Officially, under the Movement Control Order (MCO), unauthorised travel outside of homes is not permitted. However, it is still permissible to travel to get food and other supplies or medicines, but the journey must only be from home to the shop and back. No wandering around and if possible, only one person should go from each household.
Interstate travel is also forbidden unless a permit is given by the police (except for Selangor and Kuala Lumpur). Individuals can be fined RM1,000 or sentenced for up to 6 months in jail for not following the MCO, under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
However, in some areas, the police seem to have decided to tighten enforcement in a stronger effort to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. In the case of Kuala Terengganu, Malaysiakini reports that all main roads into the town centre have been closed off. Free flow of traffic during the MCO period until March 31 will not be permitted except for those on duty and have legitimate reasons to enter.
In Bentong, Temerloh, Kuantan, Pekan and Jerantut, petrol stations and convenience stores have been ordered to remain closed from 7 pm to 7 am although the MCO has mentioned that such places could remain open.
The second day of the Vios Challenge, part of the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Festival Season 3 held in Kuala Terengganu on Friday and Saturday, produced a series of many firsts. For starters, 15-year-old Hayden Haikal stormed to his second race victory and his first ever win on a street circuit in the Sporting Class, while singers Wany Hasrita and Nabila Razali climbed the winners’ podium for their first time in the Promotional Class for celebrity drivers.
SPORTING CLASS
“I’m extremely happy with the race win because Kuala Terengganu is a very challenging track. Frankly, I don’t really enjoy this track because there’s hardly any opportunity to overtake here but thankfully everything fell into place today,” said Hayden who finished the race ahead of Hiewa Racing Team’s Wong Chin Eeg and Panglima City Racing’s Kenneth Koh who crossed the finish line in third position.
Coincidentally, Kuala Terengganu was also the venue where Hayden made his debut in the Vios Challenge in the last season. A rookie then, he started his first ever saloon car race in ninth position and also finished ninth.
The start of the 22-lap race started rather dramatically with pole position man Shanmuganathan Arumugan being squeezed out of contention going into the first corner. Wong had an exceptionally good start from second on the grid to punch a hole in the traffic to slip into the lead, leaving enough space for Hayden and Kulim Topwheels driver Dato’ Kenneth Foo to move into second and third positions respectively. Koh however, overtook Foo for third position by the end of the first lap.
Wong held on to his lead for seven laps until making a slight mistake which allowed Hayden to inherit the lead. “Hayden was a lot quicker on the track and as soon as I made a mistake, I saw him beside me. I then made the decision to back off and let him through. It would not have benefitted any of us had the two cars came together,” said Wong.
“After overtaking, I tried to build a gap to Wong, pace myself and focus to not make any mistakes especially in the corners,” Hayden said of the duel.
Koh meanwhile, was a man on a mission to score as many championship points possible as he claimed his second visit to the winners’ podium in two consecutive races over the weekend. His third place finish was a fitting end to the weekend which also included winning Race 1.
“I felt a slight impact at the rear going into the first corner and from then on, I became rather paranoid of having incurred any damage. I tried to close the gap to the car ahead but in the end, the most sensible thing to do was to pace myself to the end because there was also a big gap between me and the car behind,” said Koh.
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
Rain again came in the late afternoon (like last year) and as the drivers were more cautious, this popular race was uneventful. In fact, the start had to be delayed for 30 minutes before resuming behind the Safety Car.
Rain delayed the start of the Promotional Race and the Safety Car (the latest Toyota Camry) had to control the convoy for a while.
The wet conditions however, turned out to be in favour of singer Wany Hasrita who stormed into her first ever race win. In second place was fellow singer Nabila Razali, also making her first appearance on the winners’ podium, followed by actor Shukri Yahaya in third position.
“The wet track conditions made the race twice as difficult but I did my best to keep my cool and to avoid making any mistakes. The track was slippery and that meant having to pick an earlier braking point into the corners,” said Wany who started from pole position on the grid.
Victory was also extremely sweet for Nabila who demonstrated a more calm and composed drive to finish in second place and claim her first visit to the winners’ podium.
“Season 2 was really difficult for me and I struggled to finish the race but thankfully, the long hours of practice and with guidance from the instructors, my driving and confidence level on the track has improved so much. I’m hoping to do much better this season,” said Nabila.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
With the exception of Brendon Lim who dropped from fourth position on the grid to eighth place and Brendan Paul Anthony who lost one place, all the drivers in the Super Sporting class maintained their track positions from start to finish in the 22-lap race.
Toyotsu Racing’s William Ho led from start to finish, with Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang taking second place some 1.93 seconds behind, and Kenny Lee of Kegani Racing completing the top three a further two seconds adrift.
