Motor Plus SM Rally October 16 - 17

The 12th annual Southern Motor Sports Club organized Motor Plus Southern Monsoon Rally2010 is due to take place on October 16 and 17 commencing from Matara. This was disclosed to the media at a press briefing held at the National Olympic Committee Auditorium on Thursday.

This annual event has been a tremendous success throughout the years which the top ranked drivers from all parts of the country were eagerly looking forward to. This year the organizers have already received over 50 entries, said Prof. Oscar Amerasinghe addressing the media. He disclosed that the Southern Motor Sports Club which commenced its activities in the year 1997 has come along way in the field of racing during the past thirteen years. The first motive of the SMSC at its inception was to give an opportunity for young drivers of the Southern province to make their way to the racing arena.

This became huge success and the Club not only produced good racing drivers but also gained high reputation for its activities in the past, said Amerasinghe.

The Rally which began with name as Southern Rally was later renamed as the Southern Monsoon Rally as it was scheduled for the month of August along with Monsoon. The event attracted many sponsors during the past rallies due to its success and this year with Sri Lanka Insurance coming in as the main sponsor for the event it is expected to be a greater one. The sponsorship being a huge one this year for the first time the winners will also be given cash awards in addition to the trophies.

The Rally which will be run on for two days (day\night) covers a distance of over 600 kilo meters in three stages.

The drivers are to face many obstacles when covering this distance as they are drive through various difficult routes passing tarred, concrete and gravel surfaces.

The rally drivers on their full journey will be passing through four districts mainly Matara, Galle, Moneragala and Hambantota.

The first stage from Matara to Middeniya, the drivers are to drive for four hours to cover 197 kilo meters.

On completing this section they will have a rest for two hours before commencing the next stage which is to end at Weerawila. The competitors are expected to cover this 204 kilo meter stretch within a given time of four and half hours.

The final stage commences on Sunday morning at 9.0 am and it will come to an end at the starting point the Sanath Jayasuriya stadium around 3.0 pm. The award ceremony and the musical show is to commence around 6.0 pm.

The rally drivers along with their co-drivers on covering this arduous drive of 600 kilo meters will go past the following towns before reaching the finish line on Sunday are

Matara, Mawarala, Pitabeddera, Weligama, Malimbada, Denipitiya, Akuressa, Hakmana, Yatiyana, Matara, Kekanadura, Walasmulla, Kamburupitiya, Mulatiyana, Kotapola, Morawaka, Deniyaya, Kottegoda, Nakulugamuwa, Hakmana, Tangalle, Weeraketiya, Beliatta, Dickwella, Nakiyadeniya, Udugama, Embilipitaya, Wellawaya, Godakawela, Kolombageara, Moneragala, and Udawalawa.

The overall winner will receive the Trophy and a cash award of Rs. 30,000, while the first and second runners up are to get Rs. 20,000 and 10,000 respectively.

Meanwhile the organizers also made arrangements to award to Non Rally Prepared car drivers in the following manner Winner Trophy plus Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 and 5,000 respectively to the two runners up. There will also be awards for stage winners, said the organizers.