Sentul circuit hosts SEA Tour Car Zone Challenge

JAKARTA (JP): Today and tomorrow, Sentul circuit will be home to the Gudang Garam Southeast Asia Touring Car Zone Challenge, the second in the series.

The best Southeast Asian International circuit will see twenty-six special cars competing in the challenge race, with 22 motorcycles 250cc competing in the Mesran Suzuki One Make Race, a circuit official said.

Sentul was selected as the best circuit in Southeast Asia last year at the end of the challenge's tours in China, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The famed race track, located in the highlands of Bogor, some 45 kilometers to the south of Jakarta, will feature other races apart from the two main events. These are the superbike, BMW One Brand, Mobil Supercar and Group N races, Richard Herdarmo, who heads the racing committee, said.

Giant cigarette manufacturer Gudang Garam, state-owned Bank Negara Indonesia and state oil company Pertamina are regular sponsors of the numerous race events.

Off-road race

Six seasoned pairs of Indonesian off-roaders will go to Australia on Sept. 14 for an international off-road adventure championship slated for Sept. 16 in Perth.

The pairs, all belonging to the Djarum Super Off-road team, are driver Yuma Wiranatakusuma and his navigator Yoppy, Maman Sulaiman and Firman, Yoyo and Medy, Ronald and Tony, Ronny Kusuma and Sigit, as well as Harry Sanusi and Handojo.

"They have vowed that they are mentally prepared to confront the unfriendly nature of the Australian wilderness and the possibility of encounters with crocodiles and snakes," Handoyo Suparmo, the team's manager, said.

The Djarum team, named after the giant cigarette producer which sponsors it, recorded top position at the five-leg Djarum Super Independence Adventure Off-road'95 which ended on Aug. 27 in Bali.

The Tranka team came in second place with 62 points. The Suzuki Sport team finished third with 55 points, followed by the Amphibia team and the Tranka-1 team.

Although accumulating the highest score of 65 points in the five-leg race, the Djarum Super team's performance in each leg was marked with ups and downs. However, the team managed to enter the top five in each leg.

"We owed our Bali victory to the controlling of our emotions and team solidity. Besides, the odds were for us," said Yuma, the team's captain. (arf)