5 replies to this topic

[angst]

Does anybody have any pictures or information about this track. It's a very difficult circuit to track information down about, and it's one that - for some reason - has intrigued me. From what I can gather, from the maps of the area I believe it to have been in, it appears to have been built on the side of a hill, is that right? Thanks in advance for any help on this.

[David McKinney]

...also known as Batu Tiga (or simply Kuala Lumpur)

[Terry Walker]

This is the total of my info on Shah Alam...unfortunately, I only have the cover image. Not the important bit, ie, the insides. I failed to scan them when I had the chance.

[Darren Galpin]

http://www.silhouet....s/shahalam.html

[Rob Semmeling]

There's an on-board lap of this circuit on a VHS from Duke, titled 'Sportscar experience' or something similar. From what I remember, not a very interesting circuit.

Edit: it's indeed called 'Sportscar Experience'. From dukevideo.com:

"The Sports Car Experience is a series of in-car sequences filmed around top race courses, including the famous Le Mans, as seen from inside the top-level sportscars often during actual races. Your drivers include Derek Bell, Hans Stuck, Jacky Ickx, Nick Mason, Stefan Bellof and Richard Lloyd. Get to know the techniques required to master not only Le Mans ('85) but Hockenheim ('85), Silverstone ('84), Spa Francorchamps ('85) Kuala Lumpur ('85) and Fuji ('85). Experience the thrills of high-speed dicing from the sharp end of World Endurance Championship racing, and marvel at the way the world's finest master the curves of the circuits that sort out the true champions."

[Graham Gauld]

I visited Shah Allam in 1994 during my stint in Hong Kong. It was a challenging circuit with an uphill section and upper straight followed by a twisting downhill. I had been contacted by a Thai racing team about "track testing" - which means driving round as fast as you dare go and massaging your ego at the same time. The car I was to test was a DTM Mercedes that had been exported to Thailand. Unfortunately the offer was withdrawn as the team were just recovering from the cost of repairing the car after an earlier accident. As one of the team pointed out they coud have bought another racing car for the cost. I ended up being offered one of the quick Honda Civics and I can tell you it was a tricky circuit. However two amusing stories from the visit. I knew a number of Malaysian journalists and on the practice day I had wandered up to the upper end of the circuit to shoot pictures. On my return to the paddock one of the journalists asked me where I had been and I pointed up the hill. He said it was a long walk round the circuit to get there but I happily pointed out there was a path up through the bushes to get there. The guy was horrified. " That area is infested with cobras !" I then realised that attending races in the East is not like wandering through the grass at Snetterton.
The following day it was over 100 degrees and I wandered out to the esses before the finish line. All the spectators were on the outside of the circuit but over to my left on the infield was a single tree under which were four Indians complete with turbans. I noticed they were shouting to me so I wandered over which resulted in the following conversation.
" What are you doing out there in the heat.....you should be under a tree like us"
" I am going to the esses to shoot pictures"
" Who are you ?...................Mr Bean ? "

I never knew Rowan was so well known in Malaysia !
Finally for those who like crazy facts the circuit manager at Shah Allam was Ying Fah Yoong, Alex Yoon's father and at that race meeting Alex was racing another DTM Mercedes and was only about 18 at that time.