Author: David Bodapati

Kochi, 30 Nov. 2024: India’s top rider Shlok Ghorpade created history emerging triumphant in the MRF MoGrip fmsci Indian National Supercross Championship 2024 to stop the long reign of TVS Factory riders as he won the first moto in the top SX1 class of the final round which concluded at Eloor, near here on Saturday. The Supercross Nationals was promoted by Godspeed Racing and the final round was organised by KMA Motorsports guided by veteran Musa Sherif and Anil Abbas, in collaboration with Bandidos Motorsports, Kerala.

The Satara star thus brought a stunning victory and title triumph for the KTM Factory Racing team which made its debut in the National Championship this year by winning the Overall Championship and the premier class by garnering 201 points, six more than his rival, the talented Ikshan Shanbagh, also from Satara. While Ghorpade won the first moto after taking the hole shot, Ikshan came back to take a win in the second moto of SX1 class, but it was too little and too late, as Ghorpade clinched the well-fought championship by finishing second in the second moto.

The capacity crowd of about 15000, enjoyed a thrilling event, witnessing a supercross after a long time and were rewarded with plenty of action and stunts in the night. The track was one of the biggest among all the six rounds and had fast stretches and technical jumps for riders to showcase their talent and skill.

Shlok Ghorpade, who just completed 17 years on October 18, was astride a KTM 250, and was in his elements maneuvering the jumps and berms with high skills and near-perfect technique. He recently fine tuned his skills in California, USA and showed immense confidence and class in the face of tough and sometimes, ugly competition. TVS Racing team, which has been dominating the Supercross and two-wheeler rally championships for many years now, has won the Motocross/Supercross championships for the last 14 consecutive years. But they were jolted by the young talent and despite Ikshaan providing tough time to him, they had to rope in the newly-crowned road racing champion, Sarthak Chavan to try and beat the marauding Ghorpade. But the latter, stood his ground and won a well-deserving title, his seventh National Championship crown in different sub-classes and dirt Nationals.

“I have been working and planning for the past four years to win the SX 1 class. I worked hard for this championship victory and it is the fruit for my hardwork and dedication of my team and sponsors,” the 2022 Junior SX1 National champion quipped on the morning after.

However, the season has been a tough one, with the much experienced and strong team like TVS Racing on the other side. He endured falls, the blocking of racing lines in every round and race, and fought as a lone warrior against a huge team and thus, the success is all the more sweet. “I can’t think of a single day where I didn’t think of improving and getting better. I was becoming too serious. That is when I thought I should start enjoying my races and as a result, the points came back,” he felt.

“I banked on my family and knew my potential. I have no legacy to protect and I had nothing to lose. The stakes are high and the tempo increased from the Pune round,” he added. Yes, the blocking too ‘increased’ from the Pune round.

The heat was on and he was boxed so much that for the first time in two years, he was not on the podium in the Bengaluru round. However, the champion rose like a phoenix and won the first moto, to virtually seal the issue and won with a second place in the final moto, as the championship went to wire.

“Physically it was tiring but it was much more a  mental game. Once I accepted that my winning streak of over five rounds was broken, it was easier for me to get up, dust myself and relaunch the attack. My core team and I worked on all possibilities, strategised and planned for the worst.   I always hope for the best while preparing for the worst. And the results are there, now, for everyone to see,” he spoke as if in nostalgia, of the just-concluded season’s ups and downs.

5 International trophies :

DMX Round 5 – 3rd place

Saturday MX at Glen Helen summer series

Saturday MX at Glen Helen 250cc category

Mammoth qualifiers at Fox

Fall series at Glen Helen

Final Round: The results (provisional): 

1. Ikshan Shanbhag (TVS Racing) 37 points (17, 20);

2. Shlok Ghorpade (KTM Factory Racing India) 40 points (20, 17);

3. Sarthak Chavan (TVS Racing) 28 (15, 13).

Class 2 – SX 2: Group A:

1. Ryan Haig (Kochi) 40 (20, 20);

2. S. Kathiroli (Coimbatore) 34 (17, 17);

3. Wilmer Valentino (Kochi) 23 (8, 15).

Class 3 – Novice, Group B: (only one moto)

1. Karan Kumar (Hero Motorsports) 20;

2. W.N. Jayden (TVS Racing) 17;

3. Shaun Chhangte (Aizawl) 15.

Class 5 – Indian Experts, Group B:

1. D. Sachin (TVS Racing) 37 (17, 20);

2. Imran Pasha (TVS Racing) 33 (20, 13);

3. Karan Kumar (Hero Motorsports) 28 (11, 17).

Class 6 – Private Experts: Group B:

1. Subramanya (Bengaluru);

2. Shreeraj H (Kerala);

3. Arshad Muhammed (Cheruthuruthy); (Points not received)

Class 7 – Jr. SX1: Group A:

1. Jinendra Sangave (Ichakaranji) 40 (20, 20);

2. Ector Ezak (Kochi) 34 (17, 17);

3. Faiz Sayyed (Pune) 30 (15, 15).

Class 8 – Jr. SX2: Group A:

1. Yash Shinde; KTM SX 85;

2. Akshat Hupale; KTM SX 85;

3. Sujan J. Kawasaki; (All from Pune).

Class 9 – Jr. SX3: Group A:

1. Bhairav C. Gowda (Bengaluru);

2. Chaitanya Joshi (Pune);

3. Nandan Das 30 (15, 15).

Demo class:

1. Vismay Ram (Blr);

2. Rithin Sai (Cbe);

3. Shyam Aditya.

(Complete results are not received yet from the organizers)