SMSA and Singapore GP organise first ever Singapore supercar drag race

The Singapore Motor Sports Association (SMSA), in conjunction with Singapore GP, organised the first ever supercar drag race - the inaugural 2016 President's Challenge Charity Sprint - on 16^th September in the heart of Singapore's Marina Bay. The event was conceptualised in late August, just a few short weeks before the 2016 Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix.

SMSA had been actively looking to develop a platform for a signature local event, and since the drag race format makes it particularly well suited to Singapore's unique blend of venue and space constraints, there was a great deal of sense in pursuing this as the intended platform.

However, the concept only crystallised after a whirlwind discussion with Teo Hock Seng, the Chairman of Singapore GP. This discussion gave SMSA the option of using the Marina Bay Circuit's Pit Straight, post 2016 Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, along with the idea to position the event in support of the President's Challenge. Requests for participation came thick and fast, with a total of $200,000 raised from participating supercar owners.

On the day, 39 supercars of various makes faced off on a 280m section of the Pit Straight in a fun and exciting challenge that not only emphasised raw horsepower but more crucially, reaction time and throttle sensitivity.