COMMENT | After the Batu Tiga race track in Shah Alam was closed following a tragic accident that killed five children in 1977, organised motor races came to an abrupt halt.

Motor racing fans were yearning for a restart but the local racing club did not have the financial resources to improve safety around the tracks.

The following year, a group of companies set up the Shah Alam Motor Racing Association (Samra) to organise races again at Batu Tiga with the Selangor government’s blessings.

Race officials and stalwarts felt that their turf was being taken over and called for a boycott of the races.

Weeks before the first weekend races, stickers and flyers appeared calling for fans to boycott them.