BY Daniel Lim

Bruneian drivers Tyjay Lee bin Mohd Lyzuan and Iwan Azriman bin Haji Abdul Jalil @ Pele of the Hondatech Racing Team stood toe to toe against international drivers as they made podium finishes in separate categories in the Merdeka Drag Battle at Tawau Drag Strip (old Tawau Airport) in Sabah.

The Brunei team was represented by the Hondatech Racing led by chairman Iwan Azriman.

Iwan competed in the vtec NA open vs 2WD ProStreet category with his Honda Civic EG6 and finished second overall with a time of 12.5 seconds.

Tyjay Lee’s performance in the 4WD/2WD open category exceeded expectations as he broke the previous record with a time of 9.5 seconds in his Mitsubishi Evo 3.

“Alhamdulillah, I’ve had one of the best seasons (in drag racing) over the seven years in my career, achieving an astonishing 9.5 seconds. I’m proud of this achievement not only for myself but also to bring glory to Brunei,” Tyjay said.

Irwan was similarly proud of their achievement, and said that they always put safety first before beginning their races, including using safety equipment such as “dedicated six-point roll cage, use of quality brakes, and ensuring our vehicles are properly maintained using genuine and quality parts”.

He also hopes that the continued success by Brunei team in drag racing will help to spur the sport in the Sultanate.

“With proper support, as well as facilities and regulations in place, we can ensure drag racing can be conducted safely and in a controlled manner,” he added.

The competition was held on September 16-17, organised by Team Portatree Sabah.

Members of Hondatech Racing are also planning to participate in similar drag races in the future, including the Battle Of The Kings 2022 Grand Finale in October at the Terengganu Drag Strip, Malaysia.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin