Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) organized ‘Cavalry Supercross’ which ventured into driving and riding stormed the new Pangolla racing track at Kurunegala Sunday (5) morning, amidst a sea of racing enthusiasts, headed by Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
This fund-raising project of the SLAC on this 60 ft wide 1.4 km long gravel track with 5 corners saw its birth last year, following a concept, mooted by Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, himself too from the SLAC.
Lieutenant General Jayasuriya ceremonially inaugurated the event by hoisting the Army flag in the company of other senior officers. SLAC, Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) and the Event Flags were also hoisted at the same occasion. The Commander was received by Major General U.A.B Medawela, Director General General Staff and Brigadier I.P Ranasinghe, Centre Commandant, SLAC on arrival at the venue.
The Chief Guest was afterwards introduced to SLARDAR officials before the official unveiling of the ‘Best Rider and Driver’ plaque took place.
The pioneers in the field, SLARDAR has given its blessings to the event and agreed to account the event as the 5th CEAT SLARDAR Championship (2010 – 2012), through which best racing champions are selected for both national and international events in the future.
As the announcement of the inauguration was read, the Commander symbolically signalled the onset of the first motorbike race. Before his exit, the Commander gave away the trophies to the Best Driver and the Best Rider.
At the same venue, SLAC in a symbolic gesture donated a sum of Rs 1 million towards the ‘Abimansala’ project now under construction at Anuradhapura. Lieutenant General Jayasuriya, in his capacity as Colonel Commandant SLAC in turn handed over the cheque to Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya, President, Seva Vanitha Army Branch, the organization behind fund-raising for the project at the same occasion.
SLAC on the same occasion distributed a large sum of housing grants among disable SLAC War Heroes and family members of fallen War Heroes. Those grants are to be used mainly for construction of partly-built houses of SLAC War Heroes and their families.
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps last year made history entering this field of motor racing as the 5th Army unit to be associated with annual Motor Racing events in the Army. Diyatalawa (Sri Lanka Military Academy), Boyagane (Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment), Saliyapura (Gajaba Regiment) and Minneriya (Sri Lanka Artillery) have been conducting those annual racing events on a grand scale for the last 20 years. ‘Cavalry Supercross’ was the new entrant to the field as the 5th organizer.
Proceeds from this charity project are to be used for promotion of welfare facilities among families of War Heroes, either killed / wounded in action or went missing during the battles that ended in the year 2009. The ‘Cavalry Supercross’ was lavishly sponsored by CEAT Sri Lanka as the main sponsor in the event and was competed by many island-wide reputed racing stalwarts in more than 27 car and motorbike events.
This new ‘Ironside’ Pangolla Racing Track, erected within a short span of time due to untiring efforts of the officers and soldiers in the SLAC, is able to accommodate more than 15,000 spectators at one time and has a grand stand capacity for more than 1000 invitees.
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