Nishan sparkles at Mahagastota Speed Hill Climb

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Correspondent

MOTOR RACING: Hill stormer Nishan Weerasooriya put up a sparkling display to clock 36.05 seconds to return the fastest timing of the day at the 72nd version of the Formula Plus Mahagastota Speed Hill Climb organised by the Ceylon Motor Sports Club and sponsored by Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and worked off at the Mahagastota track in Blackpool, Nanu Oya before a large Nuwara Eliya Season holiday crowd.

Nishan Weerasooriya's performance was class by itself as he did a smooth running both rounds with a swift change of gears losing no time in the corners. Both his runs were a connoisseur's delight as his Alpha Mitsubishi Evolution 8 whizzed past the cornors like a grossed lightning.

This was also the fastest over timing by a stock car and was just a fraction of a second lower than the course record of 35.57 seconds held by maestro Rohan de Silva in a modified formula 1600 cc.

Nishan Weerasooriya dominated this event for cars SLGT upto 3500 cc that he had a two second lead over the second placed Romani de Silva in a Subaru Impreza who timed 38.09 seconds and Nalin D Perera also in a Subaru Impreza finished third with a timing of 38.71 seconds.

Versatile racing driver Aravinda Premadasa finished fourth in his Mitsubishi Evolution VII and perhaps on a rare occasion failed to win a place during his illustrious career.

Veteran Rohan de Silva had the second fastest timing of the day when he clocked 37.39 seconds to win the event for Modified Formula 1600 cc to wrest back what he lost to his rival Suranjith Premadasa last year. Suranjith Premadasa this year finished third in this event with 38.06 seconds and in second place was Dinesh Jayawardena with a timing of 37.81 seconds.

The battle between Rohan de Silva and Suranjith Premadasa could have been much closer if not for a lapse on the part of the latter in shifting the gear which veered the machine but was beautifully brought under control at the Wakefield corner in his second run. But the machine stood still for a number of seconds losing valuable time.

Dilshan Bandaranayake is fast turning out to be a Mini Specialist as he was responsible for lowering the first class record for the day when he clocked 45.77 seconds in the Mini One Make event to clip the existing record of 47.81 seconds by nearly two seconds held by Rajeewa Abeywardena.

Dilshan Bandaranayake who hails from the hill capital has been in the limelight in the Mini events during the last couple of years winning both hill climbs and circuit races at Pannala and Katukurunda by which he has proved his versatility.

The second record to go was in the One Make event for Ford Laser Mazda 323 (SL-N) One Make 1300 cc when Susantha Gunawardena in a Ford Laser clocked 44.95 seconds to erase the existing record of 46.11 seconds held by Ashan Silva.

The third record to fell was in the Ford Lesor/Mazda 323 (DL-N) One Make 1500 cc with Dammika Peiris behind a Ford Laser timed 43.53 seconds to lower his own record of 44.05 seconds held by him since 2004.

There was just one spill when motor racing commentator Mahen Madugalle driving a Austin Mini in the Modified cars event upto 1050 cc went over the sand bags and was air bono till fell into a vegetable plot near the cemetery corner. Though Mahen Madugalle escaped unhurt but his car was a total wreck.

He came out saying I escaped serious injuries because of the roller bars. He rushed to the hospital where the doctors found that petrol had fallen into his eye and he was treated for that.

The battle for supremacy in the event for Standard Formulas was between the De Silvas. Romani de Silva had the edge over the others timing 37.88 seconds in his RAK Vandicmen Formula and with his friend Rohan de Silva just a fraction of a second behind to time 37.92 seconds.

In third place was his nephew Harsha de Silva with a timing of 38.95 seconds. The older two will have to watch out for young Harsha who is fast improving and could pose a serious threat in the near future.

The fastest timing for the two wheelers was clocked by Ananda Sampath Weerasinghe with a timing of 38.35 seconds in his Honda SD Special in the event for Standard Bikes upto 125 cc. Shafraz Junaid who won three events had 39.19 seconds has his best.

Shantha Suraweera won the One Make event for Nissan March with a timing of 44.84 seconds with Ramith Gammanpila coming second with 46.31 seconds but the organisers withheld the results as there was a protest on the Nissan March car used by this duo.

Mahen Thambiah of KIA fame came back roaring into form when he won the event for cars over 12.0 Kg/Hp with a timing of 45.58 in his KIA Prido and Tariq Hassen was just behind him with a timing of 46.08 seconds.

