Air Asia and PENNZOIL GSR, A Winning Combination

Air Asia and Pennzoil GSR Racing team marked a milestone event when both united formerly, where the former became co-sponsors to the team for the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and Malaysia Rally Championship 2011.

Air Asia is no stranger in promoting the welfare of sports in Malaysia and abroad with its participation in Formula One, World Motorbike GP, basketball, football and now motor rallying. While Pennzoil GSR Racing Team is the leading rally team in Malaysia and the only Malaysian team to participate in the full leg of the APRC 2011 in 6 countries from Malaysia, Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, China and finally in Japan.

Air Asia’s Chief Executive Officer, Encik Azran Osman Rani said, "We are happy to come on board as a co- sponsor to help support the Pennzoil GSR Racing team. It actually fits into our plan where motor racing is close to our hearts. We are involved in Formula One and also the British MotoGP and now we are also into motor rallying."

Azran added Air Asia’s contribution would help our Malaysian team to compete in the APRC to destinations where Air Asia flies and Air Asia would be able to reach out to a new audience for their ‘X’ flights.

Encik Ruslan Abdul Ghani General Manager from UMW Pennzoil Distributors Malaysia Sdn Bhd, as the team’s main sponsor expressed that he is very happy to be working with Air Asia in the 2011 Championship.

In the opening leg of the APRC in Johor Baharu recently, Pennzoil GSR Racing team via Gunaseelan Rajoo as team owner and lead driver with co-driver Jagdev Singh finished first in the A6 category and clinched 1st runner up position under the 2-wheel drive class.

Whereas at the Malaysian Rally Championship, Pennzoil GSR Racing Team have 8 cars participating and carrying the Air Asia branding, with international and local favorites behind the wheel such as former world champion Karamjit Singh, four-time APRC champion Cody Crocker and reigning APRC champion Katsu Taguchi.

“A great alliance ! We are truly grateful for Air Asia’s support” expressed Gunaseelan Rajoo.

Gunaseelan also said that he is confident to do well in the APRC under the 2 wheel drive class with his Proton Satria Neo. He took the opportunity to thank all his sponsors UMW PENNZOIL MALAYSIA, AIR ASIA, YOKOHAMA TYRES, AND CUSCO for the undying support.

Look out for Leg 2 of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship in Australia from the 13th to 15th of May 2011.

PENNZOIL AND AIR ASIA DOES MALAYSIA PROUD

It was a good start to the first leg of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship in Johor last week, when team Pennzoil GSR won the class A6 category and clinched the second place in the 2WD category.

Encik Ruslan Abdul Ghani General Manager from UMW Pennzoil Distributors Malaysia Sdn Bhd was full of praise of team owner and lead driver Gunaseelan Rajoo and co-driver Jagdev Singh for their flying start at the 1st round of the APRC.

Encik Ruslan expressed that UMW Pennzoil is very proud with the team’s achievement given that it’s their first participation in such a prestigious international event and the team nonetheless was able to complete the race and compete with other international drivers.

“The results are definitely a good start to the season and I hope that we keep this momentum going for the up-coming races, to carry the 2WD title at the Asia Pacific Rally Championship this year. Guna and Jagdev also did Malaysia proud by driving a totally stock standard Proton Satria Neo to the podium” said Encik Ruslan.

Gunaseelan Rajoo team owner and driver said “We took it easy for this round, as it was our first time driving a Satria Neo but the Satria was just unbelievable. We did not have any problems with the car throughout the long event”.

Guna also added that the handling of the car was amazing despite it being just a standard car from the showroom. The results of team Pennzoil GSR speaks volumes of the Satria Neo’s performance.

Guna thanked the team’s sponsors for all their support and assistance in making their participation in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship a reality , namely UMW PENNZOIL MALAYSIA, AIR ASIA, YOKOHAMA TYRES,PROTON MALAYSIA AND CUSCO MALAYSIA.

Team Pennzoil GSR is currently preparing for Leg 2 of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship in Australia from the 13th to 17th of May 2011.

Australian reigning Champion and 4 times Asia Pacific Rally Champion (APRC), Cody Crocker has joined team Pennzoil GSR for the 2011 season of the Malaysian Rally Championship.

39 year old Crocker, is the only driver that has successfully defended the Asia Pacific Rally Championship title 4 consecutive times; including career wins of 34 outright and 24 wins in APRC events under his belt. He will be driving a Subaru Impreza STI Version 10 in this years Malaysian Rally Championship and will also represent the team for Malaysian Rally 2011 (MR 11) Asia Pacific Round in Johor .

