The Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival was back in action at the Sepang International Circuit on June 25-26, 2022 for the first time in two years since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thousands of returning fans and spectators brought with them a tremendous amount of energy that helped to galvanize the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge race series as truly the People’s Race.
On track, racing fans and enthusiasts caught the Round 2 of the Vios Challenge action.
Besides the race, the festival featured a live concert by local rock group Bunkface on the first day (June 25) and ground activities that included numerous sales, promotional and activity booths, and an urban street dining area serving up local cuisines and delicacies.
On the second day (June 26), the All Wheel Fest attracted hundreds of participants, including families and children, on bicycles, push scooters, roller blades and skateboards. Even runners were granted access into the track.
This was followed by a Zumba session, the official opening ceremony of the festival, a grid walkabout for fans and spectators, and a procession of the Toyota Vios race cars.
The day ended on a high note with an energetic performance by popular Indonesian singer Judika as a special treat for fans.
“We would like to thank all the spectators and fans who came to the festival. The enthusiasm and the level of excitement we witnessed has certainly motivated us to now begin planning for a more exciting Round 3 and Season 5 finale in September,” said UMW Toyota Motor president Ravindran K.
The racing itself was exciting for racing enthusiasts who were treated to exciting wheel to wheel action on the track. Fans also seized the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the festival’s racing celebrities.
In the Super Sporting Class for elite and professional drivers, Prima Pearl TD Racing’s Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel post the fastest time on almost every lap of the race to make his way up from 12th position on the starting grid to winning the race.
Having missed the first two races of the season due to Covid-19 and bowing out of Race 1 on the first day due to a racing incident, Tengku Djan will only have three more races remaining in the season to pull out something special from his bag of tricks if he is to defend and capture his fourth overall Super Sporting Class title.
In the Rookie Class, a 19-year-old karter from Kuching, Sarawak, Muhammad Hamdany clinched his first ever race victory to retain his sterling record of four podium finishes in four races so far.
The gentlemen and amateur drivers in the Sporting Class also put up an incredible show on the track with Axle Motorsport’s Naquib Azlan concluding a perfect race weekend with two race wins.
In the Promotional Class for celebrities, television host Nabil Ahmad won the race while singer Wany Hasrita and actress Jannah Nick clinched the second and third positions respectively.
Round 3 of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge is scheduled for September. For more information, visit the UMW Toyota Motor (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd website at www.toyota.com.my