Young Darin Weerasinghe sparkled to win two events. First he won the 8 to 10.0 Kg/Hp event in his Nissan Impul with a timing of 41.05 seconds which was just 0.09 seconds slower than the class record of 40.96 seconds held by Sheran Fernando.

His next win was in the modified cars event upto 1050 cc with a timing of 42.62 secs. He is another promising driver who should do well in the future.

Sajjad Zuhair won the event for 10.0 - 12.0 Kg/Hp event with a timing of 42.56 seconds ahead of two top drivers Dammika Peiris and Shantha Suraweera.

Rameez Mahamoor who arrived from Dubai only the previous evening did well to win the event for cars between 1050 cc and 1400 cc in his pot Susuki Cultus with a timing of 41.40 seconds which was not good enough to lower his own record of 39.59 seconds.

Rameez Mahamoor with his customary win in the event for Modified cars between 1050 cc and 1400 cc in his faithful Suzuki Cultus but he had a fight in his hands from the local Schumacher 'Zakie Ismail who timed 41.70 seconds while Mahamoor timed 41.40 seconds. This should ring alarm signals in the cars of Mahamoor who for many years had his own way in this event.

Rizvi Farouk though winning the event for modified cars between 1400 cc and 1600 cc in his Honda V Tec but he was given a good fight by young Harsha de Silva who timed 40.47 seconds against 40.28 seconds by the winner.

Abeeth Dangalla though not a regular participant in the hill climbs surprised everyone when he timed 39.55 seconds to get the better of Dinesh Jayawardena and Dinesh Senanayake both experienced campaigners in the event for SLH 1600 cc. Weather kept fine and there was a fair crowd to watch this hill climb which is the oldest motor racing event in the country.

The distribution of awards took place at the Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya later in the evening with Isuru Tillakawardena (Chief Operations Officer - Personnel Lines - Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation), Suren Galagoda (Chief Operating Officer - Technical, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation), Colonel Raj Wijesiri) Senior Manager, Human Resources Development - Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation), Ms Niroshini Pethiyagoda - Head of Marketing - Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation), Ananda Uithatillake - Product Manager - Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation), S. Ananda of Jinasena Limited and Ranjith Jinasena of Jinasena Ltd., doing the honours.

Shirendra Lawrence acted as the master of ceremonies and kept the audience on their toes with his inimitable way of presentations. The results of the Formula Plus Mahagastota Speed Hill Climb

Motor Cycles

Bikes Over 350 cc: 1. Shafras Junaid (Honda CR) 39.28, 2. Riley Wanigasekera (Honda XR 650) 39.74 secs. 3. Rohana Jayaratne (Honda XR 650) 42.22 secs.

Bikes Open upto 350 cc: 1. W.M. Dammika Nishantha (Yamaha RD 350) 47.23 secs.

Racing Bikes Over 125 cc Upto and Including 250 cc: 1. Shafras Junaid (Honda CR) 39.19 secs. 2. Indika Gurusinghe (Honda CR) 40.77 secs. 3. M.G. Sarath Kumarasinghe (Suzuki 41.43 secs.

Racing Bikes upto 125 cc: 1. Shafras Junaid (Honda CR) 39.26 secs. 2. S.P. Chaminda (Honda CR) 40.79 secs. 3. Ramal Pathiratne (Yamaha YZ) 43.66 secs.

Bikes Open Upto 80 cc: 1. W.M. Gunasinghe (Yamaha YZ) 43.66 secs. 2. M.C.S. Saman Perera (Kawasaki XX) 50.27 secs. 3. W.M. Anushka Eranga (Yamaha Pooke) 75.74 secs.

Standard Bikes Upto 250 cc: (2 stroke) Including (4 stroke 450 cc) 1. Ananda Weerasinghe (Honda SD Special) 38.35 secs. 2. D.A. Shane Silva (Honda CRM) 38.79 secs. 3. Krishnakumar Ramanathan (Yamaha WRF) 39.87 secs.

Standard Up to 125 cc: (2 stroke) including (4 stroke 250 cc) 1. M.D. Mettananda Ariyaratne (Honda) 41.94 secs. 2. D.A. Shane Silva (Yamaha) 42.01 secs. 3. M.G. Sarath Kumarasinghe (Yamaha) 43.06 secs.

Motor Cars

Mini One Make: 1. Dilshan Bandaranayake (Kandy Austin Mini) 45.77 secs. (New Class Record), 2. Ajith Hemachandra (Morris Minor) 46.49 secs. 3. W.M.K. Wickremasinghe (Austin Mini) 46.71 secs.

