Team STC Karting from S. Thomas’ College stole the limelight at the Six-Hour Endurance Karting Championship held at the Sri Lanka Karting Circuit Bandaragama last Saturday.
Excellent driving skills, combined with exceptional teamwork, took STC Karting to the top of the podium. Led by Anish Ranasinghe the team comprised Linal Goonetilleke, Jinuka Vitharana, Kavish Ruwanpura, Upul Janaka and Ishfaaq Rizny (Manager).
They completed 542 laps within six-hours. Thunderbolt Racing who finished 536 laps, were placed second while BKMS Racing, completed 534 laps and were placed third.
The young drivers of STC Karting dominated the competition taking on the Karting veterans in qualifying rounds and showing great speed.
The Championship was organized by the Bandaragama Go-Kart Racing Club at the international karting track managed by David Pieris Racing and Leisure.
Eleven teams with a maximum of six members each, comprising drivers and pit crew, competed in this race where drivers maneuvered their karts through the straights and turns continuously for six hours, putting team strategy and a heady mix of speed, stamina and skills to the test.
Commenting on his team’s victory, S. Thomas College Master in Charge of Go-Karting Kapila Ruwan de Silva said: “With the help of our coach Dinesh Pathirana there has been considerable progress in motor sports with the boys having improved tremendously from where they were when they first started.
“All boys love to race. A racing track gives the boys a safe venue to quench their thirst for speed while building skills. It will be nice to see other schools coming forward so then inter school races can be held”.
Congratulating the winners, team STC Karting, Chief Operating Officer of David Pieris Racing and Leisure Niroshan Serasinghe said: “The young drivers from S. Thomas College demonstrated the skills, stamina and speed required and were in perfect control from the start. If Sri Lanka is to make its mark on world motorsports, the drivers need to start young and Karting has been the starting point for most of the successful F1 drivers”.