Encik Ruslan Abdul Ghani General Manager from UMW Pennzoil Distributors Malaysia Sdn Bhd announced that he is thrilled that N has joined the team and proudly declares that currently PennzoilGSR Rally Team has 2 of the best Asian drivers and 2 top FIA seeded drivers.

Encik Ruslan revealed that Pennzoil GSR Racing Team is continuously taking constructive efforts to improve the standard of rallying in Malaysia. “In our next plan, we shall be aiming to develop young Malaysian rally talents and our junior team, to be top level rally drivers in Asia and maybe even internationally,” he added.

Encik Ruslan affirmed that Cody shall also be involved in training the junior Malaysian rally drivers along with Katsuhiko Taguchi who joined Pennzoil GSR Rally team last year.

Team owner Gunaseelan Rajoo was also delighted that the Australian Champion had agreed to join his team. “It’s going to be a good rally year, as we have all the top Asian drivers in the team” he proclaimed. He also thanked the teams’ sponsors for the undying support.

Guna added that the standard of Malaysian rallying is at the best in Asia at the moment and the Malaysian Rally organizers, Wheel Sport Management together with Red Berry group have done a wonderful job in taking the Malaysian Rally to the highest level in Asia.

Pennzoil GSR Racing Team will be looking at retaining the Title they won last year and winning manymore other Tiles for year 2011.

More names lined up - Number of drivers expected to increse
15 Mar 2011 - The Malay Mail

Johor Bahru: There are now 18 confirmed drivers for one or more of the Asia Pacific rally Championship competitions. As the deadline for Pacific Cup entries is only April 21, the number is expected to grow further.

Heading the drivers registered for the full six-round competition is last year's champion Katsu Taguchi from japan. The APRC's most experienced driver is joined again by Indian teammate Gaurav Gill in a Race-Torque prepared MRF Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10. Australian Chris Atkinson and Alister McRae from the UK will both drive for the factory-backed Proton team using the latest S2000 Satria Neo. Like last year, these two teams are expected to provide most of the competition and it will be interesting to see if the R4 specd Mitsubishis can foot in with the very quick and nimble Protons.

In the past two days, Wan Yu Rally Team China have confirmed their entry with Chinese drivers Fan Fan, Hao Yuan and three-time British champion Mark Higgins. Driving latest spec Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, Higgins' presence could challenge the APRC regulars. Vastly experienced at World Rally Championship level, and with a long list of victories in all levels of the sport, Higgins will undoubtedly be one to watch.

A new combination is the "Cusco-Pertamina Team" with Indonesian Rifat Sungkar leading their APRC assault in a Cusco prepared Mitsubishi Lancer. Yuya Sumiyama will return to defend his Asia Cup title for the team, while it is expected that Cody Crocker will complete in Australia and New Zealand as "Cusco-Pertamina" go for the APRC team award. Crocker is also expected to be in Malaysia but as part of an assault on the Malaysian Rally Championship.

Young Japanese driver Akiro Bamba, who will be driving a Proton Neo 1.6 in both the Junior series and the APRC, hopes to win the 2WD Class for Proton-Cusco. Another Japanese driver, Kosuke Takashino, will also be racing for Proton-Cusco but is only registered for the Junior series.

Malaysia, meanwhile, is represented by R. Gunaseelan, the former Malaysian Rally champion going for the 2WD class in a Suzuki Swift. New Zealand veteran Brian Green will drive a variety of cars starting with MRU prepared Subaru Impreza in Malaysia, before switching to Mitsubishi Lancers for the Pacific events.

There's an impressive line-up in both the Asia and Pacific Cups -- where drivers can compete in just three events in those regions. Full-timers Taguchi, Gil, McRae and Bamba are all in the hunt for the Asia Cup. They will be joined by Malaysian MRU team owner Muhammad Udhaya and Japanese drivers Yuya Sumiyama, Tomohide Hasegawa and Masaaki Hatano.

The Pacific Cup has the largest entry of any of the APRC competitions with Atkinson, Fan Fan, Hai Yuan, Higgins, Sungkar, Green and Gunaseelan all vying for the title. These fully registered drivers are joined by New Caledonians Jean Louis Leyraud and Daniel Palau. Pacific Cup entries are expected to grow further as final registration is not until April 21. Australians Cody Crocker and Nathan Quinn are expected to enter the pacific Cup, as well as Indonesian Suban Aksa.

With the ability to enter four local wil-cards at each event, and teams entering one-off guest drivers to get team trophy points, further drivers are expected to join the APRC in 2011.

