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Category: Domestic
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Gaurav Gill sparkles to take lead; Dean takes lead over Karna
Chikkamagaluru, 12 Dec 2015: Gaurav Gill (co-driver Musa Sherif) of Team Mahindra Adventure came up with one of his smoothest drives, marked by controlled aggression to take a sizeable lead at the conclusion of the Leg-1 of the Coffee Day India Rally here on Saturday.
The day witnessed some stirring action. While 34-year old Delhi-based Gill eased his way through the highly challenging and technical Special Stages to top the time charts clocking one hour, 58 minutes, 18.9 seconds, young Dean Mascarenhas (Shanmuga SN) from Mangaluru was positively sparkling in the Volkswagen Polo to finish second Overall in the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship.
Lohitt Urs (Shrikant Gowda) who is participating in the FIA Asia Cup that is being run concurrently and is also in contention in the IRC category, carved his way to Overall third after starting the day from 13th position.
Urs, driving the all-wheel drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, also led the Asia Cup field quite comfortably. In fact, of the eight starters in the Asia Cup, only four were still running as Arjun Rao Aroor (Satish Rajagopal), younger brother Phalguna Urs (Anoop Kumar), PG Abhilash (Rohan Rego) and Garima Avatar (Shrupta Padival) retired, bringing the day’s total of dropouts to 11 of the 40 entrants.
Even as Gill consolidated his position, the battle of the day was between Mascarenhas and Karna Kadur (Vivek Ponnusamy) of Team Yokohama as the duo went neck-and-neck for positions in the IRC 1600 class. In the process, the two young guns pushed their respective VW Polo cars to the limit, providing plenty of thrilling moments for the spectators.
Equally impressive was veteran Rahul Kanthraj (Vivek Bhatt) of Team Yokohama who consolidated his lead in the IRC 2000 class while finishing the day over a minute ahead of Sumit Panjabi (Shahid Salman).
In the FMSCI Cup 1600 class, Druva Chandrashekar (Jeevarathinam) took a nearly two-minute lead over his nearest rival Raghunandan B (Roopesh Kholay) and looked set to clinch the title.
The three-day event, supported by Karnataka Toursim and Indian Oil, concludes on Sunday.
Provisional classifications (after Leg-1):
FIA Asia Cup: Lohitt Urs / Shrikant Gowda (Pvt, Evo VIII) 1 (1hr, 59mins, 41.2secs); Satyan Kochar / Amit Waghchoure (Pvt, VW Polo) 2 (02:16:14.7); Bani Yadav / Sukhbans Mann (Pvt, Cedia) 3 (02:21:36.1).
IRC Overall: Gaurav Gill / Musa Sherif (Mahindra Adventure, XUV 500) 1 (1hr, 58mins, 18.9 secs); Dean Mascarenhas / Shanmuga SN (Pvt, VW Polo) 2 (1:59:31.1); Lohitt Urs / Srikanth Gowda (Pvt, Evo VIII) 3 (1:59: 41.2).
IRC 2000: Rahul Kanthraj / Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama, Cedia) 1 (2:03:38.4); Sumit Panjabi / Shahid Salman (Pvt, Cedia) 2 (2:05:05.5); Karan AM / Suraj M (Pvt, VW Polo) 3 (2:07:18.7).
IRC 1600: Dean Mascarenhas / Shanmuga SN (Pvt, VW Polo) 1 (1:59:31.1); Karna Kadur / Vivek Ponnusamy (Team Yokohama, VW Polo) 2 (1:59:47.7); Bopaiah KM / Karumbaiah KS (Pvt, VW Polo) 3 (2:02:05.9).
