Karamjit overcomes myriad of problems to finish second
The Star, 1/4/2008

PETALING JAYA: Despite driving a rented car, defending champion Karamjit Singh managed to finish a creditable second in the first round of the Malaysian Rally Championship in Bahau yesterday.

At the end of the two-day event, Karamjit said that considering the extent of his problems with the Proton Satria 1.6, which included the lack of power and traction, it was a wonder that he could even finish among the top five.

“The car was much slower than the other top runners and we also faced many mechanical problems. The brakes were spongy, then the steering rack bracket broke, giving us a lot of free play. And in the last two stages, we actually broke the clutch pedal,” he said.

“I am grateful for the fantastic work done by my mechanics, who prepared the car in less than two days and kept it running despite the many problems. Our goal for the weekend was to end up among the top five and finishing second is a fantastic bonus for me and the team.”

No less impressive was the results of Perodua M5 Racing, who had three cars among the top five.

The team’s 4WD Perodua Viva Turbo driven by veteran Lim Leong Onn stayed five minutes clear of the challenge from Karamjit.

The next event of the six-round championship will take place in Terengganu on May 24 and 25.

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