An action-packed and adrenaline-inducing 1000km endurance race sparked to life, even during the early laps of latest Malaysian Championship Series, with TOC Motorsport’s racing machine being hit by two other competitors simultaneously at turn 10, as the teams jostled for position.

But some of the most eye-catching moments throughout the day were not on the track, but at the pit which saw the maiden participation of TOC’s very own 5 motorsports students, Chong Guang Qing, Siow Jye Shen, Ooi Yuan Zhang, Wong Yong Hao and Chin Chung Ker, who formed a formidable student-trainer racing crew.

“I’ve been waiting for many years to be part of something like this because racing has always been my passion since young,” said Siow. “The sound of cars revving at the starting line, the enthusiasm of all the racing crews and drivers, and the moment when the cars rush into the pit to make their stops really provided me with a thrilling experience.”

The TOC Motorsport team, which was competing under the Malaysian Touring Car (MTC) category, had been preparing its Satria Neo for weeks, before eventually going head-to-head against a host of modified versions of road vehicle models: Honda Integra, Suzuki Swift, Honda FD2, Proton Preve and Satria Neo.

Chin remarked, “It was really interesting to see how there were many cars that looked similar, but yet were so different at the same time. Each car was set up and modified differently based on the technical specifications that each team had adopted. As I was there in person, it gave me a real-life view of how these things played out in a race.”
Towards the tail end of the 1000 km long endurance race, TOC’s Neo started to show chinks in its armour during one of its stops with oil starting to drip, and a leak in the car’s oil cooler was identified by the crew. The students then had the opportunity to experience how car knowledge and quick thinking are important assets in a race, as they witnessed their trainers do a quick bypass to put the leak to a stop. “It was really good to see team spirit and how quick the crew acted to resolve the situation,” Chin remarked. “They managed to fix it professionally in a short time.”

Wong on the other hand, was particularly happy that he finally got to experience first-hand, how pit stops play such as important role in any race. “Even though I was just a “Pit Stopper” where I had to stop and direct the car into the pit, I learned that team work is very important because every small detail counts in a race. Besides that, I learned that timing is very important during a pit stop, and how it’s the pit crews’ responsibility to be as fast and efficient as they possibly can.”

It was also a first-time experience for Chong who was just happy to even be there. “The experience was really enjoyable because it was my first time in Sepang, and not only did I get to witness the race, I got to be part of it.”