FMSCI Cup 1600: Druva Chandrasekhar / Jeevarathinam J (Pvt, Honda City V-tec) 1 (2:03:02.7); Raghunandan B / Rupesh Kholay (Pvt, Honda City V-tec) 2 (2:05:03.2); Adith KC / Harish KN (Pvt, Honda City V-tec) 3 (2:05:12.1).
eom/MSCC release
Deam Mascarenhas (co-driver Shanmuga SN) en route to topping the IRC 1600 class on conclusion of Leg-1 of the Coffee Day India Rally in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday. -
Stage set for exciting Coffee Day India Rally; 8 entries for Asia Cup
Chikkamagaluru, 10 December 2015: With 40 entries in fray, the Coffee Day India Rally 2015, which doubles up as the concluding round of the FIA Asia Cup and the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship, promises high-octane action as the cream of country’s rally talent converge here for the three-day extravaganza beginning Friday.
The event, also supported by Karnataka Tourism and Indian Oil, kicks off with a ceremonial start at the Coffee Day Global premises on Thursday evening, followed by the hugely-popular Super Special Stage at the Amber Valley School grounds on Friday. The cars will then head out of town for the Special Stages on Saturday and Sunday.
The 180 Kms-long Asia Cup Rally which is also a contender event for a round of 2016 Asia Pacific Rally Championship, has attracted eight entries led by Mysuru’s Lohitt Urs with Srikanth Gowda of Mudigere as his co-driver in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII, and Arjun Rao Aroor of Mangaluru (co-driver Satish Rajagopal, Bengaluru) driving the Volkswagen Polo (R2B variant).
None of the registered Asia Cup crews from overseas is taking part as Japan’s Hitoshi Takayama has already clinched the title with a round to spare. However, the Asia Cup participants in the Coffee Day India Rally are eligible for IRC points.
With two wins from three starts this season, the vastly experienced Urs heads the IRC points table with a tally of 95, well clear of Team Mahindra Adventure’s former National champion Amittrajit Ghosh from Kolkata (co-driver Ashwin Naik, Mangaluru) who is on 72, driving the Mahindra XUV 500. Also in title hunt is Arjun Rao Aroor with 64 points.
“We have not done much work on the car apart from what was necessary. We didn’t have too many problems this season, winning the previous two rounds, and we hope to carry the momentum in Chikkamagaluru,” said Urs.
Behind the top three is Delhi-based reigning National champion and Team Mahindra Adventure’s marquee driver Gaurav Gill (co-driver Musa Sherif, Mangaluru) who has had a dismal season as he drew blank in two of the three rounds after opening the season with a win in Nashik. With 52 points in the kitty, Gill, the 2013 APRC champion, is effectively out of the title race. The maximum points available are 39 (25 for win and 14 Leg points).
The tight and twisty terrain interspersed with fast and flowing corners, is expected to favour the all-wheel-drive Mitsubishi Evo and the compact Polo cars, though Gill, piloting the heavier and bulkier XUV 500 has often authored his own script with some stunning drives, defying all odds in the process.
In the IRC 2000cc category, Bengaluru pair of Rahul Kanthraj and Vivek Bhatt of Team Yokohama, who won all the three previous rounds, are set to clinch the class championship as they are 34 ahead of Hyderabad’s Sumit Panjabi.
A three-way battle is on in the IRC 1600cc class which Kerala’s Dr Bikku Babu (87 points) leads, closely followed by Team Yokohama’s Karna Kadur (70) and Aroor Vikram Rao (61), all driving the Volkswagen Polo.
The scenario in the FMSCI 1600 Cup is much tighter as Ashwin Reddy (87), Druva Chandrasekhar (83) and last year’s champion Adith KC (69) are bunched together at the top.
The organizers, Motor Sports Club of Chikkamagaluru, have laid out yet another challenging route that comprises four physical Special Stages, three of them in the Coffee Day estates and one at the University in Birur with the Asia Cup cars covering 180 Kms and the IRC, 120 Kms.
MSCC have put in massive efforts to get the route ready for the event after overcoming huge odds, mostly by way of unseasonal wet weather that hampered preparations.
eom/MSCC press release
File photo of former APRC champion Gaurav Gill. Image by Anand Philar -
Aravind wins MRF Mogrip Supercross Nationals, adds 17th National title to his kitty; Aussie stunt riders thrill crowd
Bangalore, 5 Dec 2015: Mangalore rider KP Aravind came up with an impressive performance in the sixth and final round of the MRF MOGRIP FMSCI National Supercross Championship to clinch his 17th National title here on Saturday.
