JPM INTEGRA CUP ROUND 9 2006 - SEPANG CIRCUIT
SHARJIHAN GHOUSE TAKES JPM INTEGRA CUP TITLE
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Images: Andy Goh
Report: Sepang Circuit
Sharjihan Ghouse won the inaugural JPM Integra Cup Malaysia 2006 title but was upstaged at the final round of the series today, which saw the competitors battling in a unique endurance race around Sepang Circuit’s North Track.
While some of his rivals decided to use top Malaysian drivers as partners with the likes of Tommy Lee, Rizal Ashram Ramli, Ron Lim and Fahrizal Hassan joining the fray, Sharjihan took full charge of his JPM Integra machine steering wheel in all the three races, which was run for 30 laps each around the 2.706-km track.
The Wald Motorsports driver failed to win the first two races and blew his engine in Race 3 with three laps to go; but his consistent performance and the failure of key rivals Firhat Mokhzani and Faizal Hakimi to secure good results earned Sharjihan gave the prestigious title.
“I am very happy to win this title. It has been a very long time I won a major title,” said Sharjihan, whose last title traced back in 1998 when he won the Proton International 300km Merdeka Race in 1998 with Keifli Othman.
After nine rounds, Sharjihan collected 83 points; beating Faizal Hakimi, who has 71 in second place. Third overall is Farriz Fauzy with 67 points.
Sharjihan’s victory was made even more impressive by his disqualification in Round 2 in April, which saw the 10 points that he won from the race being cancelled out by the organisers on grounds that he had made illegal modifications to the engine.
Introduced this year, competitors in the JPM Integra Cup Malaysia compete on a level playing field using Honda Integra machines prepared by JPM Motorsports and Mugen; and Michelin tyres.
Results – Round 9
Sepang Circuit North Track (2.706km)
Race 1 (30 Laps)
Top 5 finishers
1. Tommy Lee (Integra DC5) 42:04.378
2. Tunku Hammam Tunku Sulong (Integra DC5) 42:23.229
3. Melvinder Singh (Integra DC5) 43:04.427
4. Sharjihan Ghouse (Integra DC5) 43:05.543
5. Adrian Henry D’Silva (Integra DC5) 43:12.443
Race 2 (30 Laps)
Top 5 finishers
1. Rizal Ashram Ramli(Integra DC5) 38:44.732s
2. Fahrizal Hassan (Integra DC5) 39:12.831s
3. Sharjihan Ghouse (Integra DC5) 39:14.322s
4. Faizal Hakimi Jaafar (Integra DC5) 39:17.431s
5. Hafizi Hafiz (Integra DC5) 39:19.056s
Race 3 (30 Laps)
Top 5 finishers
1. Farriz Fauzy (Integra DC5) 38:41.911s
2. Eric Yeo (Integra DC5) 38:58.144s
3. Faizal Hakimi Jaafar (Integra DC5) 38:58.744s
4. Tunku Hammam Tunku Sulong (Integra DC5) 39:28.260s
5. Ahmad Razlan Razali (Integra DC5) 39:48.601s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Sharjihan Ghouse 83 points
2. Faizal Hakimi Jaafar 71
3. Farriz Fauzy 67
4. Eric Yeo 54
5. Firhat Mokhzani 51
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