CEAT racers set Sigiriya track ablaze

Monday, 31 March 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Achieve 13 podium finishes in 2014 championship’s opening event

Drivers and riders of the CEAT Racing team set the track ablaze at the Sigiriya Rally Cross on Sunday 23 March, securing a scorching 13 podium finishes in the opening event for the 2014 CEAT SLADA Championship. In a spectacular start to their second year in CEAT colours, team members raced to four wins, four second places, four third places, and a fifth

position, giving their fans and sponsor much to cheer about. In his first outing for team CEAT, Pasindu Peiris won the SLGT 3500cc (Race 1) event, while team member Janaka Dias took the chequered flag at two races in the SL H 1600cc Group and motorcycling prodigy Jacques Gunawardhana finished first in Group MX 85cc event. Securing second place in their respective events were Upulwan Serasinghe (SLN 1300cc Ford Laser/Mazda and SLN 1500cc Ford Laser/Mazda), Pasindu Peiris (SLGT 3500cc Final) and Lt. Colonel Indu Samarakoon (Truck & Jeep). Lalin Kirinda was placed third in two events (SLN 1300cc Ford Laser/Mazda and SLN 1500cc Ford Laser/Mazda) as were Janaka Dias (SLGT 3500cc – Race 2) and Ushan Perera (SLGT 3500 cc – Race 1). The solitary fifth place was won by Jacques Gunawardhana (Group MX 250cc Race 2). “We are naturally delighted at this stellar performance of the team,” CEAT Kelani Holdings Managing Director/CEO Raman Rajagopalan said. “It’s a great start to another season of racing, one which we are confident will further reinforce the credentials of CEAT as a sponsor of motorsport and a producer of tyres that are equally at home on the road and the race track.” The reconstituted CEAT Racing Team for the 2014-15 season comprises of Upulwan Serasinghe, Janaka Dias, Shashika Lakmal Wijerathna, Lalin Kirinda, Prasanna De Alwis, Lt. Colonel Duminda Jayasinghe, Lt. Colonel Indu Samarakoon, Ushan Perera, Pasindu Peiris and Jacques

Gunawardhana. A global tyre brand present in 110 countries, CEAT is the title sponsor of the 2014 championship of the Sri Lanka Auto-sports Drivers Association (SLADA). CEAT Kelani Holdings recently extended its partnership with motorsport’s governing body Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS) for the third successive year, and is also the sponsor of several annual racing events conducted by the Sri Lanka Army and the Sri Lanka Air Force.