The busy streets of Colombo that sleeps at nights will be invaded by mean machines on December 16 and 17 after sunset. All plans have been placed to conduct the inaugural Colombo Night Races which will take motor racing in Sri Lanka to another level. The races will take place in the central area Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, which is the busiest town in the country day or night.
 |
| Rizvi Farouk,
Pic by Amila Prabodha |
The races will see both cars and motorbikes line up in different categories on a circuit that is drawn out from Colombo streets. Ten car events and seven bikes events are on cards according to the organizers of the event. The main race day will be December 17 where the drivers and riders compete following the qualifying races on December 16.
“Night racing was a dream of motor racing fans and competitors and today it has come to a point where almost everything is a possibility. We initially planned on nine races but decided on ten including an international event. The Colombo Night Races will surely help Sri Lanka motor racing reach the level it is longing for,” said Rizvi Farouk, the president of SLAS.
The races will be conducted on the streets that will be totally re-laid especially for the event. Different races will be held for Minis, Fords, Mazdas, Honda Civics in addition to Super Cars and Formula Fords. The main feature of the event will be the combined race for GT3 and GT4 cars where top international competitors drive featuring exotic racing machines.
“Sri Lankan fans will get the opportunity of seeing Aston Martins, Porsches, BMWs, Moslers, Lamborghinis and other racing cars competing on home soil. There is also a possibility of seeing Sri Lanka’s only international driver, Dilantha Malagamuwa taking part in his new Lamborghini. But we have a challenge to lay a clean and flat track for that race because the ground clearance of those cars is very low. We are working on it with extra attention,” added Farouk.
The race circuit sets off opposite Galadari Hotel on Lotus Road and run towards Fort and will take a left turn towards Chatham Street. The drivers will take a right turn to Duke Street which runs towards Main Street opposite Gaffoor Building. Then they will turn left on Sir Baron Jayathilaka Mawatha and run past the Cargills Building on York Street. The route will then take a right turn to Bank of Ceylon Mawatha and towards Ceylon Continental Hotel and turn left towards the roundabout opposite Galadari Hotel where the lap will be completed.
Richard de Zoysa, senior member of the organizing committee, speaking at a press conference held in Colombo last Tuesday (1st) said the objective of this event is to promote tourism. “Our objective is to bring an event to Colombo that will attract local and international attention, highlighting the many great facets of this city, its beautiful surroundings, its great road system and its tourist potential,” de Zoysa said.
The races will be conducted by Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS) and Federation of Motorcycle Sports in Sri Lanka (FMSSL). Carlton Sports and Tharunyata Hetak are the chief organizers of the entire event where Red Cherry Entertainment will also play a major role. Concurrently to the races the second Electric Peacock Festival 2011, a musical extravaganza that features foreign and local artists will be held on both days. The organizers expressed their confidence in the joint effort where sports and entertainment will take the centre stage.
| 
E-mail
