Thursday, September 05, 2019

Season 3 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and the Toyota Vios Challenge Starts Tomorrow in Kuala Terengganu


Tomorrow is the opening round of Season 3 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival. It will happen on friday and saturday, the 6th and 7th of September 2019 over at The Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu. If you are in the vicinity from 10am onwards on those two days, there will be lots of motorsport and Toyota activity for you to witness. It is going to feature the Toyota Vios Challenge on the track with celebrity, amateur and professional racing drivers competing in threeclasses of saloon car racing (Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting classes respectively) in the one-make Toyota Vios Challenge. Off track, lots of stuff will be happening for everyone.



UMW Toyota Motor President Mr. Ravindran K. said the TGR Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge has evolved into an affordable and attractive platform for young drivers to hone their skills in their pursuit to reach the higher levels of motor-racing. Like most grassroots racing, it starts them young.  One good example was the achievement of 15-year-old Hayden Haikal who successfully transitioned from karting to saloon car racing en route to becoming the youngest ever driver to have won a race in the TGR Festival/Toyota Vios Challenge.

“Toyota has accomplished so much in motor-racing and the objective behind the TGR Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge is to bring enthusiasts and customers closer to the brand and our products by leveraging on Toyota’s rich motorsports heritage,” said Mr. Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd.

“The TGR Festival celebrates the success of Toyota and Gazoo Racing in global motorsports, from our achievements in the Dakar Rally and World Rally Championship to the historic victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and translating these accomplishments to benefit the masses domestically.” added Akio.

This will be the second time in a row that the TGR Festival will travel to Kuala Terengganu, before making its way to the Klang Valley and Johor for another three rounds. The four-round Festival and championship consists of eight races involving more than 40 drivers competing on a mix of specially- constructed street circuits and a permanent racing circuit (Sepang circuit).


For motorsports fans and spectators in Kuala Terengganu, the excitement of the TGR Festival is not confined to the action and drama on the track, but includes the display and test drive of Toyota’s fleet of new vehicles, a drift performance by Japanese drifters courtesy of Toyo Tires, a racing simulator challenge, stage games and celebrity performances, promotional activities, lucky draws, the sale of merchandises, and a Superfans Signing Session for a chance to mingle with the celebrities racing in the Promotional class. 

Season 3 also marks the debut of the recently launched current generation Toyota Vios. So you can have an idea of how to make up your street spec Vios.

“The TGR Festival is also an extreme proving ground to demonstrate the capabilities of Toyota cars, especially introductory models like the Vios. For Toyota, it is equally important that our vehicles not only fulfill the growing expectations of today’s car buyers, but live up to the most enduring conditions, and are able to offer a high degree of driving satisfaction, performance and ownership excitement," said Ravindran.


A total of 10 local celebrities will line-up on the grid in Kuala Terengganu with actress Diana Danielle leading the charge returning as the defending champion. Other celebrities competing include actor Shukri Yahaya, beat-boxer Shawn Lee, actress Janna Nick, presenter Nabil Ahmad, singer Khai Bahar, singer Nabila Razali, and singer Wany Hasrita. Season 3 also welcomes two newcomers, actress/presenter Ain Edruce, and actor Syafiq Kyle. Takeyama will also be returning to compete in the series in his third straight season.

The pool of celebrities also expect the competition to be tougher with the return of Shukri Yahaya and Shawn Lee who moves back to the Promotional class after a season-long stint competing against drivers in the Sporting class.

Meanwhile, the Super Sporting class sets the stage for a battle between two former champions - Boy Wong will take to the grid as defending champion (Season 2) and Tengku Djan Ley who was Season 1’s winner. Also competing will be William Ho who finished runner-up in the last two seasons, last season’s third place overall winner Brendan Paul Anthony and another experienced driver Kenny Lee.

The TGR Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge kicks off from 9am on Friday (6 September 2019) to Saturday (7 September 2019), and entrance is free.

So this is something you can do this weekend if you are in KT.





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