Proton R3 Ready To Win MSS Title in Sepang Tomorrow

Syafiq Ali and James Veerapan are ready to take the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) title in Sepang tomorrow as they continue to top competition in the Malaysian Touring Car Challenge with another amazing performance in qualifying at Round 4 today. The duo, who won all the previous races in all the rounds and amassed a maximum of 125 points, clocked 2 minutes 40.362 seconds in the Proton Satria Neo machine around the 5.543-km track to top the time sheets for the class; sending a clear message of their intentions to wrap the championship battle tomorrow with a round to spare.
The final round would be held from December 2 – 4 where the MSS cars would be reverting back to sprint races in a two-race format.  Soh Kee Koon, who is currently fourth in the overall standings with 40 points, was second fastest in the class with a time of 2 minutes 40.520 seconds as he faced a mountainous task to stop Proton R3 Racing from an early celebration. The race returned its one-hour endurance format for this round; giving the opportunity for the Proton R3 partnership to change drivers while Soh, the former MSS Supersaloon champion, having the need to go alone throughout the 60-minute battle.  
On that note, the partnership of Richard Gomes and Alvaro Maurato would be in a better position to challenge the championship leaders. Driving a Proton Satria Neo as well, the partnership from Tedco Racing was third in qualifying today with a time of 2 minutes 42.012 seconds.  Currently second in the MTCC overall standings with 49 points, Kok Pak Chiang and Sutan Mustaffa Salihin could only manage a fifth fastest time in qualifying with a time 2 minutes 43.388 seconds in their Proton Gen 2 machine. Scheduled for 3.40pm tomorrow, the MTCC race would run together with competitors from GT Open, Sports Production and Touring Production classes.
In the premier GT class, Frank Yu of Craft Eurasia Racing was fastest in qualifying with a time of 2 minutes 9.414 seconds in his Aston Martin GT3 machine. He would start in the front row tomorrow alongside Vignesa Moorthy, who was second fastest with a lap time of 2 minutes 11.694 seconds in a Radical.
In the Sports Production Class, Zen Low of FX Primus Aylezo Motorsports could also have an early celebrations based on his performance in qualifying today.  Currently leading the class with 105 points and holding a 43-point advantage over his closest rival, Bruce Lee, the Sarawak-born driver was fastest in qualifying today; clocking 2 minutes 25.593 seconds. Bruce was second fastest with a time of 2 minutes 28.695 seconds; but was more than three seconds slower than Zen.
The Touring Production class looked set for an exciting battle tomorrow between two awesome partnerships – Hidehatu Kutoki and Perajun Krishnan in their Honda DC5; and Lai Wee Sing and Tan Lye Wee in a Honda FD2 machine.  Kutoki and Perajun had the faster car in qualifying; but was only 0.144 seconds ahead of Lai and Tan, who clocked 2 minutes 32.127 seconds.  
Apart from the MSS car categories, tomorrow’s schedule would also feature a host of international class support races – the Asian Classic Car Championship, Touring Car Championship Asia, the Hong Kong Touring Car Championship, VW Scirocco Series and the Westfield Sportscar Series.
This year’s MSS is supported Iktikadraya – the distributor of alpinestars; Panta Racing Fuel; MAXIM oil lubricants, NITRON shock absorber, DID racing chain, Kawasaki, Pirelli, Michelin, DNA air filter for bikes, XAM sprocket, SBS brake and On The Road, which is the official magazine for the series.  
MALAYSIAN SUPER SERIES CARS – ROUND
Top Five Qualifiers
Sepang Circuit – 5.543km
GT Open Class
1.Frank Yu (Aston Martin GT3) 2:09.414
2. Vignesa Moorthy (Radical) 2:11.694
3. Samson Chan (Ginetta G50z GT3) 2:12.585
4. Noel Becker (Radical) 2:15.230
5. Rhommell Singh (Juno) 2:15.708
Sports Production Class
1.Zen Low (Lotus) 2:25.593
2. Bruce Lee (Lotus) 2:28.695
3. Steven Chian (Ferrari F360) 2:29.411
4. Muhammad Rafie/ Freddie Ang (Lotus Exige) 2:31.071
5. Tan Kok Ho (Lotus) 2:34.230
Touring Production Class
1.Hidehatu Kutoki/ K.Perajun (Honda Integra DC5) 2:31.983
2. Lai Wee Siang/ Tan Lye Wee (Honda FD2) 2:32.127
3. Damian Dielenberg (Honda Integra DC5) 2:32.470
4. A.Kesavamoorthy/Michael Raj (Honda Integra DC5) 2:34.562
5. Shamir Kumar Nandy (Honda Integra DC5) 2:39.523s
Malaysian Touring Car Challenge
1.Syafiq Ali/ James Veerapan  (Proton Satria Neo) 2:40.362
2. Soh Kee Koon (Toyota Altis) 2:40.520
3. Ricardo Lopes/Alvora Mourato (Proton Satria Neo) 2:42.012
4. Ahmad Faizry/ Juzaili Jasmay (Proton Satria Neo) 2:43.122
5. Kok Pak Chiang/ Sutan Mustaffa (Proton Gen 2) 2:43.388