The Asian Touring Car Series is back and the grid will be full next weekend when Asia’s best touring car drivers line up for the season opener at Sepang International Circuit. The 2008 season of ATCS will see drivers competing in 12 rounds at five of the best race circuits around Asia, beginning with the first three rounds during the Asian Festival Of Speed this 15th to 18th May.
The ATCS season opener will also see an outstanding grid of 27 cars, with drivers from Macau, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and including five Malaysians who are set to make their country proud.
Father and son duo, JP and TJ Chin, who will be competing in Division 1, are well known names in the racing scene in Malaysia, having competed in numerous races throughout their years of racing and winning enough local races to be well regarded by other local drivers. The duo will run under the G1 JPM Racing Team banner in their Honda Integra DC5’s.
In Division 2, Adrian Henry D’Silva, Eric Yeo and Harry Chai will fly the flag for the host country. For D’Silva, he will use this year to make up for last year’s lost opportunities when he was disappointed twice over by having to pull out at the last minute from two races, one in Autopolis and one more in Zhuhai.
Yeo has participated in the Series before, usually only during the Sepang rounds but never in a full season. “It is good to be back in the Asian Touring Car Series and I am positive with my participation this year. I have always wanted to be a part of racing in the Asian Festival Of Speed and I am excited for the first race.” said Yeo.
Harry Chai had two stints in Sepang and Zhuhai last year and has now managed to secure a partnership with Singaporean and Division 1 driver, Melvin Choo in the Thunder Asia Racing Team.
For Chai, the opportunity was opened to him by S&D Motorsports, which he managed during the 2007 season. “Last year we wanted two cars for the team and spent a lot on development on the cars. So this year, my participation will be to help the team gain as many points for the season as possible and I am happy to be able to compete with Asia’s top drivers, I have been waiting for this chance to race with them”.
The Malaysians will be competing against some of the best touring car drivers in Asia, among them are Melvin Choo, last year’s Division 2 runner up who will be taking up the challenge in Division 1, Danny Stacy Chau, the veteran and well respected Hong Kong driver, Jack Lemvard and Seiji Siobuchi, the two Liqui Moly Team Engstler drivers and some of the best Macau drivers participating in the Series for the first time.
The 2008 Season of the Asian Festival Of Speed will be the biggest ever seen in its history. Not only will there be six outstanding race series featured during the weekend; Formula V6 Asia, Asian Touring Car Series, ATCS 1500Max Challenge, Formula BMW Asia, Asia Supercar Challenge and the Formula Asia 2.0, the event is also expecting the largest contingent of race drivers arriving early next week, ready for great racing.
Motorsport fans will get a chance to see and vote for their favourite Projectracequeens AFOS Edition girls, get up close to the teams and cars during the pit-walkabout, see the best Malaysian car clubs showcased at the Largest Car Club Gathering, enjoy the Half-time grid show and visit the promotion vendors at the Grand Stand area.
Tickets for the Asian Festival Of Speed are available online at www.axcess.com.my and at the door during the event.
Visit www.afos.com for further details.
