Shah Alam Circuit

History

The circuit was opened in 1968. The 1968 Malaysian Grand Prix was held there on 8 September as a Formula Libre race and was won by Indonesian Hengkie Irawan driving an Elfin 600. The circuit was the venue for the Malaysian Grand Prix until 1982, with the starting field consisting alternately of vehicles from the Formula Atlantic, Formula Pacific or Formula 2.

The circuit was closed in 1977 after an accident that killed six children, although it later reopened after improvements of fences and guard rails around the track were carried out. In 1985 the track was lengthened from 3.380 km to 3.693 km with the addition of the curve 11. In the same year, the first international racing event was held. Titled as the 1985 800 km of Selangor, the race was the tenth and final round of the 1985 World Endurance Championship, and was won by Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass driving a Porsche 962C.

The circuit hosted rounds of the Superbike World Championship in the 1990 and 1991, and from 1991 to 1997 it hosted the Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix. Mick Doohan is the all-time leader in motorcycle Grand Prix victories at the venue, winning the event four times. The motorcycle Grand Prix was later moved to the Johor Circuit, and later to the Sepang International Circuit.

In 2003 the circuit was sold by Selangor state government to a property developer, which then developed the area into a luxury housing project by the name D'Kayangan.

Details

The Batu Tiga Speedway Circuit Track Details In Brief:

• Total Area: 143 acre
• No. of Pits: 57 units, 42 units concrete pit (22' x 17'), 15 units wooden pits (22' x 7')
• Spectator capacity: Covered grandstand - 8000, Uncovered grandstand - 18,000
• Track length: 3.380 km (1968–1984) / 3.693 km (1985–2003)
• No. of Turns: 14. Left -4, Right -10
• Straights: 3. The longest straight was 600 m
• Gate Entrances: 3

Lap records

The fastest official race lap records at the Shah Alam Circuit are listed as:

In popular culture

The track was used as one of the shooting locations for Jackie Chan's 1995 film Thunderbolt.

References

References

1. Derek Fulluck, Elfin takes Malaysian GP, Autosport, 27 September 1968.
2. [http://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/tracks/shahalam.html Shah Alam Track info]
3. [http://www.gdecarli.it/php/circuit.php?var1=646&var2=2 Tracks: Shah Alam, Batu Tiga]
4. (1 December 1985). "800 km Selangor 1985".
5. (8 July 2000). "Asian Formula 2000 2000 Round 3 Results: Asian Festival of Speed Shah Alam, Malaysia - July 8th.".
6. (11 August 2002). "2002 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Round 3: >> Venue: Batu Tiga Speedway, Shah Alam, Malaysia SuperSports 600cc Race 1".
7. (9 July 2000). "Asian Touring Car Championship 2000 Round 5 Results: Asian Festival of Speed, Shah Alam, Malaysia July 9th., 2000".
8. (30 November 1980). "Selangor Grand Prix 1980".
9. (7 May 1979). "Malaysian Grand Prix 1979".
10. (15 April 1973). "1973 Malaysian Grand Prix".
11. (8 September 1968). "1968 Malaysian Grand Prix".
12. "Max Stewart - Motorsport Memorial".
13. (26 October 1969). "1969 Malaysian Grand Prix".