All arrangements have been finalized to conduct the much spoken motor racing event the Colombo Night Races scheduled to be held today and tomorrow at the heart of the metropolis.

The meet is jointly organized by the Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS) the governing body of motor racing Sri Lanka and the Federation of Motorcycle Sports in Sri Lanka (FSSL) along with the member racing clubs and Red Cherry Entertainment has left no stone unturned to make this event a successful one.

The first day (today) will be the trials for both motor cars and motor bikes which are scheduled to get underway from 6.30 p.m. onwards. The first ever meet of this nature has drawn immense interest from both the top drivers and riders of Sri Lanka and also has attracted some international drivers.

The track is approximately two kilometers and the races in both categories are due to speed off opposite Galadari Hotel tomorrow and will end at the same point.

The motor racing events has attracted over 120 drivers who will be competing in ten events which have been lined up to be held in the evening while the motorcycle events too has a good number of participants just under the 100 mark.

The cynosure of all eyes will be the GT3/GT4 event which is being held for the first time in Sri Lanka. There will be two Lamborghini Gallardo and the Porsche GT‘S competing in this event. Dilantha Malagamuwa who has kept the Sri Lanka flag flying at international meets will be in one of the Lamborghini.

Another attraction of the day in the motor car event will no doubt be the SLGT 3500cc where the top drivers in Sri Lanka in the caliber of Pasindu Peiris, Aravinda Premadasa, Shafraz Juniad, Ashan Silva, Rameez Mahamoor and Darin Weerasinghe who will be in the fray.

It will be a testing time for the drivers who will be in their Mitsubishi Evolution of various classes and the event has attracted a record 26 entries. Three other events which will be of interest is the Ford Formula 1600cc (Post and Pre-85) and the Formula Mclarens 1300cc. The first two mentioned will see veteran Rohan de Silva who is the most experience with nearly 30 years of racing expertise brushing shoulders with Rizvi Farouk, Dinesh Jayawardena the Speed 2011 champion and Shirendra Lawrence.

Others in the fray in these events are Ravi Mayadunne, Shafraz Junaid and Ashan Silva while Rikaz Khalid who is supposed to be a driver with qualities of becoming a future champion being the dark horse.

The Formula Mclarens 1300 comprises a pack of young drivers who have graduated to Formula driving through ‘Go Karting’ at the Sped Drome. They are the first set of youngsters to make their way to the Formula racing scene in Sri Lanka and also to compete in the mega show here.

The team consists of nine drivers who shown their class during the year competing in the local scene, driving alongside the experienced drivers. This will be an opportunity for them to come up with a fine performance to showcase their talent as up and coming Formula drivers for the future racing in Sri Lanka. Among the young

sters Yanik Lawrence, Viran Boteju, Gayan Ranatunga, Dharsha Pathirana and Thiwanka Wijesekera are expected to shine.

The motorcycle events too will be of great interest as some of the experience riders in the caliber of Maduranga Caldera, Ned Daniel,veteran Ananda Wedisinghe and the young Gunawardena brothers Jaden and Aaron will be in the fray.

Sri Lanka champion Gayan Sandaruwan the gravel track specialist will also be a starter and will be taking part in a tarmac race for the first time. The drivers and riders briefing was held at the Sports Ministry auditorium on Wednesday.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka