DYTM RAJA MUDA PERLIS FLAGS OFF ROUND TWO OF MALAYSIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 IN KUALA PERLIS
29th May 2009

The Raja Muda of Perlis DYTM Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Ibni DYMM Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail flagged-off 25 cars to officiate the start of Round 2 of the Malaysian Rally Championship (MRC) 2009 this evening at the Putra Brasmana Hotel.

The Rally is being held in Perlis in conjunction with the DYMM Tuanku Raja Perlis’ month-long birthday celebrations.

The competitors will rally through the Special Stages (tracks) inside the PPB Group’s Sugar Cane plantations in Chuping this weekend.

Clerk of the Course for the Championship, Tengku Shaharin Abu Bakar Almarhum Tengku Suleiman said “the Stages are very dry which should produce some fast times and a very close competition.”

2008 overall champions Karamjit Singh and co-driver Jagdev Singh of the GSR Pennzoil Racing Team will be looking to take the lead early and finish first, to make up for their ninth place finish in Round One, in April. Karamjit had incurred a fifteen minute penalty after leaving the Service Park late due to a major mechanical problem.

Round One winners, Mike Ariokiasamy Ratnam and co-driver Wayne Cheah are hoping to repeat their performance and take home the 2WD category trophy.

The sugar cane plantations offer a clear view of the cars in action and there are many long straight stretches which enable the drivers to get up to very high speeds.

Spectators can watch teams from India and Hong Kong compete along side with local characters such as retired Air Force Colonel Basir Abdul Rahman driving a Mini Cooper.

Day One will see the participants compete in six Special Stages (SS) over a total distance of 79.83km. The longest Stage is 15.08km at Air Timbul and the shortest is 11.99km at Kg. Baru. Day Two (Sunday) the total distance is 84.78km.

The winners will be presented with their prizes at an official ceremony at Putra Brasmana Hotel, Kuala Perlis at 5.30pm on Sunday. This Round the top three winners of each category will take home cash vouchers for Silverstone Rally Tyres courtesy of WRC Motorsports.

The public is invited to enjoy free activities at the Rally carnival outside the Putra Brasmana Hotel, Kuala Perlis.

Organizers of the Rally, Wheel Sport Management (WSM) has arranged fun activities for the whole family including quizzes, a motorbike display, kids colouring and hula hoop competitions, PS2 games and a karaoke competition. Rally merchandise will also be on sale together with local craft from Perlis and produce from FAMA.

Auditions for the second season of the Astro Ria Reality TV show “Malaysia’s Next Rally Champion, Zero.2.Hero” are also being held this weekend in conjunction with the MRC. Interested participants between the ages of 18 – 30 years should register from 8am – 12noon in front of the Putra Brasmana Hotel, Kuala Perlis, on Saturday 30th May.