Bringing to light a significant sporting feat in the form of the ‘Jeep Wrangler’ TSD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2016 to Sri Lanka’s motor sports calendar, the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) and Colombo Motor Sports Club (CMSC) are set to initiate the country’s first ever rough terrain rally which will bring on board skilled drivers from around the country to take part in this mega sporting spectacle. SLARDAR have proudly joined hands with DIMO as the title sponsors for the entire event.

The championship, which has been described as a set of three night rallies, have been scheduled to take place based on the following segments: SLARDAR 1000 which will cover approximately 1000 kms from the 19th to the 21st of February, the first leg of the Colombo Rally Challenge which will cover approximately 400 kms and set to take place on the 18th and 19th of June and the second leg of the Colombo Rally Challenge covering a distance of 400 kms as well and has been set to take place on the 08th and 09th of October this year.

SLARDAR President, Nishan Wasalathanthri commented, “These Rallies are amongst the toughest and most grueling motoring events to ever take place in Sri Lanka and this event will witness a coverage of around 1800 kms over an expanse of taxing roads and trails that would encompass passing through the misty hill country, elephant infested jungles and fast gravel roads setting for the drivers a test of an event to be involved in where both, man and machine would experience the ultimate testing ground in those forms.”

Freedom and power embedded with adventure and capability is the core of Jeep life which allows hardcore Jeep enthusiasts to explore and go beyond the capabilities of the all American legend. Mentioning about Jeep and DIMO sponsoring the event, Mr Ranjith Pandithage (Chairman-DIMO) “Jeep is proud to partner SLARDAR in the first ever Jeep Rally Championship 2016. We believe this grueling event brings out the core values of Jeep and the passion behind off-road driving where man and the machine both will be tested.”

The reliability and the skills of the driver combined with the machine’s resolution as well as the navigator’s sense of direction are quintessential in achieving the top spot in the championship. The decisive moment when the winner would be announced would place the champion on the crest of national recognition and for the first time in Sri Lanka, gaining the stature as Champion of the TSD Rally Championship will be the ultimate recognition a rally driver, navigator as well as ateam could ever achieve in the face of serious rallying. The championship will also act as a testing ground for the strong willed, physically and mentally conditioned participants.

The “JEEP-WRANGLER” – SLARDAR 1000 Rally is scheduled to flag off from the DIMO 800 showroom and the first car to be flagged off will be at 7.02 p.m. They will run approximately 4 ½ hrs and will have a 1 ½ hour break in Kurunegala. From Kurunegala, they will run for 5 hours and finish in Kandy at approximately 6.00 am.

The thirdstage will commence from Kandy at the KCC car park at 4.00 pm and will run for 4 ½ hours and finish in Kandy once again. The competitors will have a 2 hour break in Kandy and will commence the fourth stage to Ratnapura or Avissawella and will run for another 4 ½ hours.

The fifth and the last stage will start in either Avissawella or Ratnapura and finish at the DIMO 800 showroom by 7.00 a.m. on the 21st February. The SLARDAR 1000 awards ceremony will take place by 11.00 am at the premises. The Championship Awards Ceremony will be held along with the Sri Lanka Super Series Awards night at the Eagles Lake Side in Ratmalana on November 26, 2016.