I haven't had time to write about this year's Toyota's Gazoo Racing Festival and the Toyota Vios Challenge series that is the center of the event. I have been quite busy with so many things that I have not had the time to keep track on this quite interesting event which features some nice amateur racing. It is now the second round of the Vios Challenge and the second venue for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival.
This time, the Gazoo Racing Festival and the Toyota Vios Challenge will be held at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in Selangor this weekend from 20-21 October 2018. MAEPS is a regular fixture in the calendar of many Malaysian automotive events due to its large surrounding area.'
The first Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival of the season and the first two races of the Toyota Vios Challenge were held in Kuala Terengganu in August 2018 and attracted more than 20,000 spectators. It had basically brightened up the lives of motorheads over on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia and they had more to do than attend the usual drag events on weekends as well as the occasional underbone cup prix series for motorcycle racing.
Anyway, back to the upcoming event at MAEPS. Like the previous Gazoo Racing Festivals held in and around the Klang Valley, Round Two is a two-day event will showcase the preview of a brand new Toyota model - the all-new Toyota Rush, test drives, promotions and celebrity performances to thrilling race action by racers competing in the Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting classes respectively on a purpose-built street circuit.
As Toyota is All About the Drive, the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival provides an ideal platform for Toyota customers, owners and also motoring enthusiasts to experience the brand. With the entry level races featuring the 1.5-litre Vios, driven by amateurs and seasoned veterans alike, it will also showcase that durability and the youthfulness of the compact sedan.
The two-day Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge begins on Saturday, the 20th of October 2018 with qualifying sessions and race 1 for the Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting classes on track.
Activities for on the Festival grounds for visitors to the event includes the following:
Display and test drive of Toyota’s latest range of models,
All-new Toyota Rush Preview - The latest version of the 1.5liter compact SUV which will soon be on sale in Malaysia.
Concert by the Toyota Gazoo Racing celebrities,
Promotional activities,
Superfans Signing Session,
Appearance by Baby Shark mascot (oh no! Baby Shark do, do, do, do),
Display and sales of merchandise booths,
Stage games,
Gathering of car clubs,
Simulator racing challenge,
Drift performance by Toyo Tyres
Lucky draw.
After Kuala Terengganu in August and this weekend’s Round 2 at MAEPS, the festival is scheduled to travel to the Batu Kawan Stadium in Penang in February 2019; with the finale being contested at the Sepang International Circuit in April 2019.
TOYOTA VIOS CHALLENGE Summary to date
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
In the Promotional Class, the overall point standings after one round of the series have been
dominated by the women celebrities.
Singer Akim Ahmad leads the championship with a commanding 35 points after a stellar
performance in the first two races held in Kuala Terengganu, but Diana Danielle, Wany
Hasrita and Janna Nick are currently in second, third and fourth places with 24, 17 and 16 points respectively. In fifth position, is singer Aiman Tino.
Both Akim and Diana have one race victory to their credit, while Wany had driven consistently in
her debut to finish fifth in both races. The more experienced Janna had claimed third and
seventh positions in her first two races.
SPORTING CLASS
Competition is again expected to be at its most intense in the Sporting Class with celebrities
Shawn Lee and Shukri Yahaya.
Promoted into the Sporting Class after being declared champion in last season’s Promotional
Class, Round 1 proved to be a baptism by fire for Shawn who found himself in the company of
quicker, competitive and more aggressive drivers. Interestingly, he set the fastest time around
the Kuala Terengganu street circuit to claim pole position and went on to win race 1.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
Leading the overall point standings is currently Revo Technik Malaysia’s William Ho who drove a
composed Round 1 to win race 1 and finish second in race 2 in Kuala Terengganu. Also with
one race victory to his credit is M7 Racing Team’s Syafiq Ali who is currently second in the point
standings eight points adrift.
Podium contenders for Round 2 include Dream Chaser’s Mark Darwin, ST Wangan Racing
Team’s Boy Wong, Revo Technik Malaysia’s Kenny Lee, Brendan Paul Anthony and Keifli
Othman currently third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively in the point standings. Keifli
joins another veteran racer Eddie Liew at Team Nanoplus but will start Round 2 with the
disadvantage of having three Series points deducted and serving a 10-place grid penalty
following a race incident involving him and Kenny in the first round.
Making his debut in the Toyota Vios Challenge is former Porsche Carrera Cup Asia driver and
2014 Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race champion Alif Mohamed Hamdan.
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