Malaysian Rally Championship Round 4
If you are thinking of taking a trip to Port Dickson, this weekend might be a good time for it, because come Saturday and Sunday, if you know where to go, you will be able to watch the 4th round of the Malaysian Rally Championships.
The start of the event is always colourful and full of fanfare. If you go early, you can also get a chance to salivate over the rally cars that will be on display. You might also catch a glimpse of some of the famous rally celebrities such as Karamjit Singh and his trusty co-driver, Allen Oh. Or you might get an autograph signed by our local Kan Chee Hong, lately also known as ‘Kanchil Hong’, on account of his rather successful stint in the Perodua Kancil. Perhaps you should address him as Kelisa Hong now, considering that this is the model he is campaigning now. The Perodua Kelisas are always impressive to watch…..you hear a whole lot of high revving engine coming your way, and you step back, expecting to see a large monster of a car come along, and then you see this cute little Kelisa fly along the road followed by a plume of dust. Make sure you don’t talk or smile for at least a minute or two after one of these rally cars has passed by, or you will end up with very yellow teeth.
One of the smartest cars you will also be able to eyeball would be the Ford Focus Rally car that is Ford Malaysia’s entry in the competition. If looks could win, this handsome car would do it hands down. This is the only Ford Focus 4WD rallying outside of the WRC circuit, and it is the proud work of the local Ford people. The car is prepared by Ford Malaysia, and word is out that perhaps Malaysian buyers will soon be able to put their money down for one of these babies (the road version of course).
Another car and driver to look out for would be Gunaseelan, in his very fast Putra 4WD Turbo, a top favourite for this weekend. Karamjit Singh is rumoured to be in a 160 horsepower Super 1600 Satria, and it should be an interesting fight between Gunaseelan, Karamjit, and Kan for top honours. The dark horse would be Ian Khong in the Ford Focus.
The rally schedule is very well planned, and enthusiasts you should be able to take a relaxed drive down on both days to watch it. The start is on Saturday, 3rd July from Dataran Kemang at 1245 hours. The first leg starts at 1300 hours, and will end around 1700 hours. Leg 2 begins on Sunday at 0830 hours and ends around 1500 hours. To get to therally venue, drive down to Seremban by the North south Highway, and take the Port Dickson exit. Take the Port Dickson highway right to the end, and turn left for Telok Kemang. The rally venue is about 5 kilometres after this turn. Spectator maps are freely available at the rally secretariat. Have Fun!.
