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ABOUT SINGAPORE MOTOR SPORTS
ASSOCIATION :: History of SMSA :: The Singapore Motor Sports Association was formed in 1969 through the amalgamation of the Forces Driving Club and the Singapore Motor Club. At its inception she was known as the Singapore Motor Sports Club (SMSC). The history of motor sports in Singapore has its roots dating back to 1929, but it was the withdrawal of the British Armed Forces in the late 1960s that was the catalyst that brought together two organizations that have been both competitors as well as friends to each other. Unfortunately, most of the records of the pre-seventies history were lost when the SMSA Clubhouse in Farrer Park was burnt down by a fire. It was only in 1994, with the assistance and advice of the Singapore Sports Council, that the Club changed its status to an Association, henceforth known as Singapore Motor Sports Association (SMSA). This was done to better reflect our growth from being a Club to that of a National Sporting Association (NSA) recognised by the Singapore Sports Council as the governing body for all forms of motor sports in Singapore. SMSA is a non-profit organisation registered with the Registrar of Societies and Associations in Singapore. :: Roles of SMSA :: SMSA is affiliated to international motor sports governing bodies such as the Federation Internationale De L’Automobile, (FIA), Commission Internationale De Karting-FIA (CIK-FIA), Federation Internationale De Motocyclisme (FIM). Collectively, these organizations control every aspect of motor sports in the international arena, very much like how the General Association of International Sports Federations is the world’s governing authority of Olympic sports. These affiliations, together with recognition from the Singapore Sports Council as the National Sporting Association (NSA) for motor sports comes with great responsibilities, and that is to promote motor sports in Singapore. Not just as a sporting activity, but also as an industry. As a registered society, SMSA is governed by a Constitution and managed by an annually elected General Committee. Our Annual General Meetings are held every year in the month of March. For operational purposes, the General Committee is divided into two sections; one manages the day-to-day operations and all matters relating to its international and local affiliations. The other looks into the various sporting and non-sporting activities. :: How SMSA Regulates Motor Sport :: SMSA has been vested with exercising the sporting power by the FIA, CIK-FIA and the FIM. Annually, SMSA either organises or sanctions approximately 15 race events. Sanctioned local events are either organised by SMSA or by third parties. These events are organised according to the respective International Sporting Codes of the FIA, CIK-FIA and FIM as well as the National Sporting Code of SMSA. :: History of Motor Sports in Singapore :: The first recorded international motor racing event was in 1961 when the 1st Singapore Grand Prix was held at the Thompson Road Circuit. The last race was held there in 1973 before it was discontinued. 1st Singapore International Grand Prix 17-09-1961 :: Recent Developments :: With the discontinuation of the Singapore Grand Prix, motor sports in Singapore had no alternative but to move to vacant lands and developed into a different format, i.e. a shift from tarmac-surfaced events to gravel-surfaced and off-road events like autocross and motorcross. The venues were mostly on industrial land in the western part of Singapore. Though hampered by the lack of suitable venues, over the years, SMSA has endeavoured to promote motor sports in Singapore through various competitive and non-competitive events. For the last 20 years since the 1980’s, through the help of the Singapore Sports Council, SMSA has been organising tarmac-surfaced events in Kallang car parks near the National Stadium and has made National Stadium carparks the home of motor sports in Singapore. To many, it is fondly known at the Kallang Autodrome. From here we crafted a whole series of sporting events such as Autotest, Sprints/Supersprints, Car Park Rallies, Karting activities and more recently, the latest craze, Super Motard. :: Formula One™ :: In May 2007, the Singapore Government announced that a private promoter Singapore GP Pte Ltd has secured the rights to hold one round of the FIA Formula One World ChampionshipTM in Singapore from 2008 onwards. It will also score two firsts for such an event: first street circuit in Asia as well as first night race in the world. :: K1 Karting Series :: With the first Formula 1TM SingTel Singapore Grand Prix in September 2008, the government felt the need to spread the energy and spirit of motor sports outside of the city, and bring motor sports into the Heartlands. The K1 series was officially launched on 30 December 2007
in support of this initiative. It is an islandwide motor sports and karting
event initiated by Singapore Sports Council (SSC), Ministry of Community
Development, Youth & Sports (MCYS) and People’s Association
(PA). The series of K1 events will act as the precursor to Formula 1TM
SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. Some events are conducted on public roads
which are closed off especially for the motor sports carnival. The objective
is to give the heartlanders a glimpse of what to expect at the Marina
Bay Circuit. :: Circuit@Tuas:: In late 2007, SMSA has entered into a tripartite agreement with the successful tenderer of a plot of State Land in Tuas and an event promoter to build and operate a motorcross and supermotard/cubprix track. With the completion of Circuit@Tuas, all motorcycle activities previously held in Kallang Car Park will be re-located there. :: Permanent Circuit in Changi :: In 2007, the Singapore Government also announced the commissioning of a study to look into the feasibility of a permanent circuit in Changi. The project is now in an advanced stage of finalisation and is likely to be completed in early 2011. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFFICE LOCATION SINGAPORE MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION TEL: (65) 62277889 • FAX: (65) 62270911 • EMAIL: smsa@pacific.net.sg Find us at streetdirectory.com Office Hours: |