Pennzoil backs Malaysian APRC Team
13 Mar 2011 - Team Release

UMW PENNZOIL AND GSR MOTORSPORTS to represent Malaysia at Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2011

Encik Ruslan Abdul Ghani General Manager of UMW Pennzoil Distributors Malaysia Sdn Bhd proudly announced the participation of the PENNZOIL GSR RACING TEAM in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship this year with former Malaysian Rally Champion Gunaseelan Rajoo behind the wheels together with co-driver Jagdev Singh. He added that PENNZOIL GSR Racing Team's duo shall also be the only Malaysian's that shall be competing the full leg of the race.

The team will be taking part in a total of 6 rounds of the Championship, which will start in Malaysia, going through Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Japan and the final round ending in China.

"I am happy to see the team progressing into the international rally scene. We will be aiming to win the 2 Wheel Drive Cup at the APRC 2011 with our experienced competitors Guna and Jagdev and I am confident that we will fare well in the international level. We are most definitely looking forward to a good year for the rally championshp" said Encik Ruslan.

Guna expressed appreciation to his main sponsors UMW Pennzoil Distributors Malaysia and co-sponsors Yokohama Tyre Company Japan, Yokohama YHI Malaysia, Cusco Malaysia, Suzuki Malaysia,Aiman Motors and The Youth and sports Ministry of Malaysia for supporting the team's participation in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

Guna added "I am very happy to be taking part in the region's most prestigious rally championship". Its going to be a tough year for Jagdev and me ,we will be up against the big boys and really looking forward to do malaysia and my sponsors proud.

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NO PROBLEM - Tight budget does not borther GSR Pennzoil team
7 Mar 2011 - The Malay Mail

Petaling Jaya: The GSR Pennzoil Racing team are ready to take on the world with an estimated RM4 million budget.

First stop is the Malaysian Rally 2011 at the Tai Tak Estate in Kota Tinggi, Johor on April 1 where the opening leg of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and also the first round of the Malaysian championship take place simultaneously.

"It's a big challenge for the team. Not only do we have four rounds of the Malaysian championship to handle but also the bigger prize in the six-round APRC championship where some top class drivers are taking part," said GSR Pennzoil team leader Gunaseelan Rajoo.

The team will have eight cars in the malaysian Rally Championship over the four rouns in Kota Tinggi, Kangar (June), Malacca (October) and Negeri Sembilan (December), with last year's runnerup Karamjit Singh ina Mitsubishi Lancer leading the charge.

"We have set aside RM1.8 million for the APRC championship over the six legs in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Japan, China and Malaysia.

"And including RM2.1 million for the local circuit, we are committed to spending close to RM4 million this season. Its a very small budget compared with what the big boys are investing.

"But we mean business and we are here to lend our support to the sport bu giving local drivers a chance to excel," said Gunaseelan.

Their hopes rest on the vast experience of Karamjit, a former worl champion, who has been given a newer version of a Mitsubishi Evo 9 in his bid to capture the crown he lost to Muhammad Rafiq Udhaya last season. "Karamjit has all the experience and talent to succed. He has already proven it and if he stays composed, I don't see why he can't win the overall title this time, " said Gunaseelan.

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MRC 2011: Cabaran Bakal Bermula
March 7, 2011

Sejumlah nama-nama besar dijangka akan menyertai pusingan pembukaan APRC yang juga sebahagian dari MRC 2011 di Plaza Angsana Johor Bahru dan Estet Tai Tak di Kota Tinggi bermula 1 hingga 3 April. Buat pertama kalinya juga, peringkat istimewa pendek berjarak 2km dibina di kawasan bersebelahan Plaza Angsana untuk menyuntik lebih kesedaran umum terhadap sukan rali.

Mendahului senarai ialah juara bertahan dari Jepun iaitu Katsu Taguchi di bawah pasukan MRF dan rakan sepasukan iaitu naib juara Guarav Gill di mana mereka berdua menamatkan kejuaraan 1-2 pada MRC tahun lepas. Cabaran negara akan dipikul oleh juara MRC 2010 iaitu Muhammad Rafiq Udhaya dan pemandu arah Sean Gregory dengan kereta Subaru Impreza dan pasangan GSR Pennzoil Racing Team dengan kereta Suzuki Swift Sport dalam kategori 2WD. Seorang lagi pemandu Jepun yang memenangi pusingan APRC 2010 di China, Yuya Sumiyama akan turut bersaing di bawah pasukan Cusco.

Pengeluar kereta nasional, Proton turut berlumba dengan dua buah kereta Satria Neo S2000 yang bakal dipandu oleh Alister McRae dan Chris Atkinson. Setakat ini sebanyak 19 penyertaan diterima dari pelbagai negara termasuk United Kingdom.