In the class of the elite professional racers, the race unfolded with all drivers posting super competitive times and remaining within the 1 minute 15 second to 1 minute 16 second bracket around the tight and narrow 1.65-km street circuit. While it is always difficult for any competitor to overtake on a narrow street track, Ho found that leading the race also placed a degree of pressure.
“Freddie was very close to me and I tried my best to pull away but that proved to be very difficult and I tried my best to keep composed and to not hit the concrete barrier. It was a question of maintaining my pace, not pushing too hard and finishing the race to score valuable championship points,” recalled Ho after the race.
As in previous seasons, fans got to meet the celebrities and chat with them.Fun for all the family all day longSome lucky visitors got to take home caps autographed by the two highly-skilled Japanese drifters.
Round 2 of the Vios Challenge and TGR Festival will be held in the Central Region but the venue has not been confirmed yet. It would likely be at the MAEPS site outside Kuala Lumpur which has a lot of space for setting up the track, as well as plenty of parking areas. To get updates on the event, visit toyota.com.my/tgrmalaysia/tgr-racing-festival/season-3.
An elaborate list of safety features and some minor performance upgrades makes all the difference in the all-new Toyota Vios racing car which made its debut in all three classes of the Vios Challenge Season 3 yesterday and today. Running to a one-make race format where driving skills take much precedence over any vehicle modifications, the series – part of the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Festival – was held at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu.
The new Vios racing car can be recognised by the new front end design which is noticeably different from the Season 2 car (left)
How different is the new racing car?
“The biggest change in the car is the limited slip differential. The car now feels much more alive and the suspension is good. But the engine and transmission are pretty much the same,” said Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin, winner of Race 1, Super Sporting Class.
“It is a lot more responsive. This weekend was the first time I’ve driven the car as I was unable to do the shakedown. From the practice session, I managed to make small changes here and there and I could actually feel the difference. This year is going to be a good year where those drivers who are able to set up their car for the track will have an advantage. The other biggest difference this season is that the top 9 cars are all within a second of the fastest qualifying time. Everyone is super competitive this year!” said 23 Motors’ Tengku Djan, runner-up in Race 1, Super Sporting Class & Season 1 Super Sporting Class Champion.
TEDCO Racing’s Brendon Lim, who was 3rd in Race 1, Super Sporting Class & Season 2 Sporting Class Champion (TEDCO Racing) noted that car set-up is vital. “Depending on your driving style, the set-up of the car’s camber, toe and tyre pressure is critical to getting the best performance out of the car over a race weekend. Tyre pressure is the most important,” he explained. Of course, whatever adjustments made have to be within the provisions of the regulations and every car is inspected before and after the race.
Quicker times this year
Kenneth Koh of the Panglima City Racing Team can confirm it is better in terms of handling. “The chassis is stiffer and together with better suspension, almost all the drivers posted quicker times in Kuala Terengganu. I was 1.5 seconds quicker in the first unofficial practice session and during the shakedown at Sepang International Circuit, my time was 3 seconds faster. There are a lot of improvements in the car, the car is very different, and it is a lot easier to handle. We also have a lot more grip from this season’s tyres,” he added.
Definitely the biggest strength in the new car is in the more rigid chassis and the suspension which is more firm this season. “We experienced a lot more flex in the older generation car, especially when you hit a kerb on the track but with the new car, it was firm and planted. Our times are also a lot quicker, and I believe this also has something to do with the newer tyres which offer a lot more grip. My qualifying time was half a second faster compared to last season on the same track,” observed William Ho, Super Sporting Class & Season 1 runner-up (Toyotsu Racing).
Set-up will be crucial in Season 3
“The new car has definitely improved, in terms of suspension, brakes, and traction. The biggest challenge last season was fighting for more traction and getting the right balance between getting brake bite and grip. This season is going to be about the driver’s ability to set-up the car well,” said Kenny Lee, one of the drivers in the Super Sporting Class supported by Kegani Racing. It’s amazing how the car reacts better with just minor changes. Understanding the characteristics of the suspension and tyres, as well as depending on the driving style of the driver.”
“We definitely have better grip from the tyres this season. There is also more bite from the car’s LSD. Setting-up the car will also be very important this season. Those who are able to set-up the car to minimize the understeer should be able to be a lot faster on the track. Experiencing understeer means you cannot accelerate because that would just send you into the concrete safety barrier. It’s better to have oversteer because the rear will just point the car in the direction you want and you can immediately be on the accelerator,” explained Syafiq Ali, a Super Sporting Class competitor with the M7 Japan Project Team.
The new Toyota Vios racing car Engineered and prepared for the Vios Challenge
Former champions Shawn Lee and Tengku Djan Ley produced the best of comebacks in the opening round of Season 3 of the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Festival and Vios Challenge held at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu today. After spending Season 2 of the race series competing amongst a competitive pool of amateur drivers in the Sporting class, Shawn and actor Shukri Yahaya were clearly the dominant two on the track in the Promotional class race for celebrities.
