Two time national champion driver Ashan Silva and young rider Jacques Gunawardene stole the limelight when they were adjudged best driver and best rider respectively, at the Commando Challenge Super Cross held last Sunday (4) Uva Kuda Oya.
They received the best driver and best rider awards in one section of the Hutch Sri Lanka Super Series that was conducted by SLARDAR. Ashan drove his Mitsubishi Evo to win race One and Two in the SL-GT Cars up to 3500cc Class with ease. Ashan led the race from the start with three young drivers Ushan Perera, Kushan Peiris and Ishraq Wahab offering stiff challenge at the start. Ashan kept increasing on the lead to finish first while Ushan and Kushan finished as first and second runners-up. The second race in the same class too saw Ashan off to a flying start and finished as the winner which gave him the Best Driver’s Award while Ishraq Wahab managed to go past Kushan in the fifth lap to secure the second runner-up position. Young rider Jacques Gunawardene who finished second to Evon Gurusinghe in the first race in Group M STD Motorcycles over 175cc up to 250cc (4T) and 100cc up to 125cc, came up with a brilliant performance in the second race to beat Gurusinghe and Sameera Premaratne. This achievement was the decider for Jacques to grab the award for the Best Rider.
Gurusinghe got off to a flier in the second race and was in front until the final lap. Jacques, who was far behind, closed the gap lap by lap and went past Gurusinghe with only a few metres away from the finish line amid loud cheers from the vast crowd.
Shanuka Sandaruwan, the younger brother of former champion rider Gayan Sandaruwan, excelled on this day by winning both races in the Group M STD Motorcycles over 175cc up to 250cc (4T) and 100cc up to 125cc race. Shanuka faced stiff competition from Gurusinghe and Lahiru Jeevantha.
Kesara Godage the driver who is still competing in the under-15 age category, was in action in the Group SL-E cars 1000cc category against senior drivers in this class and went on to beat all of them. He also went on to win the Group J MX Motorcycles Over 65cc up to 85cc (2/T) and up to 150cc (4/T) under-15 years bagging a good double.
In the Group SL-N Ford lazer/Mazda cars up to 1300 cc it was a battle between father Upulwan Serasinghe and son Devin. Though Devin was following his father, Mihan Peiris managed to finish as runner-up.
In the junior category motor cycle events in age groups 5 to 9 years and 7- 10 years it was NK Imasha who stole the limelight winning both these age categories. The 9-12 age group was dominated by Irosh Sumanasekera.
The Commando Challenge Super Cross was organized by the Commando Regiment of the Army and conducted by the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) for the Hutch Sri Lanka Super Series 2019.
Results:
Group SL- Nissan March 1000cc 1. Kesara Godage, 2. Himesha Tennekoon, 3. Sathruwan Perera
Group M - STD/Mod Motor Cycles up to 125cc 1. Madura Peiris 2, Raveesha Jayasan, 3. PWGCK Pokunuwatta
Group JMX Racing Motor cycles 50cc Over 5 years and under 9 years – 1. NK Imasha, 2. Shaqeeb Ahamed, 3. PT Anuhas
Group MS Super Moto Motorcycles 125cc up to 500cc 249cc up to 759cc Mono Twin Cylinder (Race- 1) - Deshan Solanki, 2. Imal Manchanayake, 3. Sachithra Rajakaruna
Group SL E - Ford Laser 1300cc – 1. Kolitha Edirisinghe, 2. Kesara Godage, 3. Chamath Palliyaguru
Group SL - H cars up to 1600cc – 1. Zakir Wahab, 2. S.L. Wijayaratne, 3. Upulwan Serasinghe
Group JMX – Racing Motorcycles – 50cc up to 65 cc (2/T & 4/T) 7 to 10 years – 1. NK Imasha, 2. Shaqeed Ahamed, 3L.P.T. Anuhas
Group JMX Racing Motorcycles – 65cc up to 85cc (2/T) 9 to 13 years – 1. Irosh Sumanasekera, 2. Rivinu Ratnayake
Group M STD Motorcycles over 175cc up to 250cc (4T) and 100cc up to 125cc Race 1 – 1. Shanuka Sandaruwan, 2. Evon Gurusinghe, 3. Lahiru Jeevantha
SL - GT Cars up to 3500cc - Race 1 – 1. Ashan Silva, 2. Ushan Perera, 3. Kushan Peiris
Group SL N Cars – Ford Laser/Mazda 1300cc – 1. Upulwan Serasinghe, 2. Mihan Peiris, 3. Devin Serasinghe
Group J MX Motor cycles Over 65cc up to 85cc (2/T) and up to 150cc (4/T) under-15 – 1. Kesara Godage, 2. Romesh de Silva, 3. Gagana Fernando
Group MX – Racing Motor Cross Bikes 100cc up to 125cc (3/T) -1. Sameera Premaratne, 2. Lahiru Jeevantha, 3. Mithun Sigera
Group SL H Subaru Legacy 2000cc – 1. Malika Kuruwitaarachchi, 2. Nigel Perera, 3. Hashen Peiris
Group MX Motor Cross Bikes 175cc up to 250cc (4/T) 7 over 100cc up to 125cc Race 1 - 1. Evon Gurusinghe, 2. Jacques Gunawardene, 3. Sameera Premaratne
Group SL N Ford Laser/Mazda 1500cc – 1. Tharindu Dharmaratne, 2. Devin Serasinghe, 3. Nishantha Senadeera
Group SM Supermoto Motor Cycle 125cc up to 500cc (2/T) & 249cc up to 750cc (4/) Mono Twin Cylinder Race 2 – 1. Deshan Solanki, 2. Sachithra Rajakaruna, 3. Imal Manganayake
Group M STD Motorcycles over 175cc up to 175cc up to 250cc (4/T) and over 100cc up to 125 cc (2/T) Race 2 – 1. Shanuka Sandaruwan, 2. Evon Gurusinghe, 3. Lahiru Jeewantha
SL - GT Cars up to 3500cc Race 2 – 1. Ashan Silva, 2. Ushan Perera, 3. Irshraq Wahab
Group MX Motor Cross Bikes 175cc up to 250cc (4/T) 7 over 100cc up to 125cc (2/T) Race 2 – 1. Jacques Gunawardene, 2. Evon Gurusinghe, 3. Sameera Premaratne
