CEAT brings motor racing into the homes of fans with ‘eShiftX’
Motor racing fans, starved of the adrenaline rush of live competition, will be able to enjoy the next best thing in the comfort and safety of their homes, thanks to one of the sport’s biggest benefactors – CEAT Kelani Holdings.
The country’s top tyre maker -- and for many years the title sponsor of Sri Lanka’s premier racing championships -- has announced its support for a simulator racing championship that will be live streamed on Facebook over one and a half hours on the day of the final showdown at 2.00pm on October 10, a Sunday.
‘CEAT eShift X’ will pit the top 14 PS4/PS5 simulator racers on Gran-turismo that qualify from the preliminary rounds against each other in the finale -- a challenging Honda Civic 1600cc Hatchback one-make race on gravel, which will be free to view live on at least three Facebook pages, those of sponsor CEAT Kelani Holdings, race officiator Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC) and race organiser Pit Pass Sri Lanka.
Among the well known racing names already registered to compete in the preliminary rounds of this virtual racing event are real life motor racing aces Devin Serasinghe and his father Upulwan Serasinghe, who have raced in CEAT livery on some of the toughest racetracks in Sri Lanka and won honours for their skills.
Spectators watching the races on Facebook will also have an opportunity to win attractive merchandise by making predictions on who will take pole positions, who will win Race 1 and who will win Race 2.
“CEAT and Sri Lankan motor racing were inseparable for well over a decade before the pandemic,” a spokesperson for CEAT said.
“We are delighted to be able to bring back some of the excitement and thrill of racing via CEAT eShiftX, and thank all those who have made it possible – Pit Pass Sri Lanka, the CMSC and SLT Mobitel.”