Dassanayake
using a Yahama 85cc won the Group MX 85cc class Pushing Rumisha
Buultjens to second slot.
Thilina Madhuwantha Perera was the winner in the event for boys
under 10, whileShehan C. Adikari won the race for under 13 boys on a
Honda CR85cc.