The Team TVS Racing rider finished second in the first moto and won the second moto in the Class 1 (SX 1, Group A, upto 250cc 2stroke, 500cc 4stroke) to bag the title. He has won the National title in this class in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
In the first moto, Aravind had built up a good lead but a fall saw CD Jinan move to the front and win. A determined effort fetched Aravindthe second place. The second moto was a tight one and Aravind and CD Jinan fought tooth and nail for the lead. However, Jinan had a fall and that left Aravind with much less pressure as the Mangalorean completed the formalities in style.
A beaming Aravind said: “I am really excited and happy. I had seen my senior riders do it earlier and it is a great feeling to have won this championship.”
The highlight of the afternoon was an international moto. David Pulley, Jared Hicks and Bryce Stewart (all from the USA), Oliver Eveleigh (Britain), Roger Bergstrom, Dale Jullien, Josh Brodalka and Anthony Raynard (all from South Africa), Alexander Ivanyutin and VitaliyGusev (both from Russia) and Tomoya Suzuki (Japan). This moto was won by Alexander Ivanyutin.
Later, Australians Daniel Ford and Shaun Webb stunned the crowds with their exhibition jumps and stunts.
MRF MOGRIP is the title sponsor of the event with Sidvin Energy, Indian Oil Corporation, TVS Motor Company and Hero Moto Corp being the associate sponsors.
Regal Hospital provided medical facilities, including ambulances and doctors.
Results (provisional): Class 1 – SX 1 – Group “A” Stroke 2/4 Upto 250cc/ 500cc: 1. KP Aravind (Team TVS Racing, moto 1: 17, moto 2: 20 points); 2.CD Jinan (Thrissur, 20 & 13); 3. AW Tanveer (TVS Racing, 15 & 17).
Class 2 – Novice – Group “C” Stroke 2/4 Upto 260cc: 1. Saijith ES (Team TVS Racing); 2.AmalVerghese (Eranakulam); 3.Jagdeesh Kumar (Coimbatore).
Class 3 – Indian Experts – Group “B” Stroke 2/4 Upto 260cc: 1. R Natraj (Team TVS Racing); 2.AW Tanveer (Team TVS Racing); 3.Yuva Kumar (Team TVS Racing).
Class 4 – Locals Group “B” Stroke 2/4 Upto 260cc: 1.Basheer Ahmed (Bangalore); 2.Azmath Sharif (Bangalore); 3.Gautam Kumar (Bangalore).
Class 5 – Indian Experts Class-C Stroke 2/4 Upto 260cc: 1. AW Tanveer (Team TVS Racing); 2.Saijith ES (Team TVS Racing); 3.R Natraj (Team TVS Racing).
Class 6 – Private Experts – Group “C” Stroke 2/4 Upto 260cc: 1. Suhail Ahmed (Bangalore); 2.Basheer Ahmed (Bangalore); 3.AmalVerghese (Ernakulam).
Class 7 – SX 2 – Group “A” Stroke 2/4 Upto 250cc/ 500cc: 1. Adnan Ahmed (Mangalore, moto 1: 20, moto 2: 17); 2.Suhail Ahmed (Bangalore, 15 & 20); 3.Jignesh Patel (Nagpur, 17 & 15).
Class 8 – Jr SX – Group “A/B/C/D” Stroke 2/4 Upto 500cc: 1. RugvedBarguje (TVS Racing); 2.Rishi Gomes (Goa); 3.Amon Gomes (Goa).
Class 9: International Open Class SX 3 Group A Up To 250cc/ 500cc: 1. Alexander Ivanyutin (Russia); 2.Bryce Stewart (USA); 3.VitalyGusev (Russia).
eom/FMSCI press release
Aravind KP, Tanweer A W & Jinan CD in an intense battle for the lead in the MRF Supercross Nationals in Bangalore on Saturday. An MRF image -
Lohit Urs urges motorsport fraternity to gear up and make efforts to reach the world standards
Bengaluru, 1 Dec 2015: In a polite manner, Lohit Urs, told the motorsports fraternity that India have to make better efforts to reach global standards in organising and providing infrastructure for motorsports. “Motorsports is a global sports and India should not be left behind,” he said at the Press Conference held here at the Cafe Coffee Day outlet opposite to Kanteerava Stadium back gate, to announce the ASIA CUP and India Rally Championship to be held next month.
After a lapse of over a decade, India will play host to an international Rally with the coffee town of Chikkamagaluru, nestling in the lap of Western Ghats, being the venue for the fourth and final round of the FIA Asia Cup, branded the Coffee Day India Rally, to be held from December 11 to 13.The fourth and concluding round of the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship will be run concurrently while the Asia Cup is also a contender for a full round of the 2016 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship. Peter Mecneal of Australia has been deputed as the Observer.
Sponsored by Coffee Day Global, the Coffee Day India Rally and the IRC are expected to attract a total of nearly 40 entries. PG Abhilash and Lohitt Urs, both in the Mitsubishi Evolution cars, along with Arjun Rao Aroor who will be piloting the Volkswagen Polo (R2B), head the Asia Cup field that also includes three female participants, Garima Avtar, Bani Yadav and Sukhman Mann.
The IRC will have its usual complement of full grid headlined by reigning National champion Gaurav Gill representing Team Mahindra Adventure and driving the Mahindra XUV 500 with the likes of Team Yokohama’s Rahul Kanthraj and Karna Kadur besides a clutch of young, talented drivers such as Dean Mascarenhas and Adith KC.
The Asia Cup was originally allotted to India last year, but the dates were found unsuitable and hence the organizers, Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, opted to run the event in 2015.
With Coffee Day Global being the title sponsors and in association with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Karnataka Toursim, the 2015 India Rally will also be a contender for a round of the 2016 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship which will be a big step forward.
Since 1982, when the “Coffee 500” Rally was first held in Chikkamagaluru, the event has evolved into one of the most popular and keenly awaited rallies in the National motorsport calendar.
Chikkamagaluru’s rustic charm and scenic setting have not only made the Coffee Town into a popular holiday destination, but also attract the cream of country’s Rally talent every year.
The Motor Sports Club of Chikkamagaluru, has, over the years, put in massive efforts and overcome many hurdles to constantly raise the bar in terms of organization and hospitality, besides providing Rally route that is at once challenging and exciting.
Speaking at a Media Conference here on Tuesday,
Mr. Venkatesh M, Director, Coffee Day Hotels and Resorts, said: “We are proud to associate with the FIA Asia Cup. The Coffee Day Rally has always received an overwhelming response from people all over the country and this year we look forward to creating a new level of excitement in the minds of the spectators and Indian sportsmen.
“While we aim to conduct the sport as per international standards, our association with Asia Pacific Rally Championship will put us on the global map. We look forward to putting this event together with our fellow national and international sponsors.”
Mr Farooq Ahmed, Chairman, FMSCI Rally Commission, and Vice-President, Motor Sports Club
of Chikkamagaluru, said: “It is a dream-come-true for us at the MSCC.
It was always our ambition to put Chikkamagaluru on the international motorsport map and we are happy that the dream has become a reality.”
Mr Jayanth Pai, President, Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, said: “Obviously, we are thrilled that the Coffee Day India Rally has been included as a round of the 2015 Asia Cup.
“We have a very dedicated team at the MSCC and are ready to take up the challenge of hosting a major international event. I am confident it will be a success.”
Mr D Ramkumar, Clerk-of-the-Course, said: “We are taking all measures to provide an exciting and safe event. It is bound to be a World-class Rally and we hope fans will come in large numbers to enjoy the fare.”
This year, the rally route includes some new tight and twisty sections inside plantations belonging to the title sponsor Coffee Day Global and also Special Stages previously used before between 2006 and 2011.
