Motorsports: Double titles for Ashan Silva and Sajaad Zuhair

Ashan Silva and Sajaad Zuhair won double titles at the Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS) Awards Ceremony 2015 which aims to initiate ambitious chapter in the country’s motor racing quest. 

With the backing of the Ministry of Sports and sponsors CEAT, the event was held at the Sports Ministry Auditorium in Torrington. 

Ashan Silva was named the champion in both Gravel and Tarmac racing in the main category in local racing, the Group SL-GT Cars up to 3500cc. 

Sajaad Zuhair experienced the same feat by becoming champion both segments – Gravel and Tarmac -- of the Group SL-H Cars up to 1618cc event. 

Zuhair won his third title for the year 2015 as he shared the championship of Group SL-Special Cars up to 1500cc in Gravel Racing, with Kushan Peiris. 

Madushan Mannapperuma emerged the champion in Tarmac Racing in the same event category. 

Kushan Peiris, after becoming joint champions with Zuhair, went on to win the championship in Gravel Racing in the Group SL-N Ford Laser / Mazda Cars up to 1500cc while the championship for Tarmac Racing went to Shenal Gunawardena. 

The classes or group of vehicles that were selected for the National Championship were Group SL-GT Cars up to 3500cc, Group SL-H Cars up to 1618cc, Group SL-Specials Cars up to 1500cc and Group SL-N Ford Laser / Mazda Cars up to 1500cc. 

The first event included in the SLAS Championship was the Fox Hill Super Cross held at the Sri Lanka Army Military Training Academy in Diyatalawa conducted by the Sri Lanka Autosport Drivers Association (SLADA). 

Two other championship events in the Gravel category that followed were Gajaba Super Cross, conducted by SLADA and Walawe Super Cross, conducted by Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club (SLMCC). 

The championship events of the Katukurunda Circuit Meet 1 conducted by Asian Motor Racing Club (AMRC), Katukurunda Circuit Meet 2 conducted by Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR), Rotherham Katukurunda Circuit Meet conducted by SLADA and the Pannala Circuit meet conducted by AMRC, were part of the Tarmac segment.

The SLAS also unveiled a National TSD Rally championship; a 4-round event which will be competed under their guidelines. 

These rallies will be organised by Southern Motor Sports Club, SLARDAR and Colombo Motor Sports Club. Currently, nine clubs are affiliated to SLAS, namely Asian Motor Racing Club, Ceylon Motor Sports Club, Colombo Motor Sports Club, Motor Racing Association, Negombo Motor Sports Club, Sri Lanka Autosports Drivers Association, Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club, Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders and the Southern Motor Sports Club. 

All winners were given cash prizes worth Rs. 50,000 and trophies.

Simultaneously to the awards ceremony, the SLAS announced the 2016 racing calendar which includes the championship events for 2016. 

Unlike in 2015, the SLAS has made a decision to name only one champion chosen per class. 

The championship will include two hill climbs, three gravel races and four tarmac races making it a nine-round championship. 

The SLAS also has taken the initiative to develop the TSD (Time, Speed, and Distance) Rally segment as a national level event in Sri Lanka, as the segment has become a very popular racing event among the corporate, private clubs and schools.