The Katukurunda Tarmac Racing Championship was worked off today at the Rotherham racing track at the Katukurunda Air Force Base. Riders riding at a speed of 100+ kmph and drivers driving at a speed of 150+ it was an electrifying way to spend a good Sunday.
The first race of the championship was flagged at sharp nine o` clock in the morning and Manujitha Manuk named himself as the first winner for the day.
The Nissan March event was next on the line and the cars were set to race five laps for victory. S.A Duminda and Sajith Pathirana were battling out for the second and third places. While those two were having their own party, Irshad Fahud raced himself towards the number one position. Even though Duminda tried to push Sajith and take him on the inside he failed as the Sajith struck into his racing line and shifted gears gallantly.
The Sri Lankan female Shehara Jayawardhene who battles herself with the machines was one of the few spotlights of the championship. Her first event was the Honda V-Tec event and she made no mistake in that as she etched pass the white line and was placed first. Her next challenge was up with the Ezy Racing team driver Sajad Zuhair. Shehara did keep right behind Sajad but his overseas tuned Honda 1600cc car was just too good for the local iron lady. Shehara had to settle down for the second place as Sajad won the Honda 1600cc event while Irshad Faud came in as the second runners up.
While the races were churning the track there was also an unpleasant incident as a rider veered off the track which ended in one of the spectators getting entangled in the iron fences that was laid out for the protection of both the spectators and the sportsmen. It leaves a big ask in the security standards for spectators in a circuit such as this.
The super car event is the race that all the motor racing fanatics look forward to in a championship. Ashan Silva has been holding sway in the event for quite some-time now and yet again yesterday he proved that he still unbeaten.
The first of two races started before lunch but it had to go for a restart as Ushan Perera met with an unfortunate accident. He tried for a fish tale at the first bend but he could not counter-steer his car and hence went sliding into the sand-bags and tires. After the restart Ashan Silva lead in front but Darin Weerainsghe was right behind him, pushing him to edge past him on the inside.
Ashan using his experience as the weapon just stuck to the basics and raced in line and made sure he drove without giving much space on his inside to Darin Weerasinghe. Ashan flagged the number one position while Darin and Abeeth Dangalla settled to second and third positions respectively.
The last leg of the super car event was scheduled as the last event of the championship. Ashan Silva stayed in front comfortably and managed to maintain a lead of at least 150m as he won both the legs and thus the event. Dilan Seneviratene and Darin battled out for the second and third places and yet again Darin proved himself a better driver. Pushing Dilan into the outside he overtook him from the blindside and raced into the stretch as he settled the down for another second place.
The two Silva`s Ashan and Pramuka were judged best driver and rider respectively. The event came into a closure as both of them followed tradition and popped the bubbly. The second edition of the championship will take off at Pannala on the 26th of July.
