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| Sunday, 17 August 2003 |
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Epoch-making Classic Car races at Pannala today by S. M. JIFFREY ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr. Classic cars, those beauties from the old vintage era which had raced and graced our roads will be involved in another epoch-making when the first ever classic car races takes place at the Pannala International Racing Circuit in Pannala today, commencing in the morning. This historic racing event is organised by the Classic Car Club of Ceylon and will be sponsored by McFoil. The President of the Classic Car Club and racing enthusiast Mana Jayawardena said that this club which was formed on 8th April, 1992, now enjoys a membership of 268 during the decade of its existence and has organised many rallies and also two hill climbs at a private estate in Gampola and has also got affiliation to the international controlling body of self propelled historic of France (FIVA). This has been good going during its short period of existence. Around 85 Classic Cars manufactured between 1951 and 1985 which are absolute beauties and collectors items will be seen in action at the Pannala racing track for the first time. The organisers will not run the risk of a mass start, and instead, the vehicles according to classification will be flagged off in brief intervals which will be less than a minute. All vehicles will be timed to arrive at the winner. The events which will be worked off are Morris Minor OHV Event, Saloon Cars Upto 1000cc, Formula Ford 1600cc (Post 85), Formula Cars 1600cc (Pre 85), Sports Cars upto 1000cc, Saloon Cars upto 1600cc, Sports Cars Upto 1600cc, Mini Moke Upto 1000cc, Sports Cars Over 1600cc, Saloon Cars Over 1000cc. Thus a total of 12 events will be worked off. Some of the beauties of old vintage which are expected to face the starters orders are Morris Minor, Ford Prefects, Austin A 30, Austin A 35, Fiat Spider, Fiat 850 Coupe, Austin Healy Sprite, Peugeot 203, Volkswagon Beetle, 1953 model, Volkswagon Karman Ghia, Ford Mexico, Opel Rekard, MG Magnet, Wolsley, Peugeot 404 1971 model, Triumph Spit Fire, MGTD, Lotus Elan, Sunbeam Alpine, MGA, Austin Mini, Jaguar E Type, Triumph TR 2, Peugeot 504 1977 model, Merceds 180 B, Jaguar MK 2, Jaguar VI 1986, Buick Super 8, Barracuda. There will also be very serious racing in the formula events for Ford Formula 1600cc which will be categorised into Pre 1985 models and Post 1985 models. Like in other races there will be official practices for the grid positions for the first race. The grid positions for the second race will be decided on the results of the first race which will make very interesting. Those running in the pre 1986 event will be Harsha de Silva, Tharindu Lokuge, Michael Muthumani, Romesh Paul, S. A. Harsha, Rikaaz Khalid. The post 1985 event will turn out to be a hot event with the participation of the Indian racing driver Patheer Suresh, maestro Rohan de Silva, Romani de Silva, Dilantha Malagamuwa, Dejan de Zoysa, Dinesh Jayawardena, Randy Batcho, Shashika Dias, Rizvi Farouk, Simon Lourensz. It is not only racing, there will also be fun events later in the afternoon for the classic cars before they round off a hectic weekend as on the previous day having participated in a 40 kilometre rally from Colombo to Negombo and cooled off their engines at the Browns Beach Hotel. |
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