Pasindu entertains racing fans

Peiris successfully defending his position from Aravinda Premadasa when going into the first turn in the very first lap of the race.

Defending gravel champion Pasindu Peiris entertained over 100,000 spectators with a spectacular display of gravel driving, when he drove his new team EZY Racing to a flying start to the 2012 race season by stamping his class all the way to win the SLGT upto 3500 category in the recently concluded Carlton Super Cross organized by Tharunyata Hetak Organization. The 24 year old champion put on yet another extraordinary show of gravel, proving to all present that he indeed deserved his title "King of Gravel".

Pasindu who has previously won on multiple occasions in the Thissamaharama circuit, showed immense control over his Mitsubishi ER9 when he set a blazing speed during the free practices and qualifying session to set the fastest time on Saturday and assure himself of the pole sitter position for Sunday's race.

Pasindu's closest competition came from the another great gravel driver Aravinda Premadasa, who was also driving for a new team, Exide Racing, while Dinesh Deheragoda managed to qualify third.

The SLGT event which is also classified as the super car event, go off to a blazing start as anticipated with Premadasa getting off to a flying start. Coming into first, Premadasa managed to get the inside line and parallel to Pasindu, where he displayed the fact that he is indeed made of steel and will not crack under pressure when he held onto the outside line while throughout the first turn, in parallel with Premadasa, and kept going all the way to the left handed next turn where he held the advantageous inside line.

Pasindu Peiris on the podium with Dinesh Deheragoda (Left) and Manish Goonatilleke (Right).

Once Pasindu was able to get ahead of Premadasa out of second turn, he started pulling off from the rest of the pack and settled into the race halfway through the first lap of the ten lap race. From there onwards Pasindu was just pure entertainment for the crowd as he became a distant image for the rest of the pack. Aravinda Premadasa who was lying second in the race, unfortunately had to retire in the eighth lap. Pasindu went on to take the chequered flag with ease while Dinesh Deheragoda finished second and Manish Goonatillake third.

"I knew it was going to be a tough weekend and I did expect some stiff competition from both Aravinda (Premadasa) and Dinesh (Deheragoda). The track was watered just before the start and this put me at a disadvantage as I was on the muddy part of the track.

This gave me a slow start and I knew I had to hold my line through and not concede my lead to Aravinda in the first corner. Once I was able to hold it through, I focused on putting everything I could for the next few laps. Once I knew I had pulled a considerable lead, I got the message from my pitwall that I could ease off and nurse the car through." said an elated Pasindu after the race.

However, Pasindu who also took part in the SLH upto 1600CC event in his Honda ER 4, along with his team mate Sajaad Zuhair in his Honda ER 6, failed to book a place on the podium when placed fourth and fifth.

At the next event which will be a tarmac circuit event in February organised by Sri Lanka's oldest motor sporting club, the Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC), who will organize first round of the Speed 2012 which will be conducted at the most technical motor sporting arena in Sri Lanka, the Pannala Circuit, Racing intends on having their entire driver and rider cadres participating for the first time for 2012.

Pasindu Peiris, the winner of the SLGT upto 3500 category on the podium with Dinesh Deheragoda (Left) and Manish Goonatilleke (Right).

Peiris successfully defending his position from Aravinda Premadasa when going into the first turn in the very first lap of the race.

Champion rider Gayan Sandaruwan airborne	Upulwan Serasinghe wins the Ford Lazer/Mazda 1300cc event.	Winner of the Nissan March event, Ashan Silva off to a flying start.