Results & Summary: Speed Challenge Sepang 26/9/2010

The first ever Ignition.my-RCA Speed Challenge saw a total of 46 cars take part in short 3-lap time battles.

Although familiar with the single-lap Time Attack format, the Speed Challenge represented a new trial for these street-biased tuned car and driver combinations. Scorching power on the dyno and speed over a single-lap would mean nothing in the 3-lap battles that would ensue.

By the end of the first round of heats, 20% of the field were out with mechanical maladies. It then started to pour at about 220pm, which threw a real spanner in the works. Skill and reliability were tested to the limit, with top FF-driver Taj Madira even opting out for Heat 2, which would be run in the wet. However, he would make a successful return in the finals, scorching from the back all the way to 3rd on the track.

Not unusually, the 4WDs had a great time paddling about the circuit in the wet, Shahrin Black leading in his yellow Subaru, but losing it at the very last corner of the last lap! On the other hand for the FF boys everything turned topsy-turvy, with the Golf GTIs of Team APR finding it easier to put the power down in the torrential conditions. Adrian made a gritty drive and took his Mark 6 right up front to challenge Chris Tan’s Honda Civic Type-R, but at the end of the 3rd lap it was still Chris who was quicker.

In the RWD category, Nick Mah proved that Ferrari drivers aren’t pussies, blitzing it around in 2m37 – 2m38 laps, leaving everyone else trailing! He was so quick that in Heat 2, he started 10s behind the Open Class cars, but manage to catch up and overtake all three before the end of the 3-laps! A bit further down, Johnson Tan’s MRS and Mike Chew’s MX5 turned it into a ‘roadster’ battle, not allowing the other person to pull a significant gap, but it was Mike that was fastest to the flag first.

For the final heats, the crowd were all lined up along the pitwall, not wanting to miss any of the excitement, and they were not disappointed, with action taking place in all categories through every single lap, with the weather again making things interesting with a bit of  drizzle starting-up towards the end of the FF run.

Here are the results by category. If you didn’t make it to join the fun today, then be sure not to miss the next Speed Challenge event!