Go-kart racing driver Rikaaz sets new record
 

by Richard Dwight

The confusion in the dates of the All-India Go-Kart championship, led to young Rikaaz Khalid not being able to make the trip as planned to India. This was most unfortunate, from the point of the promising Rikaaz, who missed a fine opportunity of racing with the best in India and yet other neighbouring countries. Rikaaz will do well to be more alert and be briefed early of racing schedules both here and in the subcontinent.

Despite this set back and shrugging away the disappointment, a resilient Rikaaz was determined to do well last Saturday in the Go-Kart Junior Yamaha class round 1 and 2 championship at the Independence Square, Colombo 7.

And well he did, especially in the second round, when as winner he registered a new Go-Kart fastest lap timing, which is considered a record.

There were five competing, comprising three juniors and two seniors. In the first round made up of a first heat of 10 laps and the final heat of 15 laps witnessed Rikaaz being hampered by a mishap with the rear tyres being deflated in both races and, with Shavesh Mendis a fine driver in his own right racing well won the two heats of the 1st round.

Notwithstanding this, Rikaaz, in the second round stormed in to the qualifying round to record the fastest lap timing of 28.81 secs, to be regarded as the best performance by any competitor, both for the junior and senior category. It's now considered the new fastest timing recorded at the Independence Square track.

Apart from the qualifying round in the 1st heat of the second round Rikaaz won the 10 lap race with ease from Mendis. In the 15 lap final round, it turned out to be a stiff battle between Shavesh Mendis and Rikaaz with Mendis in the lead. It was a tail and nose race between the two with Rikaaz being bogged down with the rear flat tyres.

In the last three laps Rikaaz drove relentlessly with the tyres completely flat, driving stylishly to be the winner of the 2nd round championship for 2005.