INDIA in F1

Category: Drag Racing

  • Hemanth Muddappa bags 10th National crown; Alimon clinches top class: Drag Nationals

    Hemanth Muddappa bags 10th National crown; Alimon clinches top class: Drag Nationals

    Chennai, 30 Dec 2022: Reigning champion Hemanth Muddappa added one more title to his glittering shelf to join the rare elite club 10-time National champions, as he clinched the National Championship titles in the superbike category in the fourth and final round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2022 at the Madras International Circuit here on Friday.

    As declared yesterday, Bengaluru’s Alimon Saidalavi won the premier Unrestricted class National Championship with an all-win record, winning the final round with ease astride the Kawasaki Ninja H2.

    Champions All: (from left) Prashanth, Hemanth Muddappa, Alimon Saidalavi, Saurabh Parab, Bharath Raj and Abdul Shaikh. Photos by Karan Ravi.

    Muddappa, with three wins in four outings in the Super Sport 4-stroke 1051-1650cc class retained his title astride a Suzuki Hayabusa. Muddappa’s team Mantra Racing bagged the team honours in both these superbike classes. Muddappa and Mantra Racing combination, thus achieved a record 10 National titles.

    Chennai-born engineer from Rockers Racing, Bharath Raj hogged the limelight bagging a hat-trick in the 361-550cc class and made it a grand double adding another National title in the Upto 165cc category. He also helped his team Rockers Racing win the team championship in both the classes.

    Puducherry’s Lani Zena Fernandez (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate1) won the Round-4 race which helped her to finish on top in the championship standings in the Girls category (Stock 165cc), just three points ahead of favourite Soundari Ananthraj (AS Motorsports) who finished a distant sixth today.

    Lani Zena Fernandez of Puducherry made a brilliant comeback to win the Girls title.

    Mumbai’s Saurabh Parab, with two wins and four podiums, picked up the National crown in the 551-850cc category. Bengaluru’s Abdul Shaikh of G1 Motors Racing finished second behind Chennai’s Madhan Kumar in the 2-stroke upto 130cc class, but that was enough for the 29-year rider to clinch the National title.

    Bharath Raj of Team Rockers Racing bags his fifth National title from two different classes.

    Round-4 – Provisional results:

    Unrestricted: 1. Alimon Saidalavi (Bengaluru) (07.732secs); 2. Attaulla Baig (Bengaluru) (07.956); 3. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (07.968). National champion: Alimon Saidalavi (Bengaluru). Team champions: Mantra Racing, Bengaluru.

    4-Stroke Super Sport 1051-1650cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (07.866); 2. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru) (07.877); 3. Attaulla Baig (Bengaluru) (08.038). National champion: Hemanth Muddappa. Team champions: Mantra Racing, Bengaluru.

    851-1050cc (Support race): 1. Saurabh Parabh (Mumbai) (07.827); 2. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (07.861); 3. Mohammed Riyaz (Hyderabad) (08.029).

    551-850cc 4-Stroke Super Sport: 1. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (08.476); 2. Mohammed Riyaz (Hyderabad) (08.510); Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Matra Racing) (08.664). National champion: Saurabh Parabh. Team champions: Mantra Racing, Bengaluru.

    361-550cc (Super Sport Indian): 1. Nadeem Pasha (Bengaluru) (12.003); 2. Anish Shetty (Bengaluru, PRN Motorsports) (12.020); 3. Bharath Raj (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (12.029). National champion: Bharath Raj. Team champions: Rockers Racing, Chennai.

    166-225cc (Support race); 1. Badhusha M (Chennai) (13.438); 2. Srikantha P (Bengaluru) (13.647); 3. Aiyaz Rem (Bengaluru) (14.297).

    Upto 165cc (Super Sport Indian): 1. Mohammed Fazil (Bengaluru) (14.095); 2. Mohammed Arfath (Bengaluru) (14.214); 3. Yogeshwaran (Chennai) (14.654). National champion: Bharath Raj. Team champions: Rockers Racing, Chennai.

    2-Stroke 131-165cc: 1. Prashanth (Bengaluru) (12.822); 2. Ashok S (Bengaluru) (12.995); 3. Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.115). National champion: Prashanth. Team champions: Rockers Racing, Chennai.

