The Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Racing Festival and Round 3 of the Toyota Vios Challenge will be held this weekend - the 23rd and the 24th February 2019 at the Stadium Batu Kawan in Penang. Like the TGR Racing festival and the Vios Challenge prior to this means a motorsport themed Toyota roadshow which showcases a one make Toyota racing series that Toyota fans and motorsports enthusiasts can attend.
The two-day all-things Toyota festival as I'd like to call it, will see a whole lot of activities. These include the display and test drive of new Toyota models, celebrity appearances and engagements, the gathering of Toyota car clubs and car enthusiasts to fun & games for the family, a mini concert and a street food fest. Something from everybody actually. It also brings somewhat affordable racing to the masses too actually as the Vios Challenge keeps costs quite low and the power equal for the drivers. So competition is stiff and this is something that is quite interesting from a technical point of view.
The Vios Challenge circuit in Batu Kawan will see the race take place on the 1.56km Stadium Batu Kawan street circuit which features 11 corners and 6 straights. There will be some 40 drivers competing in the Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting classes for celebrities, amateurs and professionals respectively.
Those who are into Malaysia celebrities can catch the star-studded line-up of celebrities who include Diana Danielle, Janna Nick, Nabil Ahmad, Khai Bahar, Akim Ahmad, Mohd Shukri Yahaya, Shawn Lee, Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali and Aiman Tino in action on the track and on stage. You guys who follow these celebs would know them better than me.
UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd Pesident, Mr Ravindran K had this to say about the upcoming event, “The atmosphere in Penang over a race weekend is phenomenal going by the overwhelming reception we received when we first embarked on the TGR Racing Festival here in 2017, and it gives Toyota great pleasure to return to Stadium Batu Kawan with an even more exciting line-up of activities for fans.”
“As we come to the halfway point of Season 2, the TGR Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge have had an enormous impact in terms of allowing the masses to better understand, see and experience for themselves the renewed image and philosophy of the brand moving forward. It’s All About the Drive,” he added.
The two-day Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge this coming 23 February 2019 will see an array of activities being organized apart from watching the action on the track. You can check out the Toyota showroom which will showcase among others, the All New Toyota Camry and newly-launched Toyota Vios. Take the opportunity to also purchase special “race themed” merchandise and win attractive prizes in lucky draws throughout the weekend.
Don’t miss the chance to catch the mesmerizing and entertaining performances by two professional Japanese drifters in two heavily-modified Toyota 86 drift cars courtesy of Toyo Tyres. This is a regular draw to the TGR Racing Festival and quite nice to watch two 86 drift in perfect unison which each other.
Aside from that, if you like running, you can join a Fun Run which will take place on Sunday morning (24 February 2019) giving you a rare opportunity to run inside the 1.56km Batu Kawan track, and a Zumba session which will also see the participation of several of the celebrities mentioned above. There will also be celebrity autograph sessions with fans and a performance by the competing celebrities to end the weekend.
So, if you have nothing much to do this weekend and you are in the vicinity of Batu Kawan, do head over there with your family or friends. Nothing beats a race weekend sometimes. As I've attended the Vios Challenge races before, you will find a sort of energy which you can never find outside of raceday, even if it is just a one make series. There is excitement definitely.
Update on the Toyota Vios Challenge So Far
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
With three podium finishes in four races, all eyes will be on singer Akim Ahmad as he takes
on the 1.56km Batu Kawan track for the very first time. Akim has been the most consistent
drivers in the Promotional Class for celebrities, and despite keeping rather a low profile
every race weekend, his race record so far stands at one race victory, two 2 nd place finishes
and a 4 th place finish. He currently leads the overall point standings.
With the current line-up of celebrities competing in the Promotional Class, actresses Diana
Danielle and Janna Nick so far hold the best record at Batu Kawan, finishing 4 th and 5 th
respectively at the track in Season 1.
Diana already has one race win under her belt this season and together with Akim, will also
be joined by celebrity presenter Nabil Ahmad and singer Aiman Tino who also have one race
victory each to their credit.
Meanwhile, looking for their first podium finish will be singers Nabila Razali, Wany Hasrita
and Khai Bahar, and UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd Deputy Chairman, Mr. Akio Takeyama.
SPORTING CLASS
Competing in the Sporting Class this season, celebrity beat boxer Shawn Lee will certainly
be looking to repeat the double victory he achieved at Batu kawan in Season 1.
Season 2 began strongly for Lee. Despite being promoted into a new class where he now
finds himself competing in a pool of amateur racers instead of fellow celebrities, Lee proved
his critics wrong and had driven to his first ever pole position and race victory in Race 1, and
finished 7 th in Race 2 in Kuala Terengganu much to the surprise of the other competitors.
But, an early mistake during the free practice session in Round 2 at the Malaysia Agro
Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in Selangor resulted in a severely damaged car that
would see him missing the entire race weekend and failing to score any points to grow his
presence in the series.
Fellow celebrity Mohd Shukri Yahaya, who has also earned a promotion into the Sporting
Class, will also be looking to repeat last season’s commendable drive at Batu Kawan. He
had finished second twice in Batu Kawan and it is one of his more favoured tracks in the
series.
Mohd Shukri’s Season 2 has somewhat been a roller-coaster ride. His best result in four
races so far is a 4 th place finish at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in
Selangor
A clear favourite in the Sporting class and is expected to do well in Batu Kawan however, will
be Kulim Top Wheels driver Dato’ Ken Foo who also holds the distinction of a double race
victory at the track last season.
Also expecting to continue their strong momentum in the Series will be Panglima City Racing
Team’s Kenneth Koh, Team Nanoplus driver Patrick Tam, ST Wangan Racing Team’s Eric
Yong, Distinctive Model’s Clement Yeo and Tedco Racing’s Brendon Lim.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
After 4 races in Season 2, the three most prominent names that continue to consistently
dominate the series are undoubtedly William Ho, Boy Wong and Kenny Lee.
Heading to Batu Kawan, all three drivers have one race victory to their credit, but Wong is
the only driver who has consistently finished all four races so far and has scored three
podium finishes in the process. Wong so far has one race win, one 2 nd place finish, one 3 rd
place finish and one 4 th place finish to his credit and currently leads the overall point
standings.
Comparing the three drivers, Ho has the best finish in Batu Kawan last season when he was
placed 3 rd , while Wong only managed a 6 th placing and Lee an 8 th placing.
Ho, who was crowned runner-up in the Super Sporting class last season, has so far
accumulated one race win, two 2 nd place finishes and one run-in with the concrete wall, while
Lee too has one race win under his belt, one 3 rd place finish, and like Ho, also one run-in with
the concrete wall.
Meanwhile, climbing up the ranks from the Sporting to the Super Sporting class is Brendan
Paul Anthony who has somewhat found his form over the last two races at the Malaysia
Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in Selangor to score a 2 nd and 3 rd finish.
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