The route has been designed to provide new challenges for drivers while continuing to use the fast and smooth roads so well-known and liked throughout in the Indian Rally Championship. The Super Special Stage, to be run the Amber Valley School grounds on the Friday, December 11 afternoon, will kick-start the event with the Special Stages scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
The Asia Cup will be contested over 180 Kms of Special Stages while the IRC participants will cover 120 Kms besides the liaison sections.
eom/AP Media Communications release
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5th South Lake TSD Rally – 2015
Bengaluru, 25 Nov 2015: The JS group South Lake TSD Rally for four-wheelers organised by Startline Motorsports will be held here on Sunday, Nov 29. The 100-km route with many time-controls is undisclosed.
The 5th annual rally to spread the message of Road Safety and the need to protect the lakes to compensate for the emissions has gained popularity and many rallyists including some National stars from Erode, Coimbatore, Kerala and Goa have confirmed their entries. Over 30 entries are expected before the last date on Nov 28.
The Time Speed Distance (TSD) rally for four wheelers will be flagged off from Vyshnsavi Residency on Kankapura road, near metro at 9:30 am on Sunday and will cover over 100 kms passing through many scenic lakes and will promote the road safety aspects.
For entries call Chidanand at 9945674545 before Nov 28.
eom/david bodapati
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Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar win IRC title in Horizon 41st K-1000 Rally; Vivek-Rahul champs in 2000cc class
Bangalore, 22 Nov 2015: The Kochi-Bangalore pair of Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar DS, of Team Rennoil R3A, cruised to a well-deserved win in the IRC category of the Horizon 41st K-1000 Rally here on Sunday. This is the third round of the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship 2015. Driving a Mitsubishi Evo VIII car, the winning time they clocked was one hour, 20 minutes, 57.2 seconds.
The Rally was conducted by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club. The associate sponsors are Fairfield Marriott Hotel, Vijayachandra Motors and Turlube lubricants.
Finishing second in the IRC category were Lohitt V Urs-Srikanth GM (Mysore-Bangalore) 1:22:44.0 (one minute, 46.8 seconds behind the winners) in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. However, Urs will continue to keep the lead in the IRC category with one round of the championship to go. AR Racing’s Arjun Rao Aroor-Satish K Rajagopal (Mangalore-Bangalore) finished third with a time of 1:23:02:0. They were third after Saturday’s action but a controlled drive in their Volkswagen Polo R2 saw them pick up the third place.
Overall K1000 winners Abhilash PG (L)-Anoop Kumar DS in Bangalore on Sunday. Images by Vivek Phadnis Rahul Kanthraj (L)-Vivek Bhatt who won the 2000 cc class in K1000 at Bengaluru on Sunday. Winner Abhilash said: “I am very happy to have won the K-1000 this time around. We did not take too many risks but drove a controlled rally. There were small issues with the brakes but it did not prove to be too much of a problem.”
Team Mahindra Adventure’s Gaurav Gill-Musa Sherif, the defending IRC champions, were going well till the last few stretches of the third and final Special Stage of the day. Sadly, their Mahindra XUV500 slid and suffered mechanical damage that saw them retire from the rally. Teammates Sunny Sidhu-PVS Murthy did not finish too.
In the IRC2000cc class, Bangaloreans Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt, entered as Team Yokohama and competing in a Mitsubishi Cedia, won the class and have virtually retained their title. On the second day, a clean run saw them win their class without too much fuss.
Bangalore boys Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J, with a time of 1:26:47.6, ended up being toppers in both the 1600cc and FMSCI 1600cc Cup classes. The two were also fifth fastest overall.
Out of the 37 cars that entered, 23 finished the rally.
Results (provisional): IRC: 1. Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar DS (Team Rennoil R3A, 1:20:57.2); 2. Lohitt V Urs-Srikanth GM (1:22:44.0); 3. Arjun Rao Aroor-Satish K Rajagopal (AR Racing, 1:23:02.0); 4. Amittrajit Ghosh-Ashwin Naik (Team Mahindra Adventure, 1:23:48.9); 5. Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J (1:26:47.6).
IRC 2000cc:1. Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama, 1:27:12.4); 2. Sumit Punjabi-Nitin Jacob (1:28:26.9); 3. Younus Ilyas-Thomas Paul (1:29:35.5).
