Shah Alam Circuit or Batu Tiga Speedway Circuit was a racing circuit in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The circuit layout was designed by Dutchman John Hugenholtz.
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.Derek Fulluck, Elfin takes Malaysian GP, Autosport, 27 September 1968. 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.Shah Alam Track info In 1985 the track was lengthened from to 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 1998 the road cycling events for the 1998 Commonwealth Games was held at the circuit from 11 to 21 September.
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: 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: (1968–1984) / (1985–2003) No. of Turns: 14. Left -4, Right -10 Straights: 3. The longest straight was Gate Entrances: 3
Lap records
The fastest official race lap records at the Shah Alam Circuit are listed as:
Category Time Driver Vehicle Event Grand Prix Circuit (1985–2003): Group C 1:24.520 Jochen Mass Porsche 962C 1985 800 km of Selangor 500cc 1:24.840 Mick Doohan Honda NSR500 (NV0X) 1997 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix 250cc 1:25.994 Max Biaggi Aprilia RSV 250 1996 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix World SBK 1:28.690 Doug Polen Ducati 888 SBK 1991 Shah Alam World SBK round Asian Formula 2000 1:29.979 Parthiva Sureshwaren Argo Formula Asia 2000 Shah Alam Formula Asia 2000 round 125cc 1:31.594 Emilio Alzamora Honda RS125R 1996 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix Supersport 1:32.590 Toshiyuki Hamaguchi Suzuki GSX-R600 2002 Shah Alam ARRC round Super 2000 1:38.820 Charles Kwan BMW 320i 2000 Shah Alam ATCC round Original Circuit (1968–1984): Formula Pacific 1:16.400 Tiff Needell March 79B 1980 Selangor Grand Prix Formula Two 1:21.000 Ken Smith March 782 1979 Malaysian Grand Prix Formula Atlantic 1:22.700 John MacDonald Brabham BT40 1973 Malaysian Grand Prix Formula Libre 1:25.700 Max Stewart Brabham BT11 1968 Malaysian Grand Prix Tasman Formula 1:31.500 Tony Maw Elfin Type 600 1969 Malaysian Grand Prix
In popular culture The track was used as one of the shooting locations for Jackie Chan's 1995 film Thunderbolt.
See also Malaysian Grand Prix Mohamed Khir bin Toyo
References