    2-Stroke Upto 130cc: 1. Madhan Kumar R (Chennai) (13.517); 2. Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.551); 3. Arvind Ganesh (Chennai, AP Motorsports) (13.611). National champion: Abdul Shaikh. Team champions: AP Motorsports, Chennai.

    GIRLS (165cc, Novice): 1. Lani Zena Fernandez (Puducherry, RACR Castrol Power Ultimate 1) (16.461); 2. Nivetha Jessica (Chennai) (16.601); 3. Aditi Krishnan (Bengaluru) (16.619). National champion: Lani Zena Fernandez. Team champions: Axor Sparks Racing, Chennai.

    Abdul Shaikh, National champion 2022 Upto 130cc class.
    MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcylce Drag Racing Nationals – Champions for 2022
    1.      Unrestricted: 
    Alimon Saidalavi (Bengaluru). Team champions: Mantra Racing, Bengaluru.
    2.      4-Stroke Super Sport 1051-1650cc: 
    Hemanth Muddappa. Team champions: Mantra Racing, Bengaluru.
    3.      551-850cc 4-Stroke Super Sport: 
    Saurabh Parabh. Team Mantra Racing, Bengaluru.
    4.      361-550cc (Super Sport Indian): 
    Bharath Raj. Team champions: Rockers Racing, Chennai.
    5.      Upto 165cc (Super Sport Indian): 
    Bharath Raj. Team champions: Rockers Racing, Chennai.
    6.      2-Stroke 131-165cc:
    Prashanth. Team champions: Rockers Racing, Chennai.
    7.      2-Stroke Upto 130cc:
    National champion: Abdul Shaikh. Team champions: AP Motorsports, Chennai.
    8.      GIRLS (165cc, Novice):
    National champion: Lani Zena Fernandez. Team champions: Axor Sparks Racing, Chennai.
     
  • Alimon sets record; Strong comeback by Hemanth Muddappa: Drag Nationals

    Alimon sets record; Strong comeback by Hemanth Muddappa: Drag Nationals

    Chennai, 29 Dec 2022: Bengaluru riders Alimon and Hemanth Muddappa scored dominating wins in their respective superbike categories in the third round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2022 at the Madras International Circuit, here on Thursday.

    Alimon continued his win-spree to clinch the National Championship with a round to spare in the Unrestricted category as he took the honours on a Kawasaki Ninja H2, and also set a track record of 07.556 seconds over 302 metres. He won all the three rounds thus far and, today he finished ahead of Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) and Attaulla Baig, also from Bengaluru. The Unrestricted class was introduced this year and the 851-1050cc class was made as a Support Race.

    Alimon, thus, set the fastest time at the MIC, bettering the previous best of 07.749 by Muddappa. The victory also gave Alimon an unassailable 32-point lead over Baig in the championship standings with a round to spare.

    Alimon Saidalvi who won the Championship in the Unrestricted class at the Madras International Circuit on Thursday. Photo for INDIAinF1.com

    “With strong contenders in fray, it’s been a challenging field in the Nationals for this class. Perseverance and dedication helped me and the team to achieve this incredible feat. I would like to thank Topgun Racing team for the support and motivation throughout my racing career. Highlighting motorsport in India is my vision and I hope to set an example for many aspiring talents who look to enter motorsport in India,” said Alimon.

    Earlier, Muddappa, the multiple National champion, was in his elements in the 1051-1650cc category astride a Suzuki Hayabusa, with a winning time of 07.910 seconds while Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru) and yesterday’s Round-2 winner Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) came in second and third, respectively. After three rounds, Muddappa leads Riyaz by 20 points in the championship and needs just six more points to clinch the title, he is set to take his 10th National Championship title.

    Another Bengaluru rider, Anish Damodara Shetty (PRN Motorsports) notched a splendid win in the 361-550cc class on a KTM RC-390 bike while Chennai rider Mohan Babu of Rockers Racing won the Super Sport Indian upto 165cc class.

    In the Stock 165cc Girls class, Mumbai’s Sarah Khan of Axor Sparks Racing topped astride a Yamaha R15, to keep the championship race open with Soundari Sindy Anantharaj leading the points table with 62 points. But it will winner take it all in the final round and Sarah (58) will be looking to turn the tables on the defending champion.