IRC 1600cc:Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J (1:26:47.6); 2. Bikku Babu-Bonnie Thomas (1:28.18.9); 3. Ashwin Reddy Daram-Suraj M (1:28:23.8).
FMSCI 1600cc Cup: 1. Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J (1:26:47.6); 2. Ashwin Reddy Daram-Suraj M (1:28:23.8); 3. Lokesh Gowda V-Ashika Menezes (1:29.57.4).
R Bharath Raj Trophy for Best Novice: Nayan Jyoti Sarma-Vinay BM.
eom/KMSC-FMSCI press release and photos from Vivek Phadnis
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Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar pair leads 41st K-1000 Rally; Gill-Sherif fall back to 2nd
Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt duo lead after day1 in K1000 on Saturday. Image by Vivek Phadnis Bangalore, 21 Nov 2015: Abhilash PG (co-driver Anoop Kumar DS), of team Rennoil-R3A, led in the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) category after the opening day’s action in the Horizon 41st K-1000 Rally on Saturday. The Kochi-Bangalore pair, driving a Mitsubishi Evo VIII, totalled a time of 53 minutes, 32.6 seconds.
The stages for the third round of the 2015 FMSCI Indian Rally Championship being run near the areas surrounding the Big Banyan Tree tourist spot. The K-1000 returns to tarmac stages after more than a decade of pure dirt stages.
Mahindra Adventure’s Gaurav Gill-Musa Sherif(Mahindra XUV500) were in second place with a total time of 53:57.3 while AR Racing’s Arjun Rao Aroor and co-driver Satish Rajagopal in a Volkswagen Polo R2 were third with 55:14.2.
The Rally is being conducted by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club. The associate sponsors are Fairfield Marriott Hotel, Vijayachandra Motors and Turlube lubricants.
Abhilash said: “Despite having inter-cooler spray and overheating problems in the long stages, we managed to maintain a good lead which is good news as the conditions were difficult to drive because of the technicalities and changes in terrain. To have the right tyre choice was difficult and we managed to do well in Leg 1 and hope to finish with the same result tomorrow.”
Team Yokohama’s Bangalore pair of Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt (Mitsubishi Cedia) as the leader after the first day. Their total time was 57:14.6 with Sumit Panjabi-Nitin Jacob are second.
Kanthraj said: “We took a gamble with gravel tyres but it worked out well. We took it easy in the first two stages but went flat out later. Tomorrow, we have to go for a decent finish and the championship should be sealed for us.”
Druva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J lead the IRC 1600cc class.
The mix of tarmac, loose at places, and dirt made for interesting rallying. Due to this, it was a tricky decision… whether to use tarmac or gravel tyres. It was a test of skill for the drivers who had to manoeuvre through varying surfaces. However, the drivers seemed to enjoy the challenge and gave it their best.
The opening Special Stage of the day saw a delayed start due to technical issues. Three out of the scheduled nine stages were cancelled due to various reasons.
Results (provisional): IRC: 1. Abhilash P G/ Anoop Kumar D S (Team Rennoil-R3A, 00:53:32.6 min); 2. Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif (Team Mahindra Adventure, 00:53:57.3); 3.Arjun Rao Aroor/ Satish K Rajagopal (00:55:14.2); 4.Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik (Team Mahindra Adventure, 00:55:20.2); 5.Lohitt V Urs/ Srikanth G M (00:55:25.0).
IRC 2000cc:1. Rahul Kantharaj/ Vivek Y Bhatt(Team Yokohama, 00:57:14.6); 2.Sumit Panjabi/ Nitin Jacob (00:58:43.2); 3.YounusIlyas M/ Paul Thomas(00:58:56.7).
IRC 1600cc: 1. Druva Chandrasekhar/ Jeevarathinam J (00:57:25.0); 2.Bikku Babu/ Bonnie Thomas (00:57:53.0); 3. Raghu Nandan B/ Rupesh Kholay (00:57:58.0).
