Ashan Silva crowned Best Driver

Champion driver Ashan Silva won the elite motor car event and was crowned the Best Driver at the SLT Mobitel Speedup Katukurunda 2021 which was worked off at the Katukurunda Air Force track recently. The event included 14-car races and More than 120 drivers took part in the Race. It was organized and conducted by the Sri Lanka Automobile Sports – SLAS and 10 affiliated motor sports associations. The races were conducted without spectators.

Ashan convincingly won both SL/GT 3500 cc events. The first race of the championship started with 16 runners but only 12 competitors finished. Kaushalya Samarasinghe got off to a great start in the first event which consisted of 10 laps. Ashan maintained his dominance till the end of the race. Kaushalya and Ushan Perera battled it out for second place. In the end, Ushan overtook Kaushalya to finish second and Kaushalya finished third.

The second race of the SL/GT 3500 cc saw a close battle for the second and third places between Ushan Kaushalya and Rohitha Rajapaksa. both drivers fought hard dishing out a superb show, but finally Kaushalya Samarasinghe was second and Rohitha Rajapaksa came in third.

Ashan Silva leading closely followed by Kaushalya Samarasinghe and Rohitha Rajapaksa in second and third respectively

The inaugural SL Ford Laser/Mazda 1300 cc was the first event of the 14-race series. Ford Laser/Mazda racing event saw 26 riders taking part in the event, the organizers had to arrange the race as two events. Thenuka Liyanarachchi won the first event and Thilina Malisha won the second event.

A large number of amateur competitors competed in the two Nissan March events. The absence of motor racing for more than two years also saw a large number of newcomers. The presence of many amateurs was evident in both these events. SL E/ 1000 cc. Although Thenuka Liyanarachchi won the Ford Lazer first event, second event was won by Thilina Maleesha. SL/E Novices Nisan March 1000cc event was won by Daham Jayanetti. Thenuka took second place. Third place went to Adisha Kithwith.

Imras Faresh won the mini 7 event while SL/A 1050 cc race was won by Tiran Perera, son of veteran driver Yoga Perera.

Viran Boteju became the champion in the SL/H 1600 Honda One Make both races and Keshara Godage was second in both races. Induwara Senadheera was third in the first event and Zakir Bahab was third in the second event. The only female contestant of the meet was Shehara D. Silva who competed in SL/H. 1600 cc.

Chenal Gunawardena won the Ford Laser/Mazda event and Devin Serasinghe, son of veteran driver Upulwan Serasinghe was second. Akila won the third place. Tharidhu Dharmaratne won the Ford Laser/ Mazda event.

Katukurunda Speedup 2021 was sponsored by SLT-Mobitel.