Sigiriya Rally Cross tomorrow

Chinthana WASALA

Local and foreign riding and driving sensations will be in action at the third Sigiriya Rally Cross at the Air Force Base in Sigiriya tomorrow with spectators having the full view of the track with the fifth century AD fortress Sigiriya in the background.

However, the Lankan riding superstar and defending champion Gayan Sandaruwan’s participation is in doubt as he has met with an accident. Spectators will not miss the action as the Indian champion C.S Santhosh and his fellow TVS teammate K.P. Aravind will provide maximum entertainment along with young riders in the calibre of Gayan’s brother Shanuka Sandarwan and Shehan C Adhikari.

Last year’s final event, the second SL GT cars upto 3500 CC event was a disaster when most competitors crashed at the far corner and the race was abandoned.

The award for the champion driver was not presented but the driver who adds colour to the track, Pasindu Peiris will give his best with his sporty drift. Meanwhile, the best of drivers, including Dinesh Deheragoda, Aravinda Premadasa, Ashan Silva and Upulwan Serasinghe are also expected to provide the best of entertainment.

The 2.2 km track is a mix of tarmac and gravel. This includes 800 metres of tarmac, a straight line which is on the Sigiriya Air Force runway.

It is also a wide track which will help drivers immensely with ample width for overtaking. This opportunity will give riders and drivers a chance to touch high speed and to put their machines to test. The track which consists of 10 corners will add more colour to the event while the drivers will have to work hard to control their vehicles going through these corners. The track is relatively new and the prevailing dry weather at Sigiriya will make it hard for the organizers to keep the dust on the track at minimal level.

It will affect the riders’ performances.

The Air Force will use the proceeds of this event for the welfare of the in-service Airmen and women and also for the families of Airmen who lost their breadwinners and of disabled Airmen.

The Sri Lanka Air Force is organizing the event in association with the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders.