In an endurance race anything can happen and the recent PETRONAS Primax Malaysia Speed Festival Merdeka Race at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit proved just that.
What was a race to complete a gruelling 99 laps of the 5.543-km track began unconventionally fierce from the very start as competitors in 6 individual classes of racing jostled for track positions. Safety Car was called out 4 times, with the first deployment just 3 laps after the flag-off as the sun set and after the singing of the national anthem.
Though the race had its favourites, uncertainty loomed throughout the 99 laps that kept spectators firmly on the edge of their seats. Only 42 of the 77 cars that started, completed the race. The very first retirement occurred just 2 laps into the race while the last to break down was 4 laps from the end.
What was astonishing however – and never mind that he retired (after 72 laps) – was the impressive drive put in by the pair of ‘Boy’ Soh Zhi Xian and Tan Wai Hoong who placed their first generation Trackerz Racing Perodua Myvi in the overall top 5 and subsequently the lead of the race after just 26 laps, They stayed well ahead of a grid dominated by more modern and powerful machines the likes of Honda Type R and VTECs, Suzuki Sports and Toyota GT 86.
And in the end – and this was equally unexpected – the winning car and overall champion was a 4th generation Honda Civic (built sometime between 1987 and 1991) driven by the trio of Gan Kim Koa, Lee Wai Cong and Hayden Haikal.
The hatchback crossed the finish line after 99 laps with a total time of 4 hours 54 minutes 31.789 seconds – more than 20 seconds ahead of their nearest competitor. And they accomplished this on the back of spinning the car in the early stages of the race relegating them to last place.
“We were literally running on fumes over the last 2 laps and I was just trying my best to keep the car from stalling,” said Hayden who drove the final stint. “This is also the car’s second time back after not racing for 6 years.” The trio also won their Super 1800cc Class.
Finishing second place overall and also winning the Vision HKS Super Touring Class was the trio of Faizal Naim, William Yong and Al Amin Mohd in the Millennium Racing 1 Honda Civic.
Coming in third overall was the pair of Mohd Fahrizal Hasan and Syed Mohd Rizal in their FAWSTER SMRT Toyota GT86. The duo was also crowned champion in the Vision HKS GT86 x BRZ Racing Cup.
“We won on good strategy, we kept it clean and both drivers did our jobs with consistent lap times. We made 3 pit stops according to plan. Honestly, being in a lower class, we did not expect to finish so high up considering we only managed to qualify 12th fastest,” said Fahrizal.
“The win also places us in the lead of the overall championship in the Vision HKS GT86 x BRZ Racing Cup with two more rounds to compete,” he added.
Only the top three overall winners completed the 99-lap challenge with the remaining 39 competitors crossing the chequered flag at least a lap down.
