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Australia

Asian Festival of Speed preview

AFOS To Set Sepang Circuit Ablaze This May The Asian Festival of Speed is back to heat up the track for an exciting 2010 Season Opener at Sepang International Circuit on 15-16 May 2010. Fans will get a chance to witness five action packed ...

AFOS To Set Sepang Circuit Ablaze This May

The Asian Festival of Speed is back to heat up the track for an exciting 2010 Season Opener at Sepang International Circuit on 15-16 May 2010.

Fans will get a chance to witness five action packed race series with the GT3 Asia, Formula BMW Pacific, Asian Touring Car Series and the newly introduced GT4 Asia Cup. The weekend will also see the exhilarating Classic Car Club of Hong Kong Race Series joining in the already packed schedule of on track events.

The GT3 Asia is making its return to the event with reigning champion, Tunku Hammam, all ready for an exciting outing. Speaking with him during the joint test at Sepang in early April, Hammam commented that the competition will be tough, especially after a long break in between.

"My exercise took a break along with the end of the season and this year the competition will be tough, especially with people like Mok Weng Sun who is really fast. I need to find a new hobby" ended Hammam jokingly.

The GT3 Asia series this year will see at least four of the highly anticipated Lamborghini LP560's going against the rest of the field. The car caught the attention of all in the paddock, when Michael Choi took Team SPS Racing's bright green one out onto the track during the first unofficial joint test day recently.

Reigning champion, Hammam, has also recently confirmed that he will be racing this year with a newly acquired Lamborghini LP560 instead of his championship winning Porsche of last year.

The series will also see Porsche 997 Cup S', Ferrari F430 GT3's, Ginetta G50 GT3's and Lamborghini Gallardo GT3's lining up on the grid for the first race weekend of the season. The grid is set to grow as the season progresses as more have confirmed their participation after the first two rounds.

The latest Championship to join the AFOS line up is the newly introduced GT4 Asia Cup. The series is part of an agreement between the SRO Motorsports Group and Motorsport Asia in their effort to bring the rapidly expanding GT4 category to Asia, joining the GT4 European Cup and its franchise, the Dutch GT4 Championship.

The series offers some very interesting visuals for the spectators with its 40 minute race format with a mandatory pit-stop in between. The GT4 Asia Cup also allows for driver changes and some teams have confirmed that they will be sending in two drivers for the season.

A brace of Aston Martin GT4's with well known names from around the Asian racing scene have confirmed their participation for the series, including GT and classic car race regular, Daniel Bilski, competing for Team Road & Track. His Australian compatriots, Mark Williamson, and Simon Waters who are in a two car team with Singaporean Nasrat Muzayyin and Englishman Ryan Marsden respectively.

Two Hong Kong drivers, Frank Yee of S&D/Conca Maca Team, Hu Cheng Wei of Powerdone Racing will both be participating in the series in their Vantage N24.

Challenging them in their Factory assisted Ginetta G50 GT4's are Hong Kong based team Track Torque Racing's pairing of Matthew Perry and Nigel Farmer. Whilst heading up the challenge in the Nismo prepared Nissan 370Z's from Dilango Racing is Sri Lankan Dilantha Malagamuwa.

An impressive grid of Formula BMW Pacific cars will once again greet the spectators in Sepang, with seven young Malaysian drivers competing on their home circuit. The youngsters continue their season with four rounds of racing after a month long break between races.

Currently leading the Championship is Singaporean driver Richard Bradley driving for Eurasia Motorsport. The youngster rounded off a perfect Formula BMW Pacific debut taking back to back victories during the Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix.

He leads the Championship by twelve points from Columbian driver Oscar Tunjo of Meritus and a further twelve points from Motaworld Racing river, Axcil Jefferies.

Spectator favourite, the Asian Touring Car Series will also be making a return to the event with two rounds of racing in their 2010 season opening race. The series has been a staple in the AFOS event since its inception.

Reigning ATCS champion, Cheung Chi Sing, won last year after a great run throughout the season battling for top honours with his teammate, Man Ting Yu. The duo was separated by two points heading into the last race when Cheung claimed the championship. This pairing will be back and Man is ready to once again try for the championship, one that has eluded him since he joined the series in 2006.

This year, the Asian Festival Of Speed, Malaysia event will also be joined by the Classic Car Club of Hong Kong Race Series with an expected 25 cars ranging from the TVR 5000M to Porsche 928GT, from BL Mini to Datsun 1600 and from BMW 528i to the Alfa GTV.

There are also some interesting activities happening at the grandstand for the spectators to enjoy, including the ever popular Car Club Gathering & Display. This year, organised by Modders Incorporated who are expecting a great turnout from no less than 30 car clubs from around Malaysia.

A 100 car Autoshow and In-Car-Entertainment Display will also be taking place at the grandstand area with three cars from the ICE Display joining the grid during the Opening Ceremony along with the KL Drumline Corps, 20 lovely AFOS Grid Girls and the beautiful "AFOS Angels".

The Opening Ceremony will be made even more exciting with a planned group shot with the GT3 Asia and GT4 Asia Cup drivers all lined up alongside their GT cars with the participants of the Car Club Gathering & Display lined up on the grandstand behind them.

For the first time, AFOS will host a 'Roti Canai' Eating Competition, sponsored by Kayu Nasi Kandar. The competition is open to all spectators and three rounds will be held at the grandstand. Participation is RM10 and the winner, the person who eats five Roti Canai in the fastest time or the most in three minutes, will walk away with RM150!

Entrance to the Asian Festival Of Speed is FREE and the Pit-Walkabout access is only RM10 per person.

-source: afos

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