The Southern Rally :
A journey through the wildness of the south
The Southern Rally is a "road rally' catergorised as a 'Time-Speed-Distance' rally- a competition of precision Driving and not a race.Nicknamed as "a journey through the wildness of the south",it is one of the most popularprobably the most exciting and enjoyable rally in the country. The rally generally traverses across the beautiful wildness and townships of matara,galle,rathnapura,moneragala and hambantota and covers a distance of about 500 - 700km.
The rally has its uniqueness compared to similar events held in Sri Lanka.Endowed with the expertise of Mr.Andrew Silva,undoubtedly the best plotter in the country,the route of the rally is something that gives the competiotors a diversity of terrain,excitement,and challenge.Southern rally is a tough rally,but also providing the competitor with hours of driving pleasure and excitement.It is also one of the best organised rallies in the country,with extremly close attention paid to competitor comfort and spector safty.
* The Southern Rally is an event which is tough to negotiate,but youwill be quit eager to conquer.It is a rally that you can finish with a sprint,and a smile on your face.
The Southern Rally was held in 1997 and 2001.The Castrol-Marble Decor Southern Rally 2001 was considered by nearly 60 of the country's best motor sportmen as the best TSD motor rally ever held in Sri Lanka in respect of both technical and organizational aspects.
The Southern Monsoon Rally and the Southern Night Rally:
Two modifications of the Southern Rally were later introduced: the Southern Monsoon Rally and the Southern Night Rally.
Wheels - Lanka - Southern Monsoon Rally 2003:
Exploting the harsh weather to generate more excitement was the idea behind the organisation of the 'Monsoon Rally'.The Wheels-Lanka-Southern Monsoon Rally 2003 was held on the 14th of September 2003 during the inter-monsoonal rains in the south.The rally routefell across Matara,Dondra ,Dickwella, Tangalle, Weeraketiya, Sevanagala, Embilipitiya, Hambantota, Beliatta and Kekenadura, covering a distance of about 380km.The rally was participated by a number of well known motor sports competitors.The competitors had a very exiting drive in the evening with heavy rains completely making the eroded terrain invisible.The rally was conducted to the TSD format and was generally considered by competitors as a 'fast rally' with high average speeds.
The CIC - Auto Finish - Southern Night Rally 2005:
A modification of the Southern Rally, named as the Southern Night Rally was held on the 10th and 11th December 2005 in Grand style. The only difference with the Southern Rally was that it was contucted during the night.
Despite severe losses experienced by its members following the Tsunami of 26th of December 2004, the SMSC took great efforts towards organizing this event in the troubleed Tsunami-affected areas in the south.The rally was conducted to TSD rally format and attracted the attention of both competitors and spectators a like.
The rally attracted a number of populer rally competitors in the country.One ofthe notable features of this rally was that it attratcted large number of motor sports competitors from the south of the country. The rally route fell across three districst: Galle,Matara and Hambantota.
The Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb:
When this event was first organised in 1997,the outside just could not believe that the flat terrain of Matara could offer the motor sports competitors with a challenging hill climb track. In fact the idea cacame from our lete president, Mr.Preethi Palliyaguru, who throught that Eliyakanda could be a superb hill-climb track.The track being used is the road to the Residency (official bunglow of District Secretary) at Browns Hill,Eliyakanda,Matara.Although the track has a distance of less than 1km, it is considered as a very tricky track giving maximum driving challenge and excitement within the shortest distance.
This event’s recognition was well demonstrated when it was included in as round 3 of the Hill Climb Championship of Sri Lanka Automobile Sports, a few years ago. Today this event is conducted with a record number of more than 100 Cars entries and more 50 bike entries. This event is continue from 1997 to to-date each year without a lapse.
Special Events
The Ratnapura Speed 2000:
At the invitation of the Sabaragamuwa Motor Sports Club Mr. Nilanga Dela Bandara, (Present Hon Diywadana Nilame of Dalada Maligawa) the Southern Motor Sports Club conducted the Ratnapura Speed 2000, a race conducted with in a closed circuit of public roads. The race had gone to history books as one of the superbly organised and conducted road races ever held in the country, in respect of technical standards, challenges, excitement and competitor and spectator safety. There was tremendous interest among the motor sports men in this event and more than160 competitors took part in this event.
In respect of spectator attendance, this event would have broken all Sri Lankan records, with a record attendance of about 300,000 spectators.
Keels Hotels – SMSC Safari Rally 2004- Kanthale
This is the “QUEEN” of the events organised by the Southern Motor Sports Club. The Safari Rally was a “speed rally” held in the wilderness of Kantale of the Eastern Province, in a gravel track that was prepared with the help of the Sri Lanka Army. The rally was conducted in a place far away from the south and the effort made by the members of the SMSC towards organising this rally is more than commendable.