    The fourth and concluding round of the 2022 Championship will be run at the same venue on Friday.   

    Hemanth Muddappa on his Suzuki Hayabusa. INDIAinF1 File photo by Srinivasa Krishnan
    Girls class winner Sarah Khan (centre), along with Senior Technician Ebbi (red ‘T’), is flanked by second-placed Aditi Krishnan and Lani Zena Fernandez (extreme right). Chief guest Anoop, (MMSC) left, is also seen. Photo: Axor Spark Racing

    Round-3 results (Provisional, all 4-Stroke Super Sport unless mentioned):

    Unrestricted: 1. Alimon Saidalavi (Bengaluru) (07.556secs); 2. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (07.768); 3. Attaulla Baig (Bengaluru) (08.037).

    1051-1650cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (07.910); 2. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru) (08.019); 3. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (08.103).

    851-1050cc (Support race): 1. Saurabh Parabh (Mumbai) (07.880); 2. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (08.065); 3. Sugan Prasad SP (Bengaluru) (08.236).

    551-850cc: 1. Sidharth Ratan Parmar (Mumbai) (08.510); 2. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (08.552); 3. Mohammed Riyaz (Hyderabad) (08.630).

    361-550cc (Super Sport Indian): 1. Anish Shetty (PRN Motorsports, Bengaluru) (12.243); 2. Bharath Raj (Rockers Racing, Chennai) (12.244); 3. Aiyaz Rem (Bengaluru) (12.363).

    166-225cc (Support race): 1. Srikantha P (Bengaluru) (13.520); 2. Aiyaz Rem (Bengaluru) (14.293); 3. Madhan Kumar R (Chennai) (14.333).

    Upto 165cc (Super Sport Indian): 1. Mohan Babu (Rockers Racing, Chennai) (14.154); 2. Arvind Ganesh (Chennai) (14.234); 3. Bharath Raj (Rockers Racing, Chennai) (14.235).

    2-Stroke 131-165cc: 1. Prashanth (Bengaluru) (12.821); 2. Aiyaz Rem (Bengaluru) (12.983); 3. Shreyas Hareesh (Rockers Racing, Bengaluru) (13.069).

    2-Stroke Upto 130cc: 1. Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.497); 2. Mohamed Rafiq (Bengaluru) (13.778); 3. Mohammed Arfath (Bengaluru) (13.784).

    GIRLS (165cc, Novice): 1. Sarah Khan (Axor Sparks Racing, Mumbai) (16.562); 2. Aditi Krishnan (Bengaluru) (16.639); 3. Lani Zena Fernandez (RACR, Puducherry) (16.704).

  • Alimon wins top class; Debut victory for Shreyas; Double for Bharath: Drag Nationals

    Alimon wins top class; Debut victory for Shreyas; Double for Bharath: Drag Nationals

    Chennai, 28 Dec 2022: Bengaluru’s Alimon Saidalvi, astride a Kawasaki Ninja H2, raced to victory in the Feature race, the Unrestricted category, while Rockers Racing’s Bharath Raj scored a double in the second round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2022 at the Madras International Circuit, here on Wednesday.

    Earlier, the 12-year old inaugural MiniGP India champion, Shreyas Hareesh, who made his debut in the Drag Nationals here, won the 2-Stroke upto 165cc Super Sport class beating a strong field of 29 riders. Astride a Yamaha RX 135, the Rockers Racing rider, clocked an impressive 12.615 seconds for the 402-metre dash. Fellow-Bengalureans Prashanth (12.748) and Aiyaz Rem (12.931) came in second and third respectively to make it an all-Bengaluru affair.

    Shreyas Hareesh, the 12-year Bengaluru school boy makes a winning debut in Drag Nationals at Madras International Circuit on Wednesday. Photo SH team

    Bharath Raj, 33, an engineer at Ola Electric from Chennai, also from Rockers Racing, defeated Mohammed Arfath of Bengaluru to win the Super Sport Indian upto 165cc class clocking 14.395 seconds. Later, Raj topped his favourite 361-550cc class, astride a KTM RC390, edging past teammate Mohammed Shakir. Anish Shetty finished third. Raj, who won the 361-550cc for the last two years said: “I am happy to be on the top step of the podium once again. But no time to rest as we will be going all out in the next two rounds.”

