Ashan and Shanuka take centre stage
Kushan Peiris winner of two events
Sri Lanka’s top driver Ashan Silva and Shanuka Sandaruwan emerged as the best driver and rider at the inaugural Colombo Supercross held at the newly laid motor racing track in Navy Racing Club in Welisara.
Ashan who bagged the best drivers’ award at the recently concluded Foxhill Supercross held in Diyatalawa a fortnight ago, continued his form as he bagged the best drivers award with his scintillating driving to win the two SL – GT Cars upto 3500cc events with ease.
In fact it was a one horse race as prominent drivers in the likes of Pasindu Peiris, Ushan Perera and a host of others following were way behind the Ashan who stamped his class.
Twenty-one-year old Shanuka, younger brother of champion rider Gayan Sandaruwan, who needs no introduction to the motor racing fraternity, bagged the best rider’s award which he is achieving it for the first time.
For the record Gayan has won over 30 best rider awards in the top racing meets around the island and also has also won the overall champion rider award a record nine times.
Shanuka too was in top form as he had the spectators on their feet with his dazzling jumps in his Honda CRF250 bike and his two wins in the Group MX over 175cc upto 250cc(4T) and over 100cc upto 125cc(2T) too turned out to be a one sided affair.
Shanuka Sandaruwan the best rider of Colombo Supercross in action
Apart from these two races, Shanuka won another event to end up with three wins and also came second in another event and he is sure to follow his brother’s footsteps and will be seeking to achieve more glory in the racing meets due to be held in the future.
Twenty-year-old Kushan Peiris too continued his dominance as he too followed his double win at the Foxhill Supercross by coming out victorious in his two pet events – the Group SL N Standard Cars – Ford Laser/Mazda 1300cc) and Group SL H Cars upto 1618cc.
Kushan has so far, within two months has been successful to come out on top in more than ten events comprising the Nuwara Eliya Festival motor racing meets and the previous two the Foxhill Supercross and Colombo Supercross.
Rider Imal Manchanayake was the other successful participant to win a double as he too bagged two races following his double at the Foxhill Supercross. Imal came out on top in the Race 1 and 2 of Group SM – Super Motard 250cc upto750cc (4T) and including 125cc upto 500cc (2T) Mono Twin Cylinder (Race 2).
Two other drivers Ajith Kumara and Manjula Wijesinghe too bagged a double with Ajith coming out on top in the SL A Mini 7 upto 1000cc and SL A Modified cars upto 1050 cc events and Manjula the SL H Subaru Legacy 2000cc and Group T and J Diesel Turbo upto 5500cc events.
The Colombo Supercross conducted in collaboration with SLARDAR and AMRC held for the first time came in for high praise from the majority of competitors, brushing aside rumours being spread by interested parties with vested interest.
Results:
- Â Motor Cars:
 Group SL A Mini: 1- Ajith Keerthi (Autobacks Mini). 2. K. Parameswaran (Austin Mini). 3. Dilan Perera (Austin Mini).
Group SL E Mini 1275cc: 1. Duminda Jayasinghe (Mini1275). 2. Neil Weerasinghe (Autobacks Mini1275). 3. Ignatius Perera (Austin Mini).
Group SL A Modified Cars upto and including 1050cc: 1. Ajith Keerthi (Autobacks Mini1028). 2. S.A. Harsha (Nissan March1050). 3. Yasith Gamage (Nissan March998).
Group SL N Standard Cars – Ford Laser/Mazda 1300cc: 1. Kushan Peiris (Mazda1300). 2. Randika Niroshan (Mazda Familia1300). 3. Susantha Gunawardena (Ford Lase1300).
Group SL H Cars upto 1618cc: 1. Kushan Peiris (Honda Civic1600). 2. Zaakir Wahab (Honda Civic1600). 3. Upulwan Serasinghe (Honda V-Tec1600).
Group SL H Subaru Legacy 2000cc: 1. Manjula Wijesinghe (Subaru Legacy 2000). 2. Dhanuka Weerakoon (Subaru Legacy 2000). 3. Malika Kuruwitaarachchi Subaru Legacy 2000).
