Sandaruwan Best Rider 2013
View(s):Champion rider Gayan Sandaruwan clinched the Best Rider 2013 award as the main award on offer for the Best Driver 2013 was held back from being awarded pending an inquiry at the CEAT-SLADA Championship Awards Night which was held last Saturday in Boralesgamuwa.
Gayan Sandaruwan recieves his award from Major General Daya Ratnayake the Army Commander at SCEAT-SLADA Awards 2013. - Pix by Susantha Liyanawatte
Sandaruwan, a household name in Sri Lanka motor sports won the prestigious award for his performances during the concluded season of 2013. The Best Driver’s award for 2013 was not offered as one of the top contenders Dinesh Deheragoda has lodged a protest against the virtual winner Ashan Silva according to Sri Lanka Autosports Drivers Association (SLADA) officials.
Besides Sandaruwan’s award, champion drivers of seven other categories were recognised at the gala night which culminated the motor racing season of 2013 in a fitting way. Among the recipients was Upulwan Serasinghe who won the Ford Laser/Mazda 1300cc and Cars 1500cc categories. Damith Weerasinghe won the Cars 1000cc category whole the Mini 7 category was won by Lakmal Wijeratne.
Dinesh Senanayake won the Truck and Jeep category award while the SLN Cars up to 1500cc was won by Kaushalya Samarasinghe.
The six major race meets considered for championship points were the Foxhill Supercross, Cavalry Supercross, Gajaba Supercross, Gunners Supercross, Sigiriya
Sandaruwan in action
Rallycross and Rotherham Circuit Meet Katukurunda. This year’s meets were professionally conducted with the assistance of two experienced racing clubs, the Ceylon Motor Sports Club and the Motor Racing Association.
This was the fourth successive year that the CEAT Kelani supported the apex event to recognise champion racing drivers and riders in Sri Lanka. Besides its sponsorship of the CEAT SLADA Championship and its support to the race meets conducted by the Sri Lanka Army and the Sri Lanka Air Force, CEAT also fields its own racing team at many of these meets, supporting and encouraging individual drivers to improve on their performances.