    In the Unrestricted class, Alimon clocked a blistering 08.022 seconds for the 302-metre sprint to pip Mumbai’s Saurabh Parab (08.073s) and Hyderabad’s Md Riyaz (08.178s).

    Earlier, Riyaz, riding a Suzuki Hayabusa, scored a notable victory over fancied Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) from Bengaluru in the 1051-1650cc category with Mujahid Pasha, also from Bengaluru, finishing third.

    Muddappa drew some consolation by claiming the top spot in the support race (851-1050cc) ahead of Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) and Riyaz.

    Reigning champion Soundari “Sindy’ Ananthraj of AS Motorsports took the honours in the Girls (4-Stroke, Stock 165cc) category, edging out Mumbai’s Sarah Khan of Axor Sparks Racing and Lani Zena Fernandez (RACR) from Puducherry.

    Soundari “Sindy’ Antanthraj of AS Motorsports, the defending champion, wins Girls class in Round 2 at MIC on Wednesday.

    The Round 3 of the championship will be held on Thursday while the Round 4, which is the final round, is scheduled for Friday, also at the MIC.

    Round-2 Provisional results (all 4-Stroke Super Sport unless mentioned):

    Unrestricted: 1. Alimon Saidalvi (Bengaluru) (08.022secs); 2. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (08.073); 3. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (08.178).

    1051-1650cc: 1. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (08.108); 2. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (08.144); 3. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru) (08.220).

    851-1050cc (Support race): 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (08.012); 2. Saurabh Parabh (Mumbai) (08.013); 3. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (08.228).

    551-850cc: 1. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (08.424); 2. Sidharth Parmar (Mumbai) (08.561); 3. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (08.774).

    361-550cc (Super Sport Indian): 1. Bharath Raj (Rockers Racing, Chennai) (12.033); 2. Mohammed Shakir (Rockers Racing, Chennai) (12.332); 3. Anish Shetty (PRN Motorsports, Bengaluru) (12.348).

    166-225cc (Support race); 1. Srikantha P (Bengaluru) (13.276); 2. Badhusha M (Chennai) (13.721); 3. Madhan Kumar R (Chennai) (14.393).

    Upto 165cc (Super Sport Indian): 1. Bharath Raj (Rockers Racing, Chennai) (14.395); 2. Mohammed Arfath (Bengaluru) (14.621); 3. Badhusha M (Chennai) (14.880).

    2-Stroke 131-165cc: 1. Shreyas Hareesh (Rockers Racing, Bengaluru) (12.615); 2. Prashanth (Bengaluru) (12.748); 3. Aiyaz Rem (Bengaluru) (12.931).

    2-Stroke Upto 130cc: 1. Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.296); 2. Prashanth (Bengaluru) (13.381); 3. Mohamed Rafiq (Bengaluru) (13.565).

    GIRLS (165cc, Novice): 1. Soundari ‘Sindy’ Ananthraj (AS Motorsports, Chennai) (16.340); 2. Sarah Khan (Axor Sparks Racing, Mumbai) (16.421); 3. Lani Zena Fernandez (RACR, Puducherry) (16.453).

  • Hemanth Muddappa set to extend domination on Drag Nationals

    Hemanth Muddappa set to extend domination on Drag Nationals

    Chennai, 26 Dec 2022: Reigning National champion Hemanth Muddappa representing Mantra Racing team from Bengaluru is expected to extend his domination this week as the curtains come down on the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2022 at the Madras International Circuit here this week with Rounds 2, 3 and 4, being run from Tuesday, December 27 to Friday, December 30.

    In the first round in July, Muddappa won two National championship races and is all set to add to his kitty of nine National Championship titles.

    While the first round of the four-round Championship was held in July, the subsequent outings could not be held as scheduled due to monsoon rains and the Mandhus cyclone that severely impacted the region. As such, the promoters, Madras Motor Sports Club, decided to bunch the remaining three rounds and complete the championship.

    Tuesday has been set aside for practice sessions, while the following three days will witness final runs in Rounds 2, 3 and 4 at the end of which the National Champions will be declared.

    As has been the trend in the championship, close to 150 entries, across eight categories, have been received with MMSC incentivising the riders to compete in all the three rounds this week.