Tengku Djan, meanwhile, concluded his comeback race with a second place in the Super Sporting class for professionals. He was champion of the Super Sporting class in Season 1.
Shukri Yahaya and Shawn Lee
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
Shawn and Shukri underlined a strong comeback into the Promotional category by winning Race 1 and finishing second respectively in the 20-lap race. “It was an exciting race right up to the end because Shukri managed to bridge the gap and that got me a little concerned on whether he was close enough to attempt to overtake. At the same time, I was trying to remain calm and not make any mistakes that could have cost me the race two laps from the end,” said Shawn. “It was a good fight with Shukri and I enjoyed every moment of it.”
Despite setting the fastest time in qualifying, actor Shukri failed to make the most of his pole position after losing track position to Shawn into the first corner. “I made a mistake in the first corner and from then on, the effort was on trying to keep up with Shawn Lee. The lead grew to about 4 seconds at one stage but in the closing stages, I managed to close the gap to about a second but I wasn’t going to risk trying to pass him since we have a second race to think about on Saturday,” said Shukri.
In third place was actress and also defending Promotional class champion Diana Danielle who was gifted a podium finish despite being some 37 seconds behind when Nabil Ahmad clipped the concrete barrier and retired. Also retiring from the race was Syafiq Kyle while Khai Bahar, Nabila Razali, Wany Hasrita, Janna Nick and Ain Edruce finished in fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth places, respectively.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
The elites in the Super Sporting class drove a close but clean race from start to finish with Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin winning the 22-lap race just half a second ahead of 23 Motors’ Tengku Djan Ley. In third place was Tedco Racing’s Brendon Lim.
“I had a good start from pole position and I managed to pull away slightly, enough to be comfortable. My tyres however, were badly worn 5 laps to the finish and I could see Tengku Djan catching up,” said Mark.
For Tengku Djan, the visit to podium underlines a great start to the season having won Season 1 and taking a break from Season 2. “The biggest difference this season is that the top 9 cars are all within a second of the fastest qualifying time. Everyone is super competitive this year. The race was good, I had a good car but the track was super tight to be able to make a clean move so I decided to keep my position and finish the race,” he said.
“The most challenging about the race is to be on point every lap, every corner and to not make any mistake because if you do, everyone else will just capitalize on that mistake because we are all driving identical cars. It is not an easy task to do drive in these conditions for 22 laps. There is just no room for error,” said Malaysia’s ‘Prince of Drift’.
SPORTING CLASS
In the Sporting Class, Panglima City Racing Team’s Kenneth Koh took the chequered flag ahead of Team Distinctive Model’s Clement Yeo and Kulim Topwheels’ Dato’ Ken Foo who finished second and third respectively. All three drivers made a textbook start of the 22-lap race, from first, second and third positions on the grid respectively, with only 3 seconds separating them.
“I had a good race and after a week of getting used to the new Toyota Vios, I am comfortable with how we’ve been able to set-up the car for Round 1. It’s the first win of the year and hopefully more to come throughout the season! I’m hoping to be consistently on the podium this season,” said Kenneth who started from pole position.
The race, however, was red-flagged 3 laps before the finish with Team Fokus Tetap’s Lim Chun Beng becoming Season 3’s first casualty of the 1.65-km street circuit’s reinforced concrete barrier. A brush with the barrier damaged his front right fender which resulted in the tyre delaminating and sending his car out of control into the concrete wall.
Race 2 of the Vios Challenge continues tomorrow (Saturday September 7). While the Vios Challenge is the highlight of the TGR Festival, there are lots of other activities for all the family from morning till night. Come and see the action, the latest Toyota models and meet the celebrities who also race in the Vios Challenge. You might also take home a 55-inch Smart TV and other exciting prizes in the Lucky Draw. Entrance is free.
Terengganu on the East Coast has Friday and Saturday as its weekend, so Thursday night is usually a time when people start to look forward to their weekly break. Last night saw added excitement in the state capital of Kuala Terengganu as the streets came alive with a convoy of 35 vehicles taking part in the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival Drivers’ Parade.
A first in Kuala Terengganu
The parade was a promotional event for this weekend’s opening round of Season 3 of the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Festival and Vios Challenge race series. In the convoy were 26 Vios racing cars which were driven on public roads for the very first time, escorted by the police. The racing cars, intended for the race series, are normally not for normal use on public roads.
Starting from the race venue at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin stadium, the 25-km journey took drivers across the iconic Kuala Terengganu Drawbridge before coming to stop at Pasarnita for a meet-and-greet session with hundreds of local fans.
Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama led the convoy which had celebrities and Promotional class drivers Diana Danielle, Janna Nick, Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali, Ain Edruce, Shukri Yahaya, Shawn Lee, Nabil Ahmad, Khai Bahar and Syafiq Kyle.
