GOOD WEATHER BRINGS BAD LUCK FOR THREE TOP RALLY DRIVERS

28 June 2008, Kuantan, Pahang: The near-perfect weather and glaring sunlight in Kuantan pierced a few egos in the early stages of the third round of the Malaysian Rally Championship (MRC) today, sending two top contenders back to the service park with badly damaged cars.

MRC Clerk of the Course, Tengku Shaharin Abu Bakar Almarhum Tengku Suleiman, said that the sun is one of the biggest magnets for incidents in the Malaysian rally scene as drivers try hard to take advantage of good weather to clock fast times.

“If the stages are wet, everyone is generally careful because the conditions are treacherous but when the sun is out, they tend to be braver and chase the lowest times. So we usually get more accidents and breakdowns when we have good weather,” he added.

As early as SS2, one of the top drivers, James Russell lost control of his Subaru Impreza and ended up blocking the other cars while Team India driver, Arjuna Rao flipped his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI.

The Indian Rally Championship runner up, lost control of his car in the fast and tricky loose dirt track of Fedla Lepar Hilir. Team India was considered a high powered outfit and among the podium favourites as Rao’s navigator is Musa Sheriff who was Indian national co-driver champion in 2007.

Barely two minutes after team India’s accident, the picturesque palm-oil plantations with its mottled sunshine was witness to Russell’s forceful argument with the scenery which left his car immobile and blocking the path of competitors behind him. This disrupted the event, leaving more than two thirds of the field unable to complete the stage.

By the time the organizers realised that Russell’s car was blocking the path and could not be cleared, more than half of the competitors found themselves part of a traffic jam on a dirt road in the middle of Felda Lepar Hilir 2.

At this point, Tengku Shahriman made a quick decision to cancel SS2 and redirect cars which had not gone past the start gate of the stage to drive on to SS3.

This left the field in disarray as no one knew for sure what their times were for the rest of the day’s stages. The incomprehensible jumble of timing data was sorted out at the end of the day by the stewards.

The top four drivers in the rally, who were unaffected by the incidents were Karamjit Singh and Gunaseelan Rajoo who are both running Team GSR Pennzoil’s colours. Team Perodua M5 was also spared mishap in the first four stages and this allowed Kan Chee Hong and Lim Leong Onn to continue uninterrupted.

At the end of the chaotic morning session Karamjit led the field, followed by Lim Leong Onn and Gunaseelan Rajoo.

The third podium contender who lost his chance for glory was New Zealander, Mark Tapper whose SR Motorsport’s prepared Subaru Impreza suffered a fuel pump failure in SS1. Tapper fixed the problem back at the Service Park and managed to get back on the track in SS4 but he will no longer be in contention for Championship points, preferring to continue to get a feel for the tricky Malaysian stages in preparation for the upcoming Asia Pacific Rally Championship (Malaysia Round) in Johor in October.

The starting twenty-three teams were officially flagged-off by Tuan Haji Mohamad Dan Mohd Zain, Assistant Regional General Manager, Felda Kuantan Region.

The rally will continue tomorrow (Sunday), with competitors vying for Championship points overall and in seven different categories.

Leg One Unofficial Results:

1. Karamjit Singh/Jagdev Singh Mistubishi Evo 8
2. Lim Leong Onn/Kamarul Anuar Mohd Razzali Perodua Viva
3. Gunaseelan Rajoo/Jayaselan Rajoo Mitsubishi Evo 9

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