The 31st Tianma Racing Championship roared into action at the Shanghai Tianma Circuit (STC) on August 14. The event was divided into 10 different categories based on engine type with motorcycles occupying six and touring cars of varying classes the remaining four.

The motorcycle group match waiting for the flags to drop at the 31st Tianma Racing Championship at Shanghai Tianma Circuit on Aug 14. [Photo/sheshantravel.gov.cn]

It was the motorcycles that got proceedings off to a zooming start. In an exhilarating opening it was Li Fei from Team ECD who grabbed the first title of the day. The 150CC category was divided into two groups. Li Qishen from Team 51 was victorious in Group A and Chen Hongyan blazed to victory in Group B driving for ECD.

In the afternoon, Li Qishen once again strutted his stuff and waltzed home with a confident performance in the 300CC category. In Group A Team Annapurna's Zhang Weian pulled through ahead of the pack and Team Dynavolt's Yuan Jibo did likewise in Group B.

The touring cars tournament gets underway during the 31st Tianma Racing Championship at Shanghai Tianma Circuit on Aug 14. [Photo/sheshantravel.gov.cn]

The touring car open tournament was a treat for spectators to behold and was just as exciting as the two-wheeled racing earlier in the day. Kang Le from Team Gulfracing crossed the line first in Group A. Zhang Kailin from Team MCM.SLC.PENRITE won group B. Lai Ming from Team VTS169 overpowered all before him in group C. Meng Xiangming from Team FRT took the trophy in Group D.

Yet there was more on offer to spectators than simply high- quality racing and a range of entertainments was on offer to visitors. The highlight was perhaps a captivating 20-minute drifting performance by Bridgestone that impressed audiences with many a classic drifting move. Some audience members also had the chance to take part in a VIP test drive experience. These luck individuals got to sit beside a professional driver and revel in thrill of travelling at over 200 km/h.

A?captivating 20-minute drifting performance by Bridgestone impresses audiences with many a classic drifting move. [Photo/sheshantravel.gov.cn]

Away from the track there were a range of activities to occupy spectators. These included remote control speedboat competitions, an intricate sand sculpting show, and a water gun game that was certainly appreciated as an antidote to the scorching temperatures. The Shanghai venue also offered spectators a chance to experience virtual reality video games, listen to live music, and take a wander around a variety of promotional stands.

The STC was inaugurated in 2004 and has since hosted several rounds of the China Touring Car and Superbike Championships. It is considered one of the leading venues of its kind in China.