Driver Dinesh Senanayake enjoys phenomenal success

By M. Minhaz
Quiet and unassuming Dinesh Senanayake from Mahara, Kadawatha had a highly successful motor racing season during the April holiday season 2009 in the hill country winning five out of the six races in which he participated, just missing the sixth one by the skin of his teeth to complete a hundred per cent record.

At the 75th Anniversary celebrations of the Mahagastota Speed Hill Climb organised by the Ceylon Motor Sports Club he won both the events he participated in with some superb driving which thrilled the crowds. In the event for cars between 10.0 to 12.0 Kg/Hp driving a Mazda Axela he timed 41.325 seconds to win this event by over a second. In the second race for cars 8.0 to 10.0 Kg/Hp in a Suzuki Swift he timed 41. 325 seconds to win this event by nearly a second.

At the Radella Hill Climb organised by the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) in the 8.0 to 10.0 Kg/Hp category he once gain won this event in his Suzuki Swift by nearly a second. The only time he failed to win was in the motor cars category 10.0 to 12.0 Kg/Hp category when he was placed second to Pasindu Peiris in the Mazda Axzela. He lost by a whisker timing 42.65 seconds whereas the ultimate winner Pasindu Peiris, in a faster Honda EG3 timed 42.59 seconds. The difference was a mere 0.06 seconds, a missed gear or a lack of power at the steep incline would have resulted in this almost negligible difference in the timings.

But he came back with a vengeance at Foxhill Supercorss organised by the SLARDAR and the Sri Lanka Military Academy and this meet becoming the first racing event in Sri Lanka included in the calendar of events of the Governing body for motor sports in the world. - FIA. He won the event for cars 8-10 Kg/Hp category and also the Open event for Tracks and Jeeps in his Ray 4 very comfortably.