Samin Attanayake breaks SLARDAR 1000 hoodoo
View(s):Defending champion Samin Attanayake co-driven by Rahal Uluwita broke the hoodoo of ‘winners never win again’ at the Jeep SLARDAR 1000 motor rally. The duo completed the time-speed-distance (TSD) format rally with 112 debits in his Toyota Bigfoot single cab. The toughest test of man and machine covering nearly 850 km had never seen a repeat victory since 1987 until this time on its 10th edition.Hot title contenders Shafraz Junaid and co-drver Akhry Ameer in their Nissan Datsun cab having given a tough challenge emerged runners-up with 142 debits.
New entrants to rallying Sabry Salam and Ahamed Ashard having been seeded number 27 made a consistent run and emerged 2nd runners-up with 178 debits surprising many of the veterans.
The results were a nail-biting experience to the participants as the drivers surprised each other in the different stages of the rally emerging as stage winners and creating ties for placings. However, the lead drivers Samin Attanayake and Shafraz Junaid proved that experience and consistency is key to stay ahead of the pack.
Similarly Team Emcees comprising of drivers Nisal Hettiarachchi, Asitha Gamlath and Asanka Ranawana won the team award with their consistent performances in the middle rankings.
The three-day five-stage journey began at the DIMO showroom who were sponsors of the event heading towards Kurunegala. The second stage commenced after a two hour service halt and proceeded through the misty roads of the Knuckles mountain range to end at Kandy for a well-earned rest.
The drivers thereafter continued their challenge in the twisty roads of Galaha and Deltota before returning to Kandy for yet another service halt. The final two stages saw the rally proceeding through to Talduwa and back to Colombo for its finish. The drivers’ skills were meted to a mix of gravel and tarmac surfaces from flat road to gruelling estate road conditions.
The SLARDAR 1000 national championship rally event organised by the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders has been staged since 1987 drawing a participation of 30 competitors this year.
The overall winners standings were as follows:
1: Samin Attanayake/Rahal Uluwita (Team Bigfoot) 112
2: Shafraz Junaid/Akhry Ameer (Team ProMech) 142
3: Sabry Salam/Ahamad Ashard (Platinum Racing) 178
4: Nisal Hettiarachchi/Manju Gunawardena (Team Emcees) 187
5: Dan de Silva/Muditha Adikari (Team Jeep 3) 199
6: Asitha Gamlath/Janaka Ratnayake (Team Emcees) 222
7: Aloka de Silva/Meesha Gunawardena (Team Jeep 1) 249
8: Mahesh Weerasinghe/Tharindu Senanayake (No Name) 259
9: Anju Perera/Shehan Wijayanayake (Team Jeep 2) 275
10: Asanka Ranawana/Sachira Samarasinghe (Team Emcees) 290
Standing from left: Nishan Wasalathanthri (President-SARDAR), Akhry Ameer, Shafraz Junaid, Samin Attanayake, Rahal Uluwita, Ahamad Ashard, Sabry Salam, Maj. Gen. Nissanka Wijesinghe