Gunner Supercross 2025; Ashan & Jacques share honours for yet another instance

The ‘Gunner Supercross 2025’, another exciting edition of the Asian Paints Causeway SLADAR Racing Championship 2025, concluded recently at the Sri Lanka Army’s Artillery Regimental Gravel Racing Track in Minneriya. The champion driver, Ashan Silva, continued his dominance to earn the Best Driver’s award, while promising rider Jacques Gunawardena plucked another Best Rider’s title during the year.

The event was organised for the 24th occasion by the Artillery Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Autosport Drivers’ Association (SLADA). A fleet of over 200 talented and enthusiastic competitors managed to showcase their grit across 24 events on the Gunner racing track, which is a uniquely constructed gravel track that provides an aura of excitement combined with the spills and thrills of motor racing.

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Sri Lanka’s ace motor racer from Mahanama College, Ashan Silva, emerged as the champion once more by competing in the Group GT SLGT Cars up to 3500cc races, where the automobiles with the highest cylinder capacity were featured.

During the first race, Ashan Silva took the lead while three Wahab brothers and Thrindu chased him. But the champion driver, who is in fine rhythm, cruised for first place with a magical lead from the rest.

In the second race Ashan took the lead from the very first second but clashed with the car of Aravinda Premadasa from behind. Then Ashan recovered well after the collision with his expertise and cruised into the first place without any sort of a challenge. There was a lot of razzmatazz behind him for second place, and Zakir Wahab emerged victorious in that mini race

Jacques Gunawardena, Sri Lanka’s premier motocross rider who has won each and every championship in the year, continued his fine rhythm to emerge as the best rider of the event by easily winning both races in the category.

In the first race Jacques showcased the strength of his brand new racing Honda CRF motorbike by getting a clear lead and being the best of the rest. He grew his initial lead to a massive one when he approached the checkered flag to finish the game without any sort of a challenge.

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But Jacques failed to have a fine start in the second race, and M. D. M. Kalhara and Deneth Mihiran had a close tussle for the lead in the initial phase. But specialist rider Jacques made a gradual but strong comeback, and later he managed to outclass his competitor Kalhara to gain the lead. Despite his initial drawback, Jacques again proved his class by keeping his physical and mental strengths along with his magical techniques to win the race for yet another instance.

Ashan & Jacques celebrating their victories

Group M Std. Mod. Motorcycles – Over 100cc up to 125cc (2T)  (Orzone Mineral Water Challenge Trophy – 4 Laps)

1. Ravisha Jayashan
2. Nisala Malinda
3. Supun Shantha

Racing Motorbikes 65cc up to 85cc 2T & 110 cc 4T –  Under 12 and over 9 years

(Kandos Challenge Trophy – 3 Laps)

1. Nimsara Abeyratne
2. M. R. M. Anabi
3. Sharaful Ikkem

Group SL – E Standard Cars up to 1000cc – (One Make) Nissan March (Exide Challenge Trophy – 5 Laps)

1. Thamisha Abeyfardhane
2. Amir Faraji
3. Imad Rizmi

Std. Mod. Motorcycles – Over 125cc 2T over 175cc up to 250cc (4T)  (Nimal Super Lights Challenge Trophy – 5 Laps)

1. Dineth Mihiranga
2. Ravisha Jayashan
3. Nisala Malinda

SLH Cars up to 1300cc – One Make Nissan March (Koslanda Plantations Challenge Trophy – Laps 5)

1. Adeesha Kithwin Galappaththi
2. Nimesh Jeewantha
3. Charith Perera

Group SL – E Cars up to 1300cc – Ford Laser Mazda 323 (Finnlad Holdings Challenge Trophy – Laps 5)

1. M. H. Mohommad
2. Emith Perera
3. Aneesh Wegadapola

Group MX Racing Motorbikes – 100cc up to 125cc 2T over 175cc up to 250cc (4T) Race 1 (Hero Abans Challenge Trophy – Laps 5)

