Ashan Silva sparkles at racing awards

by Geesha Munasinghe

Motor racing maestro Ashan Silva showed just why he is streets ahead of rival drivers on both gravel and tarmac as he bagged the two most prestigious awards at the annual Sri Lanka Automobile Sports awards ceremony held at the auditorium of the Sports Ministry in Colombo.

Silva was adjudged the best in both forms of racing (gravel and tarmac) for GT cars upto 3500cc while Sajaad Zuhair took the award for the best driver in the H cars upto 1618cc category.

Zuhair was also joint champion driver with Kushan Peiris in the Special cars upto 1500cc category in the gravel segment while Madushan Manapperuma won the award for the best driver in the tarmac group.

Kushan Peiris also took away the award for best driver in the gravel racing category (N Ford Lazer/Mazda cars upto 1500cc) while Shenal Gunawardena walked away with the prize for the best driver tarmac segment.

Retired Wing Commander Jaliya Jayasekera the secretary of Sri Lanka Automobile Sports which conducted the awards ceremony said the event marked a turning point in the future of motor racing and competitors in the country.

"This event has helped to bring forward the great talents behind the wheels as well as give them the boost and confidence needed to see them through at future events.

The enthusiasm and determination we witnessed in the course of these events have been of utmost character and the support we have had from the many stakeholders in this great initiative has been instrumental", he said.

Also present on the occasion was Sri Lanka Automobile Sports Council president Rodney Mason along with members of his Committee who according to the organisers of the show had continually endeavoured to bring motor sports in Sri Lanka to a whole new level where drivers could yearn to be placed on par with international competitions.

The Fox Hill Super Cross in Diyatalawa and the Gajaba Super Cross conducted by the Sri Lanka Autosport Drivers Association (SLADA) and the Walawe Super Cross that is worked off by the SLMCC came under the gravel category while the Katukurunda Circuit Meet One conducted by Asian Motor Racing Club (AMRC), Katukurunda Circuit Meet two conducted by the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR), Rotherham Katukurunda Circuit Meet conducted by SLADA and the Pannala Circuit meet conducted by AMRC) were part of the tarmac segment.

For the first time the award for the best motor racing club was decided on a popular vote which enabled SLARDAR to bag the prize.

The unveiling of the 2016 racing calendar also took place during the awards ceremony with nine championship races on the cards to be worked off taking in two hill climbs, three gravel races and four tarmac competitions.