Newcomers
warned to take it easy in final round of Malaysian Rally
Championship
21/11/2008
21 November,
2008, Selangor: The Monsoon rains have set a slippery stage
for the sixth and final round of the Malaysian Rally Championship
2008 (MRC) and the Organisers are warning newcomers to ‘take
it easy’.
Tengku Shaharin
Abu Bakar Almarhum Tengku Suleiman, Director of Wheel Sport
Management (WSM) and Clerk of the Course for the Championship,
said the Stages within the oil-palm plantations of Ladang
KLIA Sepang are extremely muddy and slippery and newcomers
should beware.
“We
are very pleased to have 12 new drivers entered in this
round. We know they are very enthusiastic, but we’re
asking them to drive carefully and not take too many risks
or they may not finish the race,” said Tengku Shaharin
.
One such
newcomer is Gina Finanza Daud who has entered the P12 category
in a Proton Satria. Finanza will be driving in her very
first rally together with her rookie navigator, Nur Rashidah
Rahim.
“Everyone
can start a rally but not everyone can finish. So although
I’m here to have fun, I will be taking it easy and
my goal is to finish the race,” Gina Finanza said.
Finanza’s
rally entry is a result of her enjoying her time as Manager
to veteran rally driver Sutan Mustaffa Salihin for the last
three Rounds. She liked it so much she has decided to get
behind the wheel herself. Finanza aims to complete all four
Rounds in the 2009 Season but not as a driver. She will
be navigator to Ahmad Nadzrie Shuhaimi who is currently
Sutan’s co-driver.
Finanza will
line up to compete against 26 other drivers and co-drivers
this weekend. All teams were flagged off this evening at
the Official Start held at Jaya One in Petaling Jaya. Tengku
Shaharin said this is one of the largest competitor fields
this season mainly because the rally is easily accessible
for competitors and spectators.
“Holding
the rally in Selangor means we have cut the costs involved
for the competitors as they don’t have to pay for
transportation and accommodation, nor do they have to take
leave from their day jobs,” Tengku added. “This
also gives the public the chance to come along and catch
the rally action. The race can be seen from the main roads
around KLIA and Sepang.”
Drivers and
co-drivers in eight categories - P9, P10, P11, P12, N4,
A8, Showroom and Clubman - are competing for final Championship
points in the two-day competition.
Karamjit
Singh has already scored enough points in previous rallies
to win the Overall Championship title, his P12 category
and his GSR Pennzoil Racing Team has won the Team trophy,
but many of the other categories will only be decided this
weekend.
This includes
second place Overall. There is a heated battle for second
on the podium between Perodua M5 Racing Team’s Lim
Leong Onn and GSR Pennzoil’s Gunaseelan Rajoo. Lim
is only 7 points behind Gunaseelan on 36 points.
All competitors
will race to finish 20 Stages in the fastest time. The Stages
are unusually short and will be repeated throughout the
weekend. Leg One on Saturday has 12 Stages and Leg Two on
Sunday has 8 Stages. The total distance is 94.56km with
the longest Stage being 9.23km and the shortest stage being
2.35 km.
The winners
will be presented with their prizes at an official ceremony
at Jaya One at 5pm on Sunday amidst a host of activities
lined-up as part of a two-day free Rally Carnival for the
public.
The whole
weekend at Jaya One is set to be packed with fun, family
activities including an Autokhana and colouring and hula
hoop competitions for the kids. There will also be local
performers to entertain the crowds at Jaya One from Friday
night through Sunday.
The Autokhana
is open to anyone with a Malaysian driver’s license
and the RM10 entry fee. Contestants will test their driving
skills negotiating a designated route in as short a time
as possible. Time penalties will be given for any blunders
or wrong maneuvers. The top five drivers will take home
great prizes.
The MRC is
organized and promoted by Wheel Sport Management Sdn Bhd
and sanctioned by FIA and Automobile Association Malaysia
(AAM).
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