Sports - Deheragoda burns Waters Edge

Wild cheering, colourful crowds and churning gravel greeted competitors and spectators alike. This was at the first auto cross which ended at Waters Edge in Battaramulla yesterday. Overnight rain had made the track extremely tricky. This happened because the track was gravel as opposed to the usual tarmac. This did not stop Dinesh Deheragoda from winning the prestigious SL-GT cars up to 3500 cc event. Deheragoda driving a Mitsubishi Evo0 GT, won in a time of 1.06.09. Ashan Silva in a Mitsubishi Evo3 came in second while Janaka Dias in a Subaru WRX came in third.The auto cross was sponsored by Red Bull and organized by the Ceylon Motor Sports Club. A member of the organizing committee said that this event was the first of many. He added that even for a new comer it was ideal. This is because the vehicles race one at a time.

Thus the newcomer can experience the thrill of speed and yet not feel any pressure from other competitors

Meanwhile in the SL-T&J diesel up to and including 5500 cc turbo, Nigel Werapemali driving a Landrover Defender 90 came in first with a time of 1.16.51.

He was followed by Travice Ondaatjie in a Toyota Surf. Third place went to K.M. Indika Sanjaya who was driving a Landrover Defender 90.

In other results, Dinesh Senanayake won the SL-T&J petrol up to and including 3000 cc non turbo.

He was followed by Osanda Maligaspe and Bri Ponnambalam. In the SL-T&J up to and including 5500 cc non turbo, Ranjith Gunathilake came in first followed by Upul Perera and Rohan Fonseka.

Dilshan Bandaranayake won the highly entertaining Mini One Make. Ravi Abeysekera came in second while M. Wickramasinghe was placed third. In the Ford Laser/Mazda 323 – 1300 cc (SL-N) One Make, Susantha Gunawardene came in first ahead of U. C. Perera and Harisha Amarasekara. Darin Weerasinghe won the ‘cars more than 8.0 – 10.0 KG/hp. Buddhika de Silva. Shafraz Junaid came in third.

All in all it was a fun filled day for everybody who braved the rain and turned up at Waters Edge.