LAI WEE SING LOSES HOLD ON DRAG CROWN

Two-time champion Lai Wee Sing is fast losing his grip on the prestigious Sepang Drag Battle crown as closest challenger Dixon Chen scored a sensational second win of the season in Round 2 at Sepang Circuit last Saturday (May 31).

Watched by some 5,000 ardent fans and a brigade of fans from his Johor Bahru hometown, Lai’s fully modified Proton Satria encountered problems while preparing for his semi final tie in the open category in the pits against Mohd Putra and was forced to forfeit.

“We got problem with the gasket … the gasket was leaking. We have no choice but withdraw from the semi final,” said the R-Engineering team principal, who was forced to forfeit to Mohd Farriz Fauzi in the battle for third placing.

Against Dixon in the final race, Mohd Putra’s Proton Wira machine found no answer to the power of his rival’s Mitsubishi Evo machine, which completed the 400-metre drag in 11.757 seconds. Mohd Putra clocked 12.319 seconds.

The win gave Dixon another five points, giving him now a total of 10 points against Lai’s haul of four points for second place overall. Mohd Putra is third with three points and three more rounds to go.

“It’s going to be difficult, but we are not giving up. Anything can happen in motor racing and our priority will now be to win the next round and keep touch with Dixon,” said Lai as he looked forward for Round 3 on August 16.

Categorised as the premier Class A, the open class attracted a total of nine entries of full modified cars where turbo-charged and supercharged engines were allowed as well as the Nitrous Oxide System power booster.

Competing on Sepang Circuit’s front straight, the cars takes just less than 13 seconds to cover a 400-meter stretch of track; spitting flames; screaming roars in full speed to the cheers of the crowd.

Results Round 2

Class A – Open (Turbocharged and supercharged allowed; Nitrous Oxide system allowed)

First: Dixon Chen Teck Sun (Mitsubishi Evo IV)
Second: Mohd Putra (Proton Wira)
Third: Mohd Farriz Fauzi (Nissan Skyline)
Fourth: Lai Wee Sing (Proton Satria)

Class B – 2WD Forced Induction (Only one power adder allowed; 2WD vehicles only)

First: Mohd Zamri Ahmad
Second: Khairul Anuar
Third: Chua Soon Chuan
Fourth: Mohd Iqbal

Class C – 2WD Normally Aspirated (only naturally aspirated engines allowed; NOS system probihited)

First: Ahmad Firdaus Azman
Second: Mohd Maziz Abdullah (Honda)
Third: Mohd Iqbal Ismail
Fourth: Hanizam Alias

Class D – 2WD Limited (engines 1600cc and below; only naturally aspirated engines; NOS system probihited)

First: Mohd Yusof
Second: Mohd Fuad Ismail
Third: Mohd Aimi Abd Mutalib
Fourth: Mohd Rasul

Class E – K-Car (Engines 1000cc and below; turbo-charged & supercharged engines allowed; NOS probihited)

First: Azery Mohd Norzali (Perodua Kancil)
Second: Mohd Fariz Nordin
Third: Mohd Nor Abdul Rahman
Fourth: Idris Abd Rahman

Class F – Avantech On The Road Class (Engines 2000cc and below: turbocharged/supercharged probihited; variable valve engine allowed; NOS probihited; cars must be road legal)

V-Tec Category

First: Baharul Aslan Abu Bakar (Honda Civic)
Second: Suhaimi Hamid (Honda Civic)
Third: Mohd Reduan Baharuddin (Honda Civic)
Fourth: Ooi Wei Siong (Honda Civic)

Non V-Tec Category

First: Mezam Akram
Second: Mohd Johan Khairuddin
Third: Ahmad Nizam Ibrahim
Fourth: B. Geevan Baskaran

Class G – Campro (Campro Naturally Aspirated engines; up to 1601cc; suspension, brake system; engine management; gearbox & ratio free)

First: Ahmad Firdaus Azman
Second: Mark Darwin
Third: Heryandy Ramli
Fourth: Nor Azam