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MRC 2010: GSR Pennzoil Menang Tiga Tahun Berturut-Turut di Perlis!
December 14, 2010

Pasukan GSR Pennzoil Racing sekali lagi membuktikan yang mereka adalah pasukan rali terbaik tempatan apabila memenangi Kejohanan Rali Malaysia [MRC] pusingan Perlis buat kali ketiga berturut-turut. Podium untuk pusingan keempat dan terakhir MRC itu didominasi oleh dua pasangan pemandu dengan Karamjit Singh dan pemandu arah Douglas Pickering menjuarai kejohanan manakala pemandu yang juga pengurus, Gunaseelan Rajoo dan pemandu arah Jagdev Singh di tempat kedua. Pasukan memenangi pusingan Perlis pada tahun 2008 dan 2009.

Gunaseelan yang kembali memandu selepas tidak berlumba dalam tiga pusingan sebelum ini gembira dengan pencapaian komprehensif pasukan yang bukan sahaja memenangi kedudukan 1-2 bahkan dua pemandu mereka, Faidzal Alang dan Jamaluddin Tukimin masing-masing adalah juara keseluruhan kategori 1.6 dan 1.3.

“Dengan pusingan terakhir di Perlis saya tahu saya perlu membuat penampilan semula kerana ini adalah pusingan kegemaran kami yang harus dimenangi, semua orang berkerja keras untuk menang, pemandu, pemandu arah, krew dan juga peminat, saya menerima ini sebagai hadiah terbesar daripada mereka, kami bukan sahaja menang tiga tahun berturut-turut tetapi turut menjuarai kategori 1.6 dan 1.3 membuatkan saya sangat gembira! Terima kasih kepada semua terutama sekali penaja, UMW Pennzoil,” kata Gunaseelan.

Sementara itu pengurus besar UMW Pennzoil Sdn Bhd, Ruslan Abd Ghani berkata kemenangan itu melambangkan kualiti minyak pelincir Pennzoil.

“Kami sudah bersaing dalam MRC untuk beberapa tahun dan memenangi banyak podium, kereta yang digunakan mengharungi keadaan yang sangat mencabar dan untuk makluman kesemuanya menggunakan minyak pelincir sama seperti yang dijual kepada umum, saya gembira kerana pelanggan kami menikmati produk yang berkualiti dan tahniah untuk pasukan atas prestasi yang cemerlang,” kata Ruslan.

Pasukan GSR Pennzoil Racing ditaja oleh UMW Pennzoil Distributors Sdn Bhd, Badan Pelancongan Melaka, Yokohama [YHI] dan FireFly.

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MRC Bahau: GSR Pennzoil 1-2!
Oleh Muhammad on July 21, 2010

Hubungan glokal untuk pasukan tempatan, GSR Pennzoil Racing yang memenangi pusingan kedua Kejohanan Rali Malaysia (MRC) di Bandar Seri Jempol, Ahad lepas. Karamjit Singh dan pemandu dari Jepun, Katsu Taguchi memenangi tempat pertama dan kedua untuk pasukan tersebut.

Karamjit Singh dan jurupandu arah, Douglas Pickering menamatkan perlumbaan dengan jarak 155.4km dengan margin 13 minit dari masa Katsu iaitu 2jam 20minit 44.3saat. Pasukan bertambah gembira apabila seorang lagi pemandu, P.Nandakumar menjuarai kelas P11, memandu Proton Satria 1.8.

“Saya sangat gembira dengan pemandu dan jurupandu arah kami hari ini, mereka berlumba bersungguh-sungguh untuk menghadiahkan kepada kami kemenangan ini, Karam adalah juara manakala Katsu menang kelas N4, Nanda pula dengan Satria 1.8 hanya ketinggalan 6 minit di belakang Subaru Impreza 4WD Turbo dan menang tempat keempat keseluruhan, kami membawa pulang tiga kejuaraan kelas hari ini!,” kata Gunaseelan Rajoo, Pengurus pasukan GSR Pennzoil Racing.

Gunaseelan juga berterima kasih kepada UMW Pennzoil dan penaja lain yang menyokong mereka.

“Dengan Karam dan Katsu kini kami mempunyai pemandu kelas dunia dalam pasukan dan saya harus berterima kasih kepada UMW Pennzoil, Badan Pelancongan Melaka, Cusco, Yokohama (YHI) dan FireFly kerana mempunyai kepercayaan terhadap kami,” katanya.

Dengan prestasi cemerlang pasukan, barisan pemandu yang sama akan kekal untuk pusingan MRC seterusnya.