1. Jacques Gunawardhane
2. D. M. D. Kalhara
3. Dhananjaya Bandara

SL – N Cars up to 1300cc – Ford Laser Mazda 323 (SITREK Security Solutions Challenge Trophy – 6 Laps)

1. Thenuka Liyanarachchi
2. Kushan Peiris
3. Nishan Dunuwila

Group Super Moto – Up to 500cc 2T & 750cc 4T – Race 1 (NGK Challenge Trophy – Laps 6)

1. Deshan Solanki
2. Pathum Dhananjaya
3. Buddhika Dinesh

Racing Motorcycles 50cc up to over 5 and under 9 years (Kandos Challenge Trophy – 2 Laps)

1. Bakri Ahamed
2. Tiran Hasmitha
3. Minsara Abeyratne
4. Yasindu Batepola
5. Yehensa Sasmin

SL GT Cars up to 3500cc – Race 1 ( Asian paints Causeway Challenge Trophy – 8 Laps)

1. Ashan Silva
2. Zaaki Wahab
3. Tharindu Lokuge
4. Ishraq Wahab

Racing Cars T & J Diesel up to 5500cc (KYB Challenge Trophy – 5 Laps)

1. Chamod Samarakoon
2. Zaakir Wahab
3. Wijayamunige Priyantha

Racing Motorcycles over 79cc up to  85cc- 2T & 100cc to 150cc – 4T Under 15 years

(Kandos Challenge Trophy – 4 Laps)

1. Sadew Amarasinghe
2. Vindiw Bhasitha
3. Nisaja Rajasuriya

SL – N Cars up to 1500cc – Ford Laser Mazda 323 (Exedy Challenge Trophy – 6 Laps)

1. Tharindu Dharmarathne
2. Upulwan Serasinghe
3. Harsha Wijethunga
4. Mihan Peiris
5. Kalana De Costa

SL – A Cars up to 1050cc  (Toyota Lanka Challenge Trophy – 5 Laps)

1. Ajith Keerthi
2. Dilan Perera
3. Mahesh Wijerathne

Group MX Racing Motorbikes – 100cc up to 125cc 2T (TVS Lanka Challenge Trophy – Laps 6)

1. Ravisha Jayashan
2. Lajhiru Jeewantha
3. Nisala Malinda

T & G open for diesel and petrol vehicles (Mobil Delvac Challenge Trophy – 5 Laps)

1. Ushan Perera
2. Javidh Wahab
3. Chamod Samarakoon

SL – H Cars up to 1600cc – One Make (Exedy Challenge Trophy- 6 Laps)

1. Upulwan Serasinghe
2. Zaakir Wahab
3. Dinuka Fernando

Group Super Moto – Up to 500cc 2T & 750cc 4T – Race 2 (Asian paints Causeway Challenge Trophy – Laps 6)

1. Deshan Solanki
2. Niranjan Adhikari
3. Buddhika Dinesh

SLH Cars up to 2000cc (One Make) Subaru Legacy  (Exide Challenge Trophy – 6 Laps)

1. Malinda Gunasekara
2. Randika Niroshan
3. Avishka Premadasa

SL – S 3500cc – B Licence only (Mega Solar Challenge Trophy – Laps 8)

1. Dhammike Niroshan
2. Irfan Fuard
3. Tharindu Dharmarathne

SL GT Cars up to 3500cc – Race 2 (Fazaal Ceramic Challenge Trophy – 8 Laps)

1. Ashan Silva
2. Zaakir Wahab
3. Tharindu Lokuge
4. Aravinda Premadasa
5. Ishraq Wahab

Group MX Racing Motorbikes – 100cc up to 125cc 2T & 175cc up to 25 cc (4T) Race 2 (Hero Challenge Trophy – Laps 8)

1. Jacques Gunawardhane
2. D. M. D. Kalhara
3. Tharuka Rumesh De Silva
4. Dineth Mihiran
5. Dhananjaya Bandara