Also joining the parade were the pool of amateur and professional racers competing in the Sporting and Super Sporting Classes who included Malaysian drifter and Season 1 champion Tengku Djan Ley, teenage driver Hayden Haikal, Dato’ Ken Foo, Season 2 champion Brendon Lim, Ahmad Tarmimi, Mark Darwin, Mirza Syahmi, Mohd Ismail Idris, Jackson Tan, Freddie Ang, Ricky Tan, Syafiq Ali, Lim Chun Beng, Sutan Mustafa and Tom Goh.
Recognized as Malaysia’s premier street racing series, the Vios Challenge is held on a specially-constructed 1.65-km street circuit and features close action on the track with celebrity, amateur and professional racing drivers competing in three classes of saloon car racing (Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting classes respectively) in the exciting one-make series that is the highlight of the TGR Festival.
Scenes from the Season 2 event which was held at the same venue last year.
More than just racing action
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. Today and tomorrow, there also will be a display of Toyota’s wide range of models (with test-drives available), 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 merchandise, and a Superfans Signing Session where fans can mingle with the celebrities racing in the Promotional class. Entrance is free and there’s plenty of parking available at the venue.
After a month-long intense training session, celebrities Syafiq Kyle and Ain Edruce have been given the green light to compete in Season 3 of the Vios Challenge, part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival (TGR Festival). The two young personalities will make their debut in the Promotional class of the one-make race in Round 1 of the TGR Festival on September 6/7 in Kuala Terengganu.
Held for the second time on a 1.65-km street circuit specially constructed for the event at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium, the Vios Challenge will feature exhilarating door-to-door action on the track with celebrity, amateur and professional racing drivers competing in three classes of saloon car racing (Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting classes respectively).
10 celebrities for Season 3
A total of 10 local celebrities will compete in the Promotional category with actress Diana Danielle returning as the defending champion. Already a veteran after racing in the past two seasons, Diana will be challenged by Shukri Yahaya and Janna Nick, beat-boxer Shawn Lee, presenter Nabil Ahmad as well as singers Khai Bahar, Nabila Razali, and Wany Hasrita.
“It has been an incredible experience and I learnt a lot in the training session from understanding the proper racing lines, identifying my braking points, being in the proper gear in corners, how to defend my racing line to how to remain calm and mentally focused driving under pressure,” said 28-year-old Ain.
Before participating in the new season of the TGR Festival’s Vios Challenge, the newcomers have to undergo training so they can drive competitively and safely.
“I never realized that there is so much science to motor racing. Racing is much more than just the ability to drive fast but it requires in depth understanding of momentum, acceleration, deceleration, balance and handling of a vehicle. Being consistent and precise is the key to setting a quick pace around the track.”
The actress, model and presenter said she has ‘bonded well’ with the new Vios which she will use in the race. She described the racing car as being very perceptive in terms of handling and stable at high speeds. Competitors in all three classes of racing will drive identical Vios race cars as the one-make format prioritizes driving skills and experience instead of any modifications to increased vehicle performance.
All the racing cars in the Vios Challenge have identical performance with strict inspections before and after the races to ensure compliance. So it is more of driver skill than sheer power which can make the difference during racing.UMW Toyota Motor’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama (centre), with the two newcomers, Ain Edruce and Syafiq Kyle. Mr. Takeyama has also competed in the Promotional Category for the past two seasons and will join the racing again for Season 3.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old actor Syafiq Kyle hardly feels intimidated with the competition but will approach his first race on a street circuit cautiously. “I am well prepared for the challenge ahead but I believe the most challenging aspect of the race will be competing on a street circuit. This is something I will need to approach cautiously considering all of my training was conducted on a proper racing circuit where it is more forgiving to make mistakes. On a street circuit, there is no room for mistake – one hit against the concrete barrier and you’re out of the race,” he said.
“The strategy for the season will be to drive consistently but competitively, avoid concrete barriers, and try to finish every race,” added the former Hero Remaja 2011/12 finalist and Gol & Gincu actor.
An event for all the family
For motorsports fans and spectators, the excitement of the TGR Festival is not confined to the action and drama on the track. At the Kuala Terengganu venue as well as the other venues, there will also be displays of Toyota’s fleet of latest models (with test drive available) , a drift performance by Japanese drifters courtesy of Toyo Tires, racing simulator challenge, stage games and celebrity performances, promotional activities, lucky draws, the sale of merchandise, and superfans signing session for a chance to meet with the celebrities racing in the Promotional class.
The TGR Festival is an event for all the family to enjoy and starts from 9 am on Friday September 6. It continues through Saturday till late in the evening when prize presentations are made to the winners. Entrance is free and there’s ample parking around the stadium.