FMSCI 1600cc Cup: 1. Druva Chandrasekhar/ Jeevarathinam J (00:57:25.0); 2. Raghu Nandan B/ Rupesh Kholay (00:57:58.0); 3.Ashwin Reddy Daram/ Suraj M (00:58:56.8).
eom/FMSCI release by Vivek Phadnis
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Rains and tarmac special stages dampen the spirits as Horizon K-1000 is flagged off
Bangalore, 20 Nov 2015: The cloudy horizon sent in chills amongst the rally enthusiasts and the prospects of a thrilling K-1000 are dull what with the new tarmac surface proving the dampner, not just the rains. The Horizon 41st K-1000 was flagged off here on Friday, on a sombre note, and for many a veteran, the K-1000 without the late Bharat Raj was a painful excercise.
Lohitt Urs-Srikanth Gowda being flagged off in Bangalore on Friday. Image courtesy Vivek Phadnis The Rally is the third round of the 2015 FMSCI Indian Rally Championship was flagged off by Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi at a city hotel on Rajkumar road.
The Rally is being conducted by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club is sponsored by Fairfield Marriott Hotel, Vijaychandra Motors and Turlube lubricants.
The Rally will be dedicated to KMSC’s late Chairman and former FMSCI President R Bharath Raj, who passed away on August 15.
Moving away from tradition, the K-1000, this time, will be a tarmac rally. With wet weather prevailing, it should add a touch of drama though the rally is not on dirt. The recce was held in the morning and the drivers are not very happy with the Special Stages which are being run in a private lay-out near the Big Banyan tree off the Mysore Road.
All top rally drivers in the country have confirmed participation for the event that will run from November 20-22. A total of 37 entries have been received. They will compete in the IRC, IRC 2000cc, IRC 1600cc and FMSCI 1600cc Cup categories.
Mysore’s speedster Lohitt V Urs with co-driver Srikanth Gowda of Bangalore are the ones to watch out for. The duo will be on a Mitsubishi Evo VIII all-wheel drive. Lohitt is leading the championship with a total of 59 points while Mahindra Adventure driver from Kolkata Amittrajit Ghosh with newly-maried Mangalore’s Ashwin Naik as co-driver is on 47 and will be driving a Mahindra XUV500.
Reigning National champion in the IRC class, Mahindra Adventure’s Delhi driver Gaurav Gill and Musa Sherif, also from Mangalore are the top pair in the country and former APRC champion is on 45 and so is his teammate from Chandigarh Sunny Sidhu (PVS Murthy, Bangalore).
The other notable entries are AR Racing’s Arjun Rao Aroor (Mangalore)-Satish Rajagopal (Bangalore) in a Volkswagen Polo R2, JCT Rallying’s Samir Thapar (New Delhi)-Gurinder Mann (Chandigarh) in a Mitsubishi Evo X and Abhilash PG (Cochin)-Anoop Kumar (Bangalore) in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. This is the premier class in the IRC and the top drivers will be fighting it out for the Overall National title.
In the 2000cc class, Bangalore’s Rahul Kanthraj (Vivek Bhatt, Bangalore), from Team Yokohama, is the leader with 78 points, while Mumbai’s Chettinad Sporting entrant Hrishikesh Thackersey (Ninad Mirajgaonkar, Mumbai) is on 59. Kanthraj and Bhatt are the defending champions.
In the 1600cc class, Kerala’s Chettinad Sporting driver Bikku Babu (Bonnie Thomas, Kerala) leads the classification with 60 points, while Bangalore’s Team Yokohama driver Karna Kadur (Vivek Ponnusamy, Melbourne) is within striking distance and on 58.
In the 1600cc Cup class, Palakkad’s Adith KC (Harish KN, Bangalore) leads the table with 64 points. They are the defending champions. Second is Bangalore’s Ashwin Reddy (Suraj Shetti, Bangalore) on 58 points.
There will be three physical stages of 14, 8, 5.5 km. Each stage will be run thrice on day one (Saturday) and once in reverse direction on the second day (Sunday). The gravel Super Special Stage will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre on Tumkur Road on Sunday. The Special Stage distance is 112.08Km, Super Special Stage distance is three Km and total rally distance is 291.55Km