Deheragoda, Sandaruwan closer to SLARDAR championship

‘Gajaba Super Cross 2007’:

Bernard PERERA

The Gajaba Super Cross 2007 organised by Sri Lanka Army Gajaba Regiment and conducted by Sri Lanka Association for Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) is scheduled to be held tomorrow at Saliyapura Camp Circuit Commencing 9 a.m.

The event is lavishly sponsored by Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel. This meet also the last event for the year conducted for the year 2007 SLARDAR championship.

The meet is one of the biggest motor racing events organised by the Sri Lanka Army to raise funds for the benefit of the families of the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in safe guarding the sovereignty of the country, and to see to the welfare of the disabled soldiers who have suffered injuries during the ethnic conflict in North and East.

This year’s meet is expected to be witnessed by a large spectator gathering to the time of nearly 40,000. The event organised by Gajaba Regiment also has become the most interesting sporting event for the people of North Central Province.

The meet will have 26 events scheduled to be completed by over 150 drivers and riders in different classes of cars and motorcycles. The track at Saliyapura in one of the Best and the toughest tracks in the country where man and machine has to be well tuned for the event.

The young ones who are enthusiastic too have the chance of competing at this track to make their entry into motor racing. With this in view the organisers have made arrangement to conduct events for under 10 and 13 age groups. In fact this has brought in good results towards the sport.

The Championship event for Super Cars will be competed mostly by the Mitsubishi Evo’s as most of the leading drivers in this category are behind the wheels of this brand. The fire champion in this class Aravinda Premadasa was the only driver to use a Subaru in this event which brought him good results, but he too has switched to a Mitsubishi in the recent past.

This class will see Dinesh Deheragoda the man who has won the championship title for two consecutive years going to make it three in a row. Already he has collected a tally of 69 points to be ahead of Dinesh Jayawardene and Aravinda Premadasa. Jayawardene is the closest rival to Deheragoda with 54 points followed by Premadasa.

In the Ford Laster category there is sure to be another battle royal as Upulwan Serasinghe, Nishan Wasalathanthri and Chaminda Weerassoriya along with Dhammika Pieris engage themselves to carry away the championship title.

Meanwhile young Pasindu Peiris who switched to four wheeler competition a year ago following his father’s footsteps, has shown a tremendous improvement in addition to his riding skills. He is sure to pose a big threat to all senior drivers when it comes to competition.

The veteran drivers engaged in motor racing for nearly three decades S. Mannapperuma and Roshan de Silva too are driving alongside the young ones tomorrow on this track which is of great value to the sport.

Rizvi Farook, Reyaz Farook, Ravi Mayadunne, Upul Perera, Abeeth Dangalle, Susantha Gunewardena and Shehan Tissera are the other drivers expected to thrill the crowds on this day.

The large crowd expect the leading rider and four time SLARDAR champion Gayan Sandaruwan to continue his good form this year too. Gayan already has taken a firm lead ahead of his rivals Buddhika Sandaruwan and Pasindu Pieris.

Gayan who first won the SLARDAR championship as a student has been able to continue it for four consecutive years. During this period he has overridden practically all the veterans engaged in Super Cross.

He has overshadowed the veterans like Ananda Wedisinghe, Shane Gunewardene and Ossen during this short period. But few young riders Pieris brothers Pasindu and Sasindu and Buultjens bros. Kevin and Rehan have come up with super performances.

These youngsters will go flat out to give the champion rider a close fight along with Buddhika.

The other riders in the packing category to be expected to do well, will be Rohana Jayaratne and MCS Perera.

Sport fans who gather to cheer their heroes are sure to give all-thrills and spills they expect at a meet of this nature.