Twin brothers Minuka and Rivinu Ratnayake who took the first and second slots in the under 10 year’s event
SL GT Cars upto 3500cc (Race 1): 1. Ashan Silva (Mitsubishi Evo2000). 2. Pasindu Peiris (Mitsubishi Evo2000). 3. Nishan Wasalathanthri (Mitsubishi Evo2000).
Group T and J Diesel Turbo upto 5500cc: 1. Manjula Wijesinghe (Mitsubishi2500). 2. W. Priyantha (Mitsubishi2500). 3. Col. Indu Samarakoon (Mitsubishi3200).
Group SL N Ford Laser/Mazda 1500cc: Results withheld due to protest inquiry pending.
Group T and J Open for Petrol and Diesel Vehicles: 1. Ishraq Wahab (Mitusbishi Pajero Evo3500). 2. Dinesh Senanayake (Toyota2000). 3. Duminda Jayasinghe (Toyota3800).
SL GT Cars upto 3500cc (Race 2): 1. Ashan Silva (Mitsubishi Evo 2000). 2. Pasindu Peiris (Mitsubishi Evo 2000). 3. Manish Goonetileke (Mitsubishi Evo 2000).
- Â Motorcycles:
Group J MX Motorcycles over 85cc (2T) upto 150cc (4T) Under-13 years: Results withheld due to protest inquiry pending.
Group M STD/MOD) upto 125cc (2T): 1. M.N. Perera (KTM125). 2. Ashen Shehara (KTM125). 3. Jayampathi Dissanayake (Gas Gas125cc).
Group J Motorcycles (Junior) upto 50cc Over-7 and Under-10 years: 1. Minuka Ratnayake (Yamaha PW50). 2. Rivinu Ratnayake (Yamaha PW50). 3. Irosh Sumanasekera (Yamaha PW50).
Group SM Super Motard 250cc upto750cc (4T) and including 125cc upto 500cc (2T) Mono Twin Cylinder (Race 1): 1. Imal Manchanayake (HondaCRF 250). 2. Deshan Solonski (Suzuki RMZ250). 3. Chaminda de Silva (Honda CRF250).
Group J MX over 65cc upto 85cc 2T and upto 150cc 4T Under-16 years: Results withheld due to protest inquiry pending.
Group M STD/MOD Motorcycles over 175cc upto 250cc 4T and including over 100cc upto 125cc 2T M (Race 1): 1. Shanuka Sandaruwan (Honda CRF250). 2. Lahiru Jeewantha (Yamaha WRF250). 3. R.M. Safras (Yamaha RWF250).
Group MX Racing Motocross Bikes over 100cc upto 125cc 2T (Forces Event/Special Club Event: 1. Buddika Silva (Yamaha YZ125). 2. Mithun Sigera (Yamaha YZ125). 3. Lahiru Jeewantha (Yamaha YZ125).
Group MX over 175cc upto 250cc 4T and over 100cc upto 125cc 2T (Race 1): 1. Jin Liyanage (Yamaha YZF250). 2. Shanuka Sandaruwan (Honda CRF250). 3. Mithun Sigera (Honda CRF250).
Group M STD/MOD Motorcycles over 175cc upto 250cc 4T and including over 100cc upto 125cc 2T M (Race 2): 1. Shanuka Sandaruwan (Honda CRF250). 2. Lahiru Jeewantha (Yamaha WRF250). 3. Sandaru Shanilka (Yamaha WR250).
Group SM Super Motard 250cc upto750cc 4T and including 125cc upto 500cc 2T Mono Twin Cylinder (Race 2): 1. Imal Manchanayake (Honda CRF 250). 2. Deshan Solanki (Suzuki RMZ250). 3. Sampath Weerasinghe (Honda CRF250).
Group MX over 175cc upto 250cc 4T and over 100cc upto 125cc 2T (Race 2): 1. Shanuka Sandaruwan (Honda CRF250). 2. Jin Liyanage (Yamaha YZF250). 3. Madura Peiris (Yamaha YZF250).