Ford Laser/Mazda 323 (SL-N) One Make 1300 cc: 1. Susantha Gunawardena (Ford Laser) 44.95 secs (New Class Record) 2. U.C. Perera (Ford Laser) 46.23 secs. 3. Sisira Goonesekara (Ford Laser) 46.90 secs.

Ford Laser / Mazda 323 (SL-N) One Make 1500 cc: 1. Dhammika Peiris (Ford Laser) 43.53 secs. (New Class Record), 2. Chaminda Weerasuriya (Ford Laser) 44.30 secs. 3. Randeev Rodrigo (Ford Laser) 44.56 secs.

Nissan March One Make: XX Results Withheld following a protest.

Motor Cars Over 12.0 Kg/Hp: 1. Mahen Thambiah (Kia Pride) 45.58 secs. 2. Tariq Hassen (KE 0606 ZEN) 46.08 secs. 3. Janaka Palliyaguruge (Senani Charade) 47.38 secs.

Motor Gars Over 10.C Kg/Hp Upto and Including 12.0 Kg/Hp: 1. Sajjad Zuhair (Honda Civic) 42.56 secs. 2. Dhammika Peiris (Honda Civic) 42.63 secs. 3. Shantha Suraweera (Subaru Legacy) 42.85 secs.

Motor Cars Over 8.0 Kg/Hp Upto and Including 10.0 Kg/Hp: 1. Darin Weerasinghe (Nissan Impul March) 41.05 secs. 2. Duddhika de Silva (Honda Civic) 42.63 secs. 3. Shirondra Lawrence (Toyota MR 2) 43.31 secs.

Motor Cars SL-A Upto and Including 1050 cc: 1. Darin Weerasinghe (Nissan March) 42.62 secs. 2. Sandamali Mudalige (Daihatsu Charade) 43.89 secs. 3. Mahen Madugalle (Austin Mini) 44.44 secs.

Motor Cars SL-A Over 1050 cc Upto and Including 1400 cc: 1. Rameez Mahammeer (Suzuki Cultus Gti 41.40 secs. 2. Zakio Ismail (I-Chips Honda Mini) 41.70 secs. 3. Prassanna de Alwis (I-Chips Honda) 43.39 secs.

Motor Cars SI-A Over 1400 cc and Upto and Including 1600 cc: 1. Risvi Farouk (Honda V Tec) 40.28 secs. 2. Harsha de Silva (Honda Civic) 40-47 secs. 3. Sumanapala Manapperuma (Honda Civic) 40.75 secs.

Motor Cars Group SL-H 1600 cc: 1. Abeeth Dangalla (Honda Civic) 39.55 secs. 2. Dinesh Jayawardena (DHL Honda Civic) 39.83 secs. 3. Dinesh Senanayake (Honda Civic) 41.59 secs.

Motor Cars - SLGT Upto 3500 cc: 1. Nishan Weerasooriya (Alpha Mitsubishi Evolution 8) 36.05 secs. 2. Romani de Silva (Subaru Impreza) 38.09 secs. 3. Nalin D Perera (Dilpriya Subaru Impresa) 38.71 secs.

Formula Ford Standard 1600 cc: 1. Romani de Silva (RAK Formula Van Diemen) 37.88 secs. 2. Rohan de Silva (Mobil Formula Ford) 37.92 secs. 3. Harsha de Silva (Formula Ford) 38.95 secs.

Formula Cars - Modified Upto 1600 cc: 1. Rohan de Silva (Mobil Formula Special) 37.39 secs. 2. Dinesh Jayawardena (DHL Special) 37.81 secs. 3. Suranjith Premadasa (Formula Ford) 38.06 secs.

Formula Plus Best Performer for the widest margin of win: W.K. Gunasinghe (Yamaha YZ) 6.61 secs.

(T.S. Jinasena trophy for the winner of SLA Cars 1400 cc to 1600 cc Risvi Farouk (Honda V Tec).

Fastest Time of the Day - Motor Cars: Nishan Weerasooriya 36.06 secs.

Fastest Time of the Day Mobikes: Ananda Sampath Weerasinghe 38.35 secs.

Automobile Association Challenge Shield- Darin Weerasinghe 41.05 secs.

Overall Fastest Timing of the Day: Nishan Weerasooriya - 36.05 secs.