Romani, Susantha perform well at MSC's Katukurunda meet

BY BERNARD Perera

ROMANI de Silva and Susantha Gunewardene stole the limelight on Sunday at the Katukurunda circuit when two of them won their Ford Formula events (Post and Pre 85) classes respectively. Romani was behind the wheel of his Ford Vandiemen.

He had the better off Dinesh Jayawardene who was driving his Ford DHL special sponsored by DHL. Dinesh was closely followed by his father-in-law a veteran in this class Rohan de Silva.

Young Susantha Gunewardene who made his debut in Formula class in the Pre 85 category came up with an excellent performance to win this event from lady driver Shehara Jayawardene.

Susantha was in his Ford McFoil Special while Shehara was driving Ford McLarens. Nalin Gunasekera took the chequered flag behind Susantha and Shehara.

Shantha Suraweera was the only driver to win a double in this day. First he drove his Nissan March to victory in the one make category group SLN. Dhammika Pieris and the second lady driver S. A. Lakshika taking the two runners-up position in this event.

Suraweera followed his success in the very next race in his Subaru Legacy to make the double winning the Group SLN 10-12 kg class. Here too he had tough opposition following him two Honda Civics driven by Sajaad Zuhair and Nimal Gunewardene.

Dinesh Jayawardene was another driver who excelled on the track winning the FIA-N upto 1600 cc category driving his DHL special and went on to clinch the second slot in the Formula Post category behind Romani de Silva.

Rameez Mehmoor the Dubai based businessman who is a regular visitor for local events in his Suzuki Cultus which has brought him many victories. He had the better of Zakie Ismail and S. A. Duminda to win the SLA 1050-1400 cc class.

For laser 1500 cc one make cars event saw the veteran for this class Upulwan Serasinghe win ahead of W. A. G. Rangana and Chaminda Weerasooriya.

Ajith Hemachandra, young Dilan Seneviratne, Madhushan Mannapperuma and Darin Weerasinghe were the other drivers who won an event each in the respective classes.

Results

MSC Katukurunda Circuit Meet 2005 Results 
Group SLN - Mini One Make 

1. Ajith Hemachandra (Austin Mini) 
2. Donald Buljens (Austin Mini) 
3. K. Balasingham (Mini Minor) 
Group SLN - Nissan March One Make 
1. Shantha Suraweera (Nissan March) 
2. Dammika Pieris (Nissan March) 
3. S. A. Lakshika (Nissan March) 

Group SLN - 10 to 12 kg/hp 

1. Shantha Suraweera (Subaru Legacy) 
2. Sajaad Zuhair (Honda Civic) 
3. Nimal Gunawardena (Honda Civic) 

Group SLN - 8 to 10kg/hp 

1. Dilan Seneviratne (Honda Civic) 
2. Janaka Dias (Honda CRX) 
3. Darin Weerasinghe (Honda Civic) 

Group FIA-N upto 1600cc 

1. Dinesh Jayawardane (Honda DHL Special) 
2. Thushara Hemachandra (Honda SIR) 
3. S. Mannapperuma (Honda Civic-Vtec) 

Group SLN -Ford Laser 1300cc One Make 

1. Harsha Wijethunga (Ford Laser) 
2. U. C. Perera (Ford Laser) 
3. Dhammika Pieris (Mazda 323LX) 

Group SLS 'Specials' up to 1600cc 

1. M. Mannapperuma (Honda Civic) 
2. Nigel Perera (Honda Civic) 
3. Rohan De Silva (Honda McLarens) 

Group SLA - Upto 1050cc 

1. Darin Weerasinghe (Nissan March) 
2. Surinda Gunawardena (Daihatsu Charade) 
3.H. Sunanda Piyal (Daihatsu Charade) 

Group SLA - 1050cc to 1400cc 

1. Rameez Mahamoor (Suzuki Cultus) 
2. Zakie Ismail (Honda Civic) 
3. S. A. Duminda (Nissan B310) 

Formula Ford 100 - Pre 85 

1. Susantha Gunawardena (Ford McFoil Special) 
2. Shehara Jayawardene (ford McLarens) 
3. Nalin Gunasekera (Ford Formula) 

Group SLN - Ford Laser 1500cc One Make 

1. Upulwan Serasinghe (Ford Laser) 
2. W. A. G. Rangana (Ford Laser) 
3. Chaminda Weerasuriya (Ford Laser) 

Formula Ford 1600 - Post 85 

1. Romani de Silva (Ford Vandiemen) 
2. Dinesh Jayawardene (Ford DHL Special) 
3. Rohan de Silva (Ford Formula)