    One of the highlights of the weekend would be the 4-Stroke Unrestricted category where Muddappa faces arch-rival and fellow-Bengalurean Alimon Saidalvi who won the 302-metre dash in July.

    On view this week would be an array of super bikes, ranging from the Suzuki Hayabusa to Triumph to BMW, besides a host of modified Indian bikes.

    In fact, Bengaluru is very strongly represented in all the categories while riders from Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai, fill up the rest of the grids.

    Two of the categories – Super Sport 851-1050cc and Super Sport 166-225cc – will be run as support events.

    As in the past, the 2-Stroke categories have attracted the most number of entries, totalling over 60 while the Girls class (4-Stroke up to 165cc) has eight competitors.

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the Madras International Circuit (earlier MMRT), in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC installed Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.

  • Hemanth Muddappa begins campaign with a triple; Alimon bags Unrestricted class

    Hemanth Muddappa begins campaign with a triple; Alimon bags Unrestricted class

    Chennai, 24 July 2022: Multiple Indian National champion Bengaluru’s Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) continued his domination in the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship with a triple crown in the season-opener which concluded at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.

    Muddappa, the nine-times National champion, participating in four different categories, emerged triumphant in three (one of them a support race), but his exploits notwithstanding, it was Alimon Saidalvi (Bengaluru) who was the quickest rider over the weekend as he topped the Unrestricted category, clocking a blistering 07.775 seconds for the 302-metre dash on a Kawasaki Ninja.

    Muddappa, astride a Suzuki Hayabusa, topped in the Super Sport 1051-1650cc category in which he has remained unbeaten over the past few years. Earlier, riding a BMW S1000RR, Muddappa was the quickest in the Super Sport 551-850cc category after winning in the Super Sport 851-1050cc support race atop a Kawasaki ZX6R machine.

    Mumbai’s Hussain Khan won in the Super Sport Indian 361-550cc category ahead of Aiyaz from Bengaluru and local rider Bharath Raj.

    The results (all 4-Stroke):

    National Championship – Unrestricted: 1. Alimon Saidalvi (Bengaluru) (07.775secs); 2. Attaullah Baig (Bengaluru) (08.090s); 3. Siddharth Ratan Parmar (Mumbai) (08.254s).

    Super Sport 1051-1650cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.228s); 2. Vignesh Purushotham (Bengaluru) (08.309s); 3. Hafizullah Khan (Bengaluru) (08.398s).

    Super Sport 551-850cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.614s); 2. Siddharth Ratan Parmar (Mumbai) (08.788s); 3. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (09.086s).

    Super Sport Indian 361-550cc: 1. Hussain Khan (Mumbai) (12.247s); 2. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (12.350s); 3. Bharath Raj (Chennai) (12.691s).

    Support race – Super Sport 851-1050cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.013s); 2. Khaja Awais Ahmed (Hyderabad) (08.281s); 3. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (08.325).

    Support race – Super Sport 166-225cc: 1. Badhusha M (Chennai) (13.639s); 2. Srikkanth P (Bengaluru) (14.054s); 3. Karthik M (Chennai) (15.324s).

  • Hero signs drag champ Hemanth Muddappa as brand ambassador

    Hero signs drag champ Hemanth Muddappa as brand ambassador

    Bengaluru, 8 March 2022: Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has signed nine-time national drag racing champion Hemanth Muddappa as a Brand Ambassador for the Hero Xtreme 160R.

    Hemanth will promote the drag racing culture in India with Hero MotoCorp’s on-going XDrags, a pan India drag racing experiential event organised on the Hero Xtreme 160R. Hero MotoCorp and Hemanth have already hosted 16 XDrags events so far, said a press release received here on Tuesday.

    Bengaluru-based Hemanth has been breaking records, including his own, in the drag racing circuit. Earlier this month, he bagged his fifth consecutive title at the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Drag Racing Championship 2021.

    Hemanth won two golds in the above 1050cc (Super Sport) and 851-1050cc (Super Sport) categories and races across three classes – 851-1050cc, 1050cc and above, and foreign open unrestricted. He is the only Indian Drag Racer to win in two classes and holds the record for the fastest time across drag strips in India.

    From being told by doctors that he will hardly be able to walk after meeting with a life-threatening accident to clinching the title of India’s Fastest Racer, Muddappa’s race with his life has been inspirational and thrilling as well.

    Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Growth Officer, Hero MotoCorp said, “We are delighted to welcome Hemanth as a new addition to our team. We heartily congratulate him for his recent wins. Muddappa’s presence bolsters our commitment to the advancement of drag racing culture in India, which hasn’t been fully explored so far. Drag racing is the shortest and quickest form of motorsports and the Hero Xtreme 160R, the fastest to 0-60 km/h in its segment, is a perfect fit for this racing format.”

    Hemanth Muddappa, Rider, Hero MotoCorp said, “This is the beginning of a thrilling ride and I am elated to join the Hero family as it aims to grow the drag racing culture in India. The sport has the power to take the young Indian sportspersons to the world podium. Hero MotoCorp is continuously doing great work towards the enhancement of all motorsport. I have always admired the company from afar and now it is a privilege to represent it. I will continue to do my best to win and break records and keep the Hero flag flying high always. Go Boom!” 

  • Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing sets National Drag record at Amby Valley

    Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing sets National Drag record at Amby Valley

    Amby Valley (Maharashtra), 7 Dec 2021: Multiple National Drag Racing champion Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing notched up another feature in his cap with a National record in the above 600cc unrestricted open foreign bikes category in the mega FMSCI licensed Drag event, the 9th edition of The Valley Run (TVR) organised for two-wheelers and four-wheelers by Elite Octane that attracted a record over 500 entries at the Amby Valley airstrip in Lonavala on Sunday.

    The 31-year Coorgi based in Bengaluru, beat the National record for this category held by Andhra Pradesh’s Satyanarayan Raju record of 9.522sec set last year at the same event and track.

    Mumbai’s Atharva Achrekar on a Kawasaki zx10R won the 851 to 1050cc in 10.083sec beating Avinash Y, who clocked 10.155. Iqbal Sheikh won the third position in a time of 10.182 in a grid of 34 bikes.

    But in the 1050cc to 1650cc event, Hemanth Muddappa took his second gold clocking 9.684 to become the only rider to dip under 10-sec mark. He beat Vignesh Purushotham who timed 10.035 to second and Hafiz Ulla Khan finished third in 10.235. All three from Bengaluru swept the top three places on a Hayabusa in a grid of 17 bikes.

    Hemanth Muddappa won the Ribbon Event, the Foreign Open Unrestricted class for bikes above 600cc, zooming to the gold in 9.508 as he stripped off a good one-10th of a second from his last year’s gold time of 9.677seconds,  which is considered a mountain in drag racing.  The fitness freak astride his black Suzuki Hayabusa built by Mantra Racing beat a host of riders and the quarter mile record that stood in the name of Vizag racer. Iqbal Sheikh of Mumbai finished second in 9.829 while Vaibhav Mhatre came third in 10.038. Both were also riding a Suzuki GSX.

    A Mega Drag event, The Valley Run, 9th edition attracting over 500 bikes and cars was held at Amby Valley and concluded on Sunday. Elite Octane file photo

    “It always take a lot out of me to prepare such events. This is a mega event with hundreds of bikes and the track has an international standard with the approved exact quarter-mile distance of 400.2 metres. I am glad to beat this record, thanks to my beauty of a machine prepared by Sharan of Mantra Racing,” said a beaming Muddappa, who topped a grid of 30 riders in this class.

    Muddappa, who became the 2020 National Drag Champion for the fourth successive year in the top two classes also beat his own National record this year again on October 3 at the FMSCI National Drag Championship in the 850cc to 1049cc class. With this record today, the Sharan (Mantra Racing) and Hemanth Muddappa combination holds the Drag records at all circuits in India.

    “Yes, it is an FMSCI recognised event and he holds the record now for all the circuits,” confirmed Pratap Jayaram, chairman, FMSCI Drag Commission.

    In the two-wheeler section which received an overwhelming response of over 300 participants in 14 different classes, the top three classes saw some stunning machines thrill the crowds. The event was run by Elite Octane Inc, a Mumbai-based Motorsports Club affiliated to FMSCI.

    Eleven other classes were also held for bikes and prizes were given away till late night on Sunday.

