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.
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