The 26th annual Eliyakanda Hill Climb presently known as SLT-Mobitel Speedup Hill Climb organized by the Southern Motor Sports Club will get underway today.
The points gained by drivers and riders at this event are considered for the National Championship title for the year 2022. The event also happens to be the first outing that drivers and riders get to come onto the track to collect their points with the hope of going forward to look for the national title.
SLT-Mobitel is the main sponsor for the seventh consecutive year running and handed the sponsorship at a press briefing held the Royal College Union Skills Centre last Tuesday.
At the briefing president of Sri Lanka Auto Sports and past president of Southern Motor Sports Club (SMSC) Ashhar Hameem addressing the media said that for the past 25 years the Eliyakanda Hill Climb was the one event that heralds the beginning of the motor sports calendar.
The SMSC has been conducting this event even during the Covid-19 pandemic setting an unbroken record for the event. Adding further he said after being elected as the head of SLAS he set up a program giving all finalized dates for the specified events that are to take place during the year 2022. This is one that was never highlighted before and this will definitely help all drivers and riders to be prepared in time for all their participating events.
He thanked SLT-Mobitel and all eight co-sponsors who have come forward for this year’s event. Nippon Paints have entered the fray as one of the leading sponsors for the first time. The other sponsors are Freelan, Wurth, Mobil 3M, Ironman, Harischandra, MSN, Tudo, and MBSL.
Deputy General Manager of SLT-Mobitel, Anne Fernando, said that she was happy to be involved with the motor racing fraternity and thanked the organisers for the opportunity to be a part of this event for the seventh time.
According to a senior SMSC official a record number of drivers and riders have confirmed their participation in a total of 124 drivers and 91 riders who will contest the event.
The schedule for the day comprises of 13 motorcycle events and 15 motor car events in different classes of machines.
Last year’s Champion driver Ashan Silva who set a new course record will face a stiff challenge from drivers of the calibre of Ushan Perera and Darin Weerasinghe. He will have to go all out to maintain his supremacy today.
Meanwhile in the motor cycle category Aaron Gunawardena too will have to face tough challenges from young riders who are keen to go on to become champions at national level.