  • ‘Lightning’ strikes MMRT as Hemanth Muddappa breaks National Drag record

    ‘Lightning’ strikes MMRT as Hemanth Muddappa breaks National Drag record

    Chennai, October 3: Seven-time National Drag Champion Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing stormed to a National record, breaking his own mark with a triumphant double gold in the ribbon events in the second round of the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Drag Racing Championship here on Sunday. Touching a top speed of 230kmph, he extended his Championship lead in the premier 4-stroke Above-1051cc Class at the 303-metre Madras Motor Race Track.

    The 31-year Coorgi, based in Bengaluru, nicknamed LightningR1, did his magic once again to prove his critics wrong as he dashed to a gold beating his own National record in the 4-stroke 850 to 1050cc SuperSport Class set in 2019. Hemanth also holds the National drag record in the top above-1051cc Class.

    “I am so happy to set the National record in this category. Seven National titles won’t come by luck. We have put in hardwork and practised hard, testing and improving after every run. I dedicate this gold to my friend Riyaz’s mom, who is on a ventilator. Despite that he came here and clocked an eight. Hats off to him,’’ said a delighted Hemanth, who runs 1Up Nutrition, a top brand Nutrition supplements for sportspersons.

    “Winning is in the DNA of Mantra Racing from 1954. We have been tuning Mudappa’s bikes for all his National titles and I am glad he got the much-awaited record today. We brought some upgrades but it was the hard work and practice he put in at the air strip near Bengaluru that brought him success,” said Sharan Pratap of Mantra Racing, who tunes the champion’s bikes.

    Hemanth astride a green #93 BMW s1000rr was lightening quick to post a stunning 7.914 to beat the National Drag record in this class despite being a fraction of a second slower in reaction at the start to Hyderabad’s Mohd. Riyaz, who did 8.058 seconds. Sugan Prasad, also from Bengaluru, clocked 8.421 to take the bronze.

    In the top class of 4-stroke Above-1051cc Super Sport, riding a black Suzuki Hayabusa, Hemanth clocked 8.061sec. “With others posting only in 8s, I took it easy and won at a relaxed pace,’’ the passionate bodybuilder added.

    In other classes,  Bharath Raj (226-360cc), Madhan Kumar (upto 165cc) and Aiyaz Rem (361-550cc) won the gold.

    Results (provisional): 4S Above-1051cc Class: 1. #97 Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru) 8.061sec; 2. #98 Hafizullah Khan (Bengaluru) 8.396; 3. Vignesh Purushottham (Bengaluru) 8.409;

    4S 851 to 1050cc Super Sport: 1. #93 Hemanth Muddappa (7.914); 2. #96 Mohd. Riyaz (Hyderabad) (8.058); 3. Sugan Prasad (Bengaluru) (8.421);

    4S 226 to 360cc SS Indian: 1. #74Bharath Raj (12.427); 2. #75 Mohamed Shakir (12.655); 3. #77 Yogeshwaran (13.014);

    4S upto 165cc SS Indian: 1. #71 S Madhan Kumar (13.826); 2. #73 K Kannan (13.990); 3. #91 S Kannan (14.472);

    4S 361 to 550cc SS Indian: 1. #85 Aiyaz Rem (12.368); 2. #83 Yogeshwaran (12.620); 3. #84 D Anish Samson (12.658).

  • Hemanth Mudappa raring to go: MMSC fmsci Drag Nationals

    Hemanth Mudappa raring to go: MMSC fmsci Drag Nationals

    Chennai, 1 October 2021: Seven-time National champion Hemanth Mudappa of Mantra Racing will spearhead a strong field of over 100 die-hard petrolheads who will congregate at the MMRT here this weekend for the second round of MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2021 here on Saturday and Sunday.

    Mantra Racing, who is tuning Hemanth’s bikes had put in extra efforts for the second round and is looking forward for a double. “We are bringing some updates and I am confident going into the Sunday’s races,” said the Bengaluru-based Coorgi, who popularises Sports Nutrition and endorses 1up Nutrition for Elite high-performance athletes. A bodybuilder by passion , he is committed to the sport and his hard work saw that he won the Ribbon 1050cc and above continuously for four years. With Sharan Pratap as tuner, the duo have mastered the art of winning drag racing Nationals in India dominating the scene from 2016.

