Wira Dani Stuns Dilantha in Malaysian Super Series Races at Sepang
Sunday, 22 April 2007, Sepang – Making his debut in the opening round of the Malaysian Super Series, Wira Dani Daim stunned favourite and defending champion Dilantha Malagamuwa to be on the leader board after two Supercar races in the Malaysian Super Series at the Sepang Circuit today.
Tied with Dilantha Malagamuwa on 35 points after the two races with identical 1-2 finishes, Wira Dani was named the winner for Round 1 over the Sri Lankan driver by virtue of winning Race 2. The event saw the Malaysian driver finishing the 15-lap race in an amazing time of 17 minutes 39.089 seconds around the 2.706-km circuit.
“Naturally, I am very happy as this is my first time taking part in the MSS; the first time competing in the Supercar Championship and virtually the first time driving this car. Now, I am leading the championship. It’s definitely a great feeling,” said Wira Dani, a regular in Sepang’s 12-hour Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race and Proton Car National Championship.
Wira, who aimed to win the title for Malaysia, said the car could go faster; but was quick to add that he was happy with the performance of the Radical SR3 and that it was he who needed more time to familiarise himself with the demands of the car.
“The car is very temperamental. Its response time is much, much quicker that any other car,” Wira Dani said of the open-top Euro-spec race machine which his Fugazi Racing Team bought last year for the 12-hour endurance race.
The team’s plans to use the Radical at that time, however, did not materialise after it developed gear box problems, forcing Wira Dani and the team to use an untested Porsche GT3 for the MMER last year.
The opening round of the MSS season today also saw Supersixteen defending champion Wong Yew Choong scoring a sensational double by winning both the 1600cc race and the 2000cc Supersaloon race as well.
Yew Choong said his Superture Racing Team had decided that he should concentrate on making it a double win in both the championships for this season.
“By the way the cars were performing today, I would say that we have a very good chance of winning both the Supersixteen and Supersaloon titles this year,” Yew Choong said.
In the battle of the sub-1000cc machines, defending champion K.Perajun looks set to repeat his dominance last year by winning both his category races in his turbo-charged 660cc Perodua Kancil.
In the Hong Kong Classic Car Sereis, last year’s runner-up, Nick Thomas scored a double in the opening round of the Hong Kong Classic Car Series, winning both races comfortably from the top of the grid with Simon Westbrook taking second place both times.
In the JPM Integra Cup Malaysia, Rizal Ashram Ramli came out tops amongst the 2000cc Honda Integra machines prepared by JPM Motorsports by taking a first and second place.
Second in Race 1 behind defending champion Sharjihan Ghouse, the former Porsche Carrera Cup Asia driver took advantage of Sharjihan unfortunate accident on Turn 1 in Race 2; cruising easily to victory in 25 minutes 41.018 seconds for the 20-lap race.
The opening round bikes, which would also be run over 5 rounds this season, will be held on 19th and 20th May while the second round for cars will be held on 26th and 27th May.