“Selain memandu untuk kami, Katsu kini mendahului Kejohanan Rali Asia Pasifik (APRC) dan kami tidak ragu-ragu untuk mengekalkan beliau untuk rali seterusnya, dengan Karam, Nanda dan Faidzal Alang kami akan pastikan kejohanan tahun ini milik kami sekali lagi,” katanya.

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GSR PENNZOIL RACING TEAM FOR ASIA CUP 2010

19 April 2010, Petaling Jaya GSR Pennzoil Racing Team is all set to repeat their victorious performance of last year. Spearheading the team in the drivers line-up is none other than the defending champion of MRC and team lead driver, Karamjit Singh. He will be backed by P.Nanda Kumar, as second driver, and Faizal Alang, as the third driver, in their bid to win the Malaysian Championship yet again for the 3rd straight year under the Pennzoil banner.

The team is aiming to not only retain the Malaysian Rally title, along with their other class wins that they have been successfully winning in the last 4 years, but also to gain recognition in international rallies. For the first time, the team will be entering an international event, the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). Asia's most successful rally driver, Karamjit Singh, will be participating in the Asia Cup in Malaysia, under a wild card entry, after obtaining approval from AAM and FIA.

Team owner, Gunaseelan Rajoo, who will be absent from active rallying this year, will be concentrating on different aspects of rally. Gunaseelan will be focusing on preparing the team for bigger opportunities, such as more international events. Above all, however, he is directing his attention at developing the next generation of rally drivers, via organising smaller rallies, rally sprints for potential competitive drivers and this programme has received warm support from Kementerian Belia & Sukan, and UMW Pennzoil Malaysia.

"As 2010 is expected to be a challenging year ahead for GSR Pennzoil Racing Team, I have decided to channel my efforts towards team management and strategy, as we plan to spread our dominance not only at national level, but also at international level, particularly the APRC. Having been rallying since 1995, I have much to contribute towards the development of the sport as well, with the introduction of new competitors and events to participate in. As such, I am very much looking forward to a great and productive year," said Gunaseelan, who was quick to add that his fans may see him behind the wheel sometime this year, if the need arises.

General Manager of UMW Pennzoil Distributors, Encik Ruslan Abdul Ghani, was full of praise and hope for the team. "I must congratulate the team for their wonderful performance and results in 2009. Although we are expecting stiff competition for the 2010 season, I believe we have the competitive edge; our resourceful management, our skilled drivers, our lethal cars, our high-tech lubricants which are of top quality and standard will give us an advantage over the other competitors, and of course our dedicated Pennzoil team. It is our aim to keep the trophy and I believe we are heading in the right direction," said Encik Ruslan. He also expressed his gratitude towards the other sponsors participation, Cusco Malaysia, Yokohama Malaysia (YHI), Firefly and Cetak, besides full support from UMW Group.

With all these in play, rallying fans should be in for quite an interesting ride this year with GSR Pennzoil Racing Team. With their team of skilled and experienced drivers and co-drivers, and hopefully with some good fortune, the sky should be the limit for this dynamic team.

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Malaysian Champions are ready to go!!! 2009 here we come again!!!

The Malaysian Rally Championship 2009 will be kicking of this Saturday, 11th April, in Cyberjaya, where the GSR Pennzoil Racing Team is ready to defend the titles they won last year. The team’s lead driver, Karamjit Singh will be with his faithful Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8, and 2nd Driver Gunaseelan Rajoo with his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9. The event is going to be a very short one, with the longest stage being around 4.7 kilometers and the shortest is less than 2 kilometers.

Gunaseelan, who is also the team owner, said that the team is better prepared this year and is looking to repeat their success from last year. The cars have been tested with the new PENNZOIL PLATINUM GT 100% SYNTHETIC SAE 5W-50 (API SM/CF) engine oil. With this new engine oil, the team has managed to achieve an increase in the power and the engine runs cooler with it.

According to Gunaseelan, for the first time in Malaysian history, the entire rally is going to be run on a Super Special stage concept for all the 24 stages. This concept, however, is spectator-friendly, and spectators are going to have a ball of a time watching all the action, being able to view it from the side of the road, from start of stage till the end. “This is the best time for all rally enthusiasts to come and watch us live in action”, he added.

For those who have not seen Malaysia’s very own World Rally Champion Karamjit Singh in action, please try not to miss this weekend. GSR PENNZOIL RACING TEAM’s Supporters will be given goody bags and some discount vouchers each when they come to the PENNZOIL tent at the rally service park. They will also get a chance to meet our top drivers. For any enquiry, kindly call Mr Azwan Ahmat at 012-611 4052 of WheelSports Management and Mr Fairuz at 012-690 4041 from GSR PENNZOIL Racing Team.

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