Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/612918
21 Sport maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2015 MOTORPSORTS Sport MOTORPSORTS Malta to host the final round of the 2016 FIA European Drag Racing Championships Major track upgrades to take place in 2016 to prepare for the event FIA Drag Racing Commission Vice President Lars Pettersson confrimed that Malta will host the final round of the 2016 FIA European Drag Racing Cham- pionships and to furnish ini- tial practical details about the event. "The working title for the event is the FIA Mediterranean European Finals and it will take place on 30th September - 2nd October 2016", says Lars. "The great news was released at the third Mediterranean Tourism Forum Gala at the Mediterra- nean Conference Hall in Val- etta. "This is an opportunity to bring fans and families to the great island of Malta for the racing and for a sunny holiday. "The track in Malta will un- dergo a major upgrade during the Spring of 2016. The work will cover safety, the track surface and facilities. A joint venture is to be set up between Federations, Clubs and offi- cials. The consortium is cur- rently working on reducing the cost of transport and air fares for race teams. "The Malta Hotel Restaurant Assocation, QPM, Malta Tour- ist Association, Malta Motor- sport Federation and the Mal- tese Government have made this project possible together with the FIA. More informa- tion will be available after the New Year." Monty Bugeja doing a burnout before the start of a race Abela & Grech win the 'AX Modified Classes - Bailey wins the 'AX Standard Class ON Sunday 6th December 2015 Assocjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi continued with the 4th event of the ASMK Pasta Poiatti 2015/2016 Championship races. This activity consisted of races of the Autocross Modified and Standard Classes. 25 cars regis- tered for this race. Looking at the day's events where in Autocross Modified only God- frey Gauci dominated the day's Heats where he won them all thus he secured his place on the Class A Start Line. Oyher drivers who also secured a place on the Start of the Class A Final were Christian Mark Galea on his Fiat Ritmo, Josef Abe- la and Matthew Borg both on an Opel Nova, Noel Zammit on his Fiat Punto and Malcolm Borg on his Opel Corsa. From the Start of the 9 Laps Race Final we saw a good start by Abela while Borg and Galea followed close by but Abela took the helm of the race ahead of Galea and Borg. The race continued with all drivers waiting for that chance to be able to advance a placing from their respective position again but this never materialised lap after lap. The 6 finalists demonstrated a spectacle of sportsmanship driv- ing throughout the race duration but Abela resisted the pressure to the end and won his first place of Class A for this season. Galea and Borg followed in 2nd and 3rd plac- es respectively. Fourth and fifth place were won by Godfrey Gauci and Matthew Borg ahead of Zam- mit on the Punto. The class B Finalists were Josef Grech on a Ford Fiesta, Joseph Mi- callef, Philip Vella and Jonathan Camilleri all on Opel Corsa, the Suzuki Swift of Ivan Birmingham and Jurgen Mallia on a Honda Civic. From the Start of this final we saw Grech, Micallef and Camill- eri doing a very good launch but it was Grech taking the lead of this Class B Final. Micallef and Camilleri battled close to Grech while Birmingham and Mallia also battled together close to the leaders. Though Birmingham could feel the high pressure from Mallia he defended his position to the finish. The final result reads Grech is declares the winner followed by Micallef and Camilleri. Fourth and fifth place went Birmingham and Mallia respectively. In the Autocross Standard class Traydon Bailey on a Ford Ka and the Citroen of Ian Fenech Dominated the class on the day by winning all the qualifying Heats so securing their presence on the Start of their 7 Laps Final Race. Quin Vella on an Opel Nova, Samuel Bezzina on VW Polo and the Peugeot 206 of Karl Scicluna also qualified for this Final Race. Right from the Start we saw Bailey taking the lead followed close by Scicluna and Bezzina. The focus of this race turned on the youngest two drivers of this class as Scicluna began making pressure on Bailey even in the tightest parts of the track. Scicluna made contact with Bailey several times and thus was warned by the referee and the Flag Marshal. The race came to an end with Bailey and Scicluna winning 1st and 2nd places respectively. 3rd and 4th places wre won by Bezzina and Vella. Meanwhile the Association AS- MK would like to inform that on Sunday 13th December 2015 the Trials bikers will be crossing the Gozo channel to participate in an activity organized by the Gozo Mo- tocross Association. The ASMK Trials bikers will be participating in an 'Xtreme Trials and Enduro' event in Munxar Gozo with the collaboration of the Munxar Lo- cal Council, the Minister for Gozo and the Gozo Sports Board. Dur- ing this event funds will be col- lected for the Malta Community Chest Fund. This event starts at around 9.00am. The Association has announced that it will be holding an Extra- ordinary General Meeting (EGM) due to the fact that currently it has a number of resignations including that of the Association Treasurer Mr. Edgar Xuereb who resigned from Treasurer of the Associa- tion and of the Autocross Section. Clayton Camilleri resigned from the post of 'Representative for Mo- tocross' and Edward Ciantar re- signed from the post of Secretary for Motocross. The EGM is going to be held to fill these vacant posts. The EGM meeting will take place on Monday 21st December 2015 from 7.30pm at Villa Bighi in Ka- lkara. Currently the Association is seeking nominations for these va- cant posts and at the same time would like to thank these former Committee members for their service towards the Association over the past years. Furthur information can be found at www.asmk.org.mt or on Facebook 'A.S.M.K. Malta', 'Assoc- jazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi' or by email to:- info@asmk.org.mt PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIO MICALLEF Jonathan Camilleri in Opel Corsa Josef Abela in Opel Nova together with the other fi nalists of Class A