2007 Malaysian Super Series – Round 1 (Cars)
Sepang Circuit North Track – 2.706km
Top Five Finishers
Supercar Championship
Race 1(15 laps)
1. Dilantha Malagamuwa (Porsche 996) 17:56.307s
2. Wira Dani Daim (Radical SR3) 18:13.116s
3. Ron Lim (Mazda RX7) 18:38.514s
4. Chan Meng Poh (Mitsubishi Evo 7) 18:58.561s
5. Stewart Seatter (Porsche KSR) 18:05.196s
Race 2 (15 laps)
1. Wira Dani Daim (Radical SR3) 17:39.089s
2. Dilantha Malagamuwa (Porsche 996) 18:03.045s
3. Ron Lim (Mazda RX7) 18:39.616s
4. Chan Meng Poh (Mitsubishi Evo 7) 18:02.298s
5. Stewart Seatter (Porsche KSR) 18:05.783s
Supersaloon Championship
Race 1 (15 laps)
1. Wong Yew Choong (Honda Integra) 18:32.103s
2. Eddie Lew (Honda Integra DC5) 18:36.373s
3. Sharjihan Ghouse (Honda Integra) 19:08.656s
4. Soh Kee Koon (Honda Integra DC5) 19:09.317s
5. Tek Kean Kang (Honda Integra DC5) 18:56.822 (1 lap behind)
Race 2 (15 laps)
1. Wong Yew Choong (Honda Integra) 18:28.278s
2. Eddie Lew (Honda Integra DC5) 18:29.779s
3. Soh Kee Koon (Honda Integra DC5) 17:56.184/1 lap behind
4. Sharjihan Ghouse (Honda Integra) 18:39.026s/1 lap behind
5. Tek Kean Kang (Honda Integra DC5) 17:46.330/2 laps behind
Supersixteen Championship
Race 1 (15 laps)
1. Wong Yew Choong (Honda Civic EK) 19:32.890s
2. Ian Lee (Honda Civic EK) 19:34.344s
3. Damien Dielenberg Honda Civic EK) 19:52.939s
4. Harry Chai (Honda Civic EK) 19:54.288s
5 Tony Teo (Honda Civic EK) 20:02.161s
Race 2 (15 laps)
1. Wong Yew Choong (Honda Civic EK) 19:39.410s
2. Harry Chai (Honda Civic EK) 19:40.336s
3. Ia n Lee (Honda Civic EK) 19:40.664s
4. Kenvin Low (Honda Civic EK) 19:54.824s
5. Damien Dielenberg Honda Civic EK) 19:58.039s
Supercompact Championship
Race 1 (12 laps)
1. K. Perajun (Kancil Turbo) 17:26.492
2. Chan Yoon Voon (Kancil Turbo) 17:30.369
3. Chew Koon Ming (Kancil Turbo) 17:53.982s
4. Noel Douglas Chai (Kancil Turbo) 18:02.981s
5. Jefri Jamaluddin (Kancil Turbo) 18:10.959
Race 2 (12 laps)
1. K. Perajun (Kancil Turbo) 17:33.998s
2. Chan Yoon Voon (Kancil Turbo) 17:34.166s
3. Chew Koon Ming (Kancil Turbo) 17:47.027s
4. Noel Douglas Chai (Kancil Turbo) 18:09.356s
5. Lim Leong Onn (Kancil Turbo) 18:13.140s
JPM Integra Cup Malaysia
Race 1 (20 laps)
1. Sharjihan Ghouse (JPM Integra) 25:28.288s
2. Rizal Ashram Ramli (JPM Integra) 25:44.021s
3. Faizal Hakimi (JPM Integra) 25:50.897s
4. Tunku Hamman Tunku Sulong (JPM Integra) 25:52.632s
5. Tseu Chan Kee (JPM Integra) 25:57.004s
Race 2 (20 laps)
1. Rizal Ashram Ramli (JPM Integra) 25:41.018s
2. Eric Yeo (JPM Integra) 25:42.860s
3. Faizal Hakimi (JPM Integra) 25:58.863s
4. Choo Kwong Ming (JPM Integra) 26:08.881s
5. Tunku Hamman Tunku Sulong (JPM Integra) 26:10.126s
Hong Kong Classic Car Series
Race 1 (12 laps)
1. Nick Thomas (Porsche 911) 14:43.484s
2. Simon Westbroook (TVR 3000M) 14:45.776
3. Joe Sevack (Porsche 911) 14:46.764s
4. Ian Geekie (Datsun 240Z) 15:51.480s
5. Daniel Bilski (TVR Griffin) 16:00.150s
Race 2 (12 laps)
1. Nick Thomas (Porsche 911) 14:38.943s
2. Simon Westbrook (TVR 3000M) 14:57.136s
3. Joe Sevack (Porsche 911) 15:00.540s
4. Michael Ricks (Chevrolet Stingray) 15:46.703s
5. Daniel Bilski (TVR Griffin) 15:48.118s
