Record number of entries:

Rotherham Circuit Race Meet

Bernard PERERA

The fourth annual Rotherham Circuit Motor Race Meet organized by Sri Lanka Air Force Motor Racing Committee and conducted by Sri Lanka Association for Racing Drivers and Riders is scheduled for August 8 (Sunday) at Katukurunda Air Strip commencing 9.30 a.m. This was disclosed to the media at a press briefing held at Air Force Auditorium on Wednesday.

This meet which was held previously at the Katunayake Air Strip in the early seventies. But due to the increasing Air Traffic the meet was shifted to Katukurunda. With Lanka undergoing ethnic problems in the past three decades this too had to be called off.

The present Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke who is a keen sportsman himself thought it fitting to restart the meet for years ago also with the changing of the name to Rotherham Circuit. The name Rotherham was chosen because the first Commander of the Katukurunda Base during the World War II was captain Hank Rotherham, said the Air Chief Marshal Gunetilleke. Speaking further he said that the past three years events were highly successful and it has produced the real thrills and spills what the Motor Racing fans expected from a meet of this nature. Continuing he told that in the past three years all leading drivers and riders have participated as this event is considered as a national event and included in the list. The Air Force in the recent past has taken a keen interest in developing sports. This has produced good results with many Airmen getting the opportunity to represent the country in various sporting activities and also they have brought honour to the country by winning medals.

This year's event has attracted the highest number of participants (178 drivers and riders) which is a record for a Motor racing event. This number goes onto prove the enthusiasm shown by the competitors for both categories.

The main championship event SL-GT Cars upto 3500 cc class has attracted 12 cars. With all leading drivers in the country hoping to win this championship title will have a tough challenges to come up with as many youngsters too have shown an interest for this event. Former champions Aravinda Premadasa and Dinesh Deheragoda will have to battle hard as the driver of the calibre of Pasindu Pieris, Janaka Dias, Reyaz Farook and Ashan Silva are set to pose a big threat to these former champs. Specially Ashan Silva, Janaka Dias and young Pasindu Pieris have come up with superlative performances in the past few months.

The other championship event the group SL-H cars upto 1600 cc has set another record with twenty entries. This event is going to be the thrilling as it is the first occasion Sri Lanka is seeing such a large number of drivers taking the starters orders in a mass start. The event will be contested by the all top class drivers in this class. Upulwan Serasinghe, Pasindu Pieris, Javi Wahab, Sajjaad Zuhair, Michael Wijesuirya, Dinesh Jayawardene, Ashan Silva and Irshaq Wahab are the seniors in the battle for supremacy in this class. They will have to face stiff competition from the young drivers Purna Perera, Buddhika de Silva, Darin Weerasinghe, Nalin Gunesekera and Abeeth Dangalla. As this event is a highly competitive one with the largest number of vehicles on track the spectators are assured of a top class racing in this event. None will be able to predict a winner as it is so jam packed.

In the minis to a big battle is expected with all seasoned drivers K. Balasingham and W. M. K. Wickramasinghe in action against Lasantha Goonesekera and Upendra Weerawarnakula.

The Nissan March upto 1000 cc category will see the only lady driver S. A. Lakshika come on the track along with her two brothers S. A. Duminda and S. A. Harsha. It has to be witnessed whether this trio will set the pace for the seasoned campaigners in this class Michael Wijesuriya, Dhammika Pieris, Harsha Panduwawala, Buddhika de Silva and Lanil Galaboda. As this event is a one make class it has to the skill that will bring the winner.

Upulwan Serasinghe who has been a prominent driver in the SL-N Cars upto 1500 cc Ford Laser/Mazda will not have things easy on this day as host of classy drivers are there to chase him all to the finish line. Randeer Rodrigo who was out of action for nearly two years will be back on the track to chase the veterans in this class.

Once again the 1400 cc class there will be host of drivers who are raring to go on this day. They include Yoga Perera, Shantha Suraweera, Pasindu Pieris, S. A. Duminda, Zakie Izmail, Mahen Madugalle and Ajith Keerthi. Here too over ten cars will line up for the start. The Motor Cycle events too will be hotly contested on this day as all past winners and up and coming riders are ready to come to the start point.

In the racing bike category upto 125 cc Krishan Dias, Prabath Pieris and Udesh Wedisinghe can be seen in battle. While in the 250 cc class too a hot competition can be expected with Maduranga Caldera leading the way. He has won many times on this track. But nothing can be predicted as it is an event with nearly twenty riders on show.

It will be an interesting day for Motor cycle race fans as two brothers Jaden and Aaron below the age of ten years who are following in the footstep of their father Shane Gunewardene entering the track to compete with seniors in the 125 cc class. In fact Jaden proved that he is rider who is eyeing a good future in this sport . Winning at Kanway circuit at Mirigama two weeks ago and repeated the same last Sunday at the Pannala track. All eyes will be on these two young riders who are courageous enough to take the challenges from their seniors.

This years main sponsor for the event will be the Bank of Ceylon which also celebrates it 71st anniversary. The last three years saw Mobitel, as main sponsors they too will combine with CEAT Lanka Ltd. The other sponsors are Browns Group who supplies Batteries and Coca Cola, Keells. The Media sponsors for the event are ANCL (Lake House) to Sri Lanka Rupavahini, Kuwait Airways have come forward to offer Air tickets to overall winners in cars and motor cycles as prizes.

It was also stated by the organizers that all proceeds gathered through the Rotherham Circuit race meet will be utilized for the welfare of the Airmen's families who lost their lives in action and for those with injuries and all Airmen in service. A part of it will also be used for sports activities of Sri Lanka Air Force. All in all a great of Motor racing can be witnessed with help of Sir Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Association for Racing drivers and Riders.