Over the last weekend, we saw the Sepang 12 Hour race happening at the Sepang International Circuit. Interestingly enough, JPM Motorsports actually brought in the famous Australian Summer Nationals to Sepang. So how was the event? Read on to find out.
For starters, those who take the mall entry, will no doubt pass through these two beauties.
On one side, it’s the historical Porsche 917 that debuted in the late 1960s. Making its debut at Spa-Francorchamps in 1969, this Porsche 917 did not fare very well in the debut race, and subsequent races after that. It was then in 1970, Porsche and JWA Gulf Team reworked the rear spoiler and called it the 917K. With that improvement, it went on to conquer several endurance races. This particular Martini liveried Porsche was specially flown in for the event, by Porsche Malaysia. The other is the Porsche 919 Hybrid. Powered by a turbocharged 2.0L V4 engine with two energy recuperation systems, the Porsche 919 Hybrid made its debut at the 2014 6 Hours of Silverstone. It is worth noting that this particular Porsche 919 Hybrid is a mock up, and not an actual race car, unlike the 917 beside it.
Moving onto the track, we spotted some of the organizer’s cars parked at the paddocks, ready for the drive around the track.
Pictures aside, we managed to ride shotgun in one of the cars. Here’s some of the shots that I managed after squeezing through the rear quarter window of a Pontiac Bonneville.
To be honest, hearing the roaring V8s from various old school muscle cars was indeed incredible. It’s not everyday that a bunch of muscle cars could just gather and drive around the Sepang International Circuit.
For those who didn’t like to bask in the sun, they can opt to walk under the shade of the tents, which exhibitors showcased their products. Guys from Proton R3, Affin Bank, Yokohama Tires, Motorsport Playground and Nissan were all present there.
Under the huge tents, there were also a collection of cars, like the DeLorean DMC-12 from the Back To The Future trilogy, Lamborghini Diablo VT, Chevrolet Camaro and several Nissan GTRs.
Besides the burn out session, there was also a supercar gathering that saw some 30+ Ferraris got together on the track. The usual 458 Italia, F430s made their appearance here, as well as the more exclusive 458 Speciale.
Stay true to the Summer Nationals philosophy, the organizers arranged for some rear wheel drive cars for some burnout action. First off there was a Harley Davidson bike against a Toyota Corolla KE70.
After that, we saw a Nissan Cefiro A31, a black Nissan Silvia S13 and a white Nissan 240SX, driven by Azrina Jane.
Overall, the event was very interesting, as some rarely seen cars made an appearance there. Besides, for the younger ones, they could get the opportunity to get up close and personal with some rather nice cars. We do hope to see more automotive centered events in the near future.