    The Super Sport 851-1050cc and Above 1051cc categories will headline the races. Bengaluru’s reigning National champion Hemant Muddappa, astride BMW S1000 RR, has been dominating the Above 1051cc category, but Hyderabad’s Md Riyaz (Yamaha R1) topped the 851-1050cc class in the first round in August and the battle for points is expected to continue with the championship extended to three rounds.

    Besides the above two premier categories, the card also contains races in six other classes: 2-stroke (Super Sport) Up to 130cc and 131-165cc; Girls (4-Stroke) Up to 165cc; and Super Sport Indian Up to 165cc, 226-360cc and 361-550cc.

    As in the previous round, the organisers have put in place state-of-the-art timing equipment and a fully-equipped Medical team to deal with any emergency.

  • Hemanth Muddappa claims feature race: Drag Nationals

    Hemanth Muddappa claims feature race: Drag Nationals

    Chennai, 8 August 2021: Riders from Bengaluru, spearheaded by reigning champion Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing swept the honours in the first round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship which concluded at the MMRT, here on Sunday amidst strict Covid safety protocols.

    Muddappa, 31, astride his Suzuki Hayabusa, was the quickest of all riders, clocking 07.882 seconds over 302-metres strip while winning the featured Super Sport Above 1051cc category ahead of fellow-Bengalureans Hafizullah Khan (08.116) and Harish Naik (08.538). Muddappa currently holds the National Drag record at 7.783 which he set here on 10th October in the 2020 first round last year. 

    Hemanth Muddappa (centre), winner of the Above 1051cc class, flanked by second-placed Havizullah Khan (left) and third placed Harish Naik in the 2021 Drag Nationals Round 1 at MMRT, Chennai on 8 Aug 2021.

    Despite the comfortable win, Muddappa said due to the high track temperature, the timing was a tad slower than he wanted. “The track temperature affected all the riders and we all posted slower timings. We were much quicker in January during the final round of the 2020 championship,” said Muddappa.

    Another Bengalurean, Mohd Riyaz (08.026) topped the time sheets in the Super Sport 851-1050cc class, followed by Muddappa (08.116), who was a bit slow off the mark, and debutant NV Satyanarayana Raju (08.191) from Hyderabad.

    On Saturday, Chennai riders swept the podium spots in the Girls (4-stroke, up to 165cc) category with Lani Zena Fernandez, Nivetha Jessica and Soundari Sindy finishing in that order.

    The results:

    Lani Zena Fernandez (centre), winner of the Girls race, flanked by second-placed Nivetha Jessica (left) and third-placed Soundari (Sindy) on Saturday. Photos by AB Photography

    Super Sport (Above 1051cc): 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (07.882secs); 2. Hafizullah Khan (Bengaluru) (08.116); 3. Harish Naik (Bengaluru) (08.538). 851-1050cc: 1. Mohd Riyaz (Bengaluru) (08.026); 2. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (08.116); 3. NV Satyanarayana Raju (Hyderabad) (08.191).

    Super Sport Indian – 361-550cc: 1. Aiyaz Rem (Bengaluru) (12.568); 2. Zuheeb Ahmed (Bengaluru) (12.860); 3. D Annish Samson (Speed Up Racing, Bengaluru) (12.942). 226-360cc: 1. Bharath Raj (Rockers Racing, Chennai) (12.602); 2. Yogeshwaran (Speed Up Racing, Chennai) (12.798); 3. D Annish Samson (Speed Up Racing, Bengaluru) (13.050).  Up to 165cc: 1. Kevin Kannan (RACR Castro Power, Chennai) (14.573); 2. Anand R (Chennai) (14.824); 3. Chandrashekar (Bengaluru) (14.910).

    GIRLS (4-Stroke, up to 165cc): 1. Lani Zena Fernandez (Chennai) (16.591); 2. Nivetha Jessica (Chennai) (16.640); 3. Soundari Sindy (Chennai) (16.794).

    2-Stroke Up to 130cc: 1. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru) (13:547); 2. Prashanth (Chennai) (13.682); 3. Mohd Rafiq (Bengaluru) (13.733). 131-165cc: 1. Mohd Rafiq (Bengaluru) (12.818); 2. Husain Khan (Mumbai) (13.002); 3. Aiyaz Rem (Bengaluru) (13.047).

    Note: All photos published are taken by Shameem Fahath for `Aditya Bedre photography’