Dinesh opens season with Rally win

Dinesh Deheragoda driving his latest addition to the track the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X on gravel for the first time to a comfortable victory by 4 minutes from Javidh Wahab at the MRA Pelwatte Rally 2009 held recently through the gravel roads between the sugarcane fields of the Pelwatte Sugar Corporation in the Moneragala District.

Deheragoda and his co-driver Mushtaq Ahmed ensured the new car's successful debut with 6 stage wins out of 9 overall, also winning the SL - GT Cars up to 3500cc class and dominating a dramatic rally that included several high-profile retirements and changes in the overall standings.

There was plenty of spectacular action as the drivers set a high-standard of competition on the mix of technical and high-speed stages that included multiple spectator viewing locations and a flooded causeway reminiscent of classic World Rally Championship water splashes. For Wahab, co-driven by brother Ishraq, it was another successful rally as he won the SL Cars Up to 1600cc category in his Honda Civic Type-R in addition to his overall second-place finish, the second consecutive rally that he has delivered such a giant-killing performance after finishing second overall to Aravinda Premadasa on November's MRA Sevanagala Rally.

Behind Deheragoda and Wahab was Dinesh Senanayake in his Trucks & Jeeps Open-entered Toyota RAV4 Turbo. Senanayake was without his regular co-driver Riyaz Sangani but newcomer Sanjaya Roshan filled in admirably well as the duo finished 3rd overall and 1st in class, a little over a minute behind the Wahab brothers, the second consecutive time that Senanayake has fallen short of Javidh Wahab by this margin.

MRA Sevanagala Rally 2008 winner Aravinda Premadasa was the first car to take the start of Special Stage 1 but suffered electrical problems and compromised his starting position for the following stages. From that point onwards he was playing catch-up and sadly, his rally ended with further mechanical defects on SS4.

MRA Pelwatte Rally 2007 winners Nishan Weerasooria and Sriomal De Silva also suffered technical problems in their Lancer Evolution IX that caused their retirement, but not before they won SS1 from a surprising Ashan Silva in his Lancer Evolution III. Co-driven by namesake Ashan De Silva, Silva put on a spectacular show, winning SS2 and twice setting competitive stage times on 3 wheels after blowing tires midway through stages. Silva and his mechanics worked feverishly between stages, as the car was also suffering from overheating problems, and despite being forced to nurse the car, they remained close on the tail of Deheragoda heading into the final day's stages.

Unfortunately though, the dream run was not to be, as a violent crash on SS7 put paid to their chances of a good finish and caused both Silva and De Silva minor injuries.

Second in the SL - A class and 4th overall was the pairing of Shafraz Junaid and Akhry Ameer in a Subaru Impreza WRX, followed by Deepthi Perera and Ajith Fernando in the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution in 5th overall and 2nd in Trucks & Jeeps Open.