Mark Darwin Held Off Keifli To Win Race 2

For Immediate Release
Malaysia Championship Series – Round 2 – Race 2
Sunday, 21st April 2019-Defending champion Mark Darwin of SITTY Fast Racing Team held off a fierce challenge from team-mate Keifli Othman to win Race 2 of the second round of the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) here today; giving him a double victory for the round and his first 30 points for the T Production class.
Scoreless at Round 1 with mechanical problems, Darwin showed firm determination to win today as he was engaged in a close battle with Keifli throughout the race that even saw their two Honda FDR2 machines touching each other at the end of Lap 4 as they took the final turn.
Darwin, however, got the better drive from the incident and immediately open a small gap between the two; allowing Darwin to take control of the race as Keifli continued relentless to close the gap; but to no avail.
In the end, Darwin was first to take the chequered flag; completing 22 laps around the 5,543-meter track in the one-hour endurance battle, that started in a rolling start at 5pm and contested under scorching heat and dry track. R-Engineering partnership of Farouk Abdul Kathir and team owner, Lai Wee Sing took their third to complete the podium for the T Production class.
Like Darwin, Malaysia’s rising talent Brendan Paul of R-Engineering also had a perfect Round 2; winning his second race of the weekend in the S Production(SP1) class and earning his first 30 points of the championship after a nightmarish opening round two weeks ago.
Reigning Sepang 1000km endurance race champion, Fariqe Hairuman and Syafiq Ali of Proton R3 Motorsports was in class of their own in the M Production class or the Malaysia Touring Car category; comforting winning the race 33.428 seconds ahead of their team-mate James Veerapen and Mitchell Cheah. Defending champion CY Ong, who is partnering youngster Adam Khalid, took third.
Second yesterday, e MCS star, Ady Rahimy Rashid of HIREV SIC Dream Chaser Racing won the SP2 class; turned the table on Race 1 winner Chong Kiat Wai and Takashi Oi of RWORKS, who won Race 1 yesterday. The partnership of Allan Tam and Lo Kai Fung took their second third place for the weekend.
With today’s win, Ady Rahimy, winner of the e-MCS championship last season and absorbed into SIC Talent Development Programme this season, now has 57 points to lead the five-leg national championship for four-wheel track racing.
Round 3 will be held from 12 to 14 July; with Round 4 scheduled between 23 and 25 August. The final round will be held from 27 to 29 September this year.
Actions over the weekend were telecast live via livestreaming on SIC Facebook page with 70,258 viewers following the races.
Results – Top 3 Finishers
T Production Class
1.Mark Darwin (Honda FD2 R) – 22 laps (1:00:41.237)
2. Keifli Othman (Honda FD2 R) – 22 laps
3. Abdul Kathir/Lai Wee Sing (Honda FD2 R) – 21 laps
M Production Class
1.Fariqe Hairuman/ Syafiq Ali (Proton Iriz) – 21 laps
2. James Veerapen/Mitchell Cheah (Proton Saga)
3. Ong Chee Yong / Adam Khalid (Satria Neo) - 20 laps
S Production(SP1) class
1.Brendan Paul (Honda Civic FD2) – 22 laps
2. Ken Urata / Masahiko Ida (Honda Civic FD2) – 22 laps
3. Marcus Ong / Ong Gee Yong (Honda Civic FD2 R) - 21 laps -
S Production(SP2) class
1.Ady Rahimy Rashid (Suzuki Swift) – 20 laps
2. Chong Kiat Wai / Takashi Oi (Suzuki Swift) - 20 laps
3. Allan Tam / Lo Kai Fung (Honda Fit RS) – 20 laps
For more information please contact SIC National Press Officer Nor Lina Ayob at norlina.ayob@sepangcircuit.com