Motor Racing at Nuwara Eliya on April 26

S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.

MOTOR RACING: After a uncertain period for the conduct of motor races in Nuwara Eliya city, the Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club has succeeded in obtaining permission to conduct these in the Lake Circuit on April 26 (Sunday). The official practices will be on April 25. There were some doubts about the conduct of these motor races in Nuwara Eliya this year following the death of racing driver Dilshan Bandaranayake where his Mini Austin car was involved in a collision with the vehicle driven by Ajith Hemachandra near the turn off to Nanu Oya and the race brought to an abrupt end.

Since then much has been written on this subject and many were trying to make a strong case to prevent these races being held using this fatal accident as a trump. But the officials of the Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club who have been conducting these races for the past fifty years have succeeded in obtaining the permission from the Defence Ministry and the governing body for motor sports the Sri Lanka Association for Automobile Sports (SLAAS) but with certain restrictions being imposed in the races for motor cars. This year, the race for motor cars will be on lap timing with each vehicle given two laps and the best of two laps will be taken into account. Ten events for motor cycles with mass start and two events for motor cars will be worked off.

The events for motor cycles will be:

Standard upto 125 cc (2 stroke), Standard upto 125 cc (4 stroke), Standard upto 150 cc (4 stroke). The above 3 events will be classified under Group `O’ standard and should be of single cylinder. Standard upto 250 cc (four stroke).

Group P Standard/Modified: Std/Modified upto 125 cc (2 stroke), Std/Modified upto 250 cc (Dhanapala Memorial Trophy).

Group R Racing: Racing upto 125 cc.

Group SM Super Motard: Super Motard upto 250 cc, Super Motard upto 450 cc, Super Motard - Open.

Motor Cars - time trails 2 laps.

Group SL-N: Mini 7 upto 1000 cc and Over 12 Kg/HP.

The Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club will conduct these in association with the Nuwara Eliya Motor Racing Club.

Entries are open and will be accepted at 1672 Kotte Road, Rajagiriya, Telephone No. 0602 168603 and also at Asian Motors (Pvt) Limited, 484, T. B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10. Motor races at Nuwara Eliya generates a lot of interest and usually a very large witness this event. There was a time even Formula Cars participated at these races.