The rally was conducted to FIA (Federation Internale de L’Automobile), Asia Pacific Rally Championship Rules (APRC) for the first time in Sri Lanka. The uniqueness of the event was that it adhered to all technical, organisational and safety standards adopted in APRC events. The SMSC is proud that it has provided both the competitors and spectators an event to remember, over many more years to come.
President’s Trophy - Southern Super Cross 2006 - Tiissamaharama
The inauguration of the Ceylon Auto Drome and the Southern Super Cross 2006 took place in Tissamaharama on the 6th of August in grand style. This episode would no doubt mark the beginning of a new era in motor sports- a major step towards holding internationally competitive motor sports events in Sri Lanka.
The concept of CAD became a reality when Mr. Shasheendra Rajapaksa, Basnayake Nilame of Katharagama Devalaya and the Private Secretary to His Excellency the President, took the initiative to convert the abandoned Kirindi Oya Livestock Farm into an international race track. Assisted by the D. A. Rajapaksa Foundation, Southern Development Authority and Honourable Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, work on the track progressed at an unprecedented speed to complete the first stage of the project. CAD would be a 5.8 km tarmac track, once completed, which would facilitate formula racing. The Southern Super Cross track marked the completion of the first stage of the track, which is 3.4 km in length and 65 feet in width.
The maiden event on the track, the Southern Super Cross 2006, was one of the best motor sports events held in the country, watched by nearly 100,000 spectators. Security arrangements, safety and health care, crowd control, arrangements for food, beverages, parking, etc. were excellent. Very high technical standards were observed in respect of signage, marshalling, handling of paddocks and dummy grids, timing of the events, officiating etc.
New Formats in Motor Racing: the triathlon
Recently, the SMSC introduced new formats in motor racing by organising three combined events: Toshiba – Premadasa Group – Wheels Lanka – Southern Triathlon, Preethi Palliyaguru Memorial Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb and Southern Auto Test, and, Southern Daewoo Festival of Speed. All thee were combined events, with the first and the last categorised as ‘triathlon’.
For the 1st time in Sri Lanka - New Track photos
Toshiba – Premadasa Group – Wheels Lanka – Southern Triathlon 2005
This was a unique meet with three completely different events held within two days; the 10th and 11th of September 2005. An Auto Test at Bandattara, a Night Drag Race at Weligama and the annual event- Sothern Eliyakanda Hill Climb. For the first time in the country drag racing was officially held in Weligama amidst massive crowds. Conducting the Auto Test meet in Bandattara, Matara, and the Drag Race in Weligama on the same day, proved the unparalleled efforts of the members of the Southern Motor Sports Club. With more than 150 entries, Toshiba – Premadasa Group – Wheels Lanka – Southern Triathlon 2005 would have broken all Sri Lankan records in respect of the number of entries for a meet.
Preethi Palliyaguru Memorial Toshiba Southern Eliakanda Hill Climb and Southern Auto Test 2006
This was a dual meet conducted on the 17th and 18th of June 2006, exploiting the newly constructed Matara Beach Road for an Auto Test event. Nearly 100 competitors participated in the meet and the event was watched by large crowds enjoying the salubrious atmosphere of the Matara coast.
Southern Daewoo Festival of Speed 2007
This was a triathlon with a difference, in which beach motor racing was introduced for the first time. The event displayed the SMSC’s hunger for novelties in motor sports. The coastal stretch along the Matara Beach Road was turned into a superb motor cycle track with exciting jumps and corners and all country’s best motor cycle competitors participated in the event. Excellent technical and organisational standards were maintained in this event and the SMSC is proud of providing the motoring public of this country the maximum enjoyment and excitement that they all look for, in a motor sports event.
Overall Results Southern 2007 - Southern DAEWOO Festival of SPEED 2007(26th , 27th May 2007)
Southern Monsoon Rally 2007, 2008, 2009.
Eliyakanda Hill Climb 2008, 2009
Southern Beach Horse Races 2000 and 2001
For the first time in Asia, a Horse Racing Event was held in a Beach, organised by the Southern Motor Sports Club. On the 22nd of April 2000 the Club organised Southern Beach Horse Races at the Matara Beach (along the coastal stretch from Brown Hill to Kotuwegoda Market), which attracted massive crowds to Matara. The organisation of this event in a completely different environment showed the unsurpassable capacity of the executive committee and the membership of the club, who conducted the event like veterans in horse racing, although they were a group of motor sportsmen. The event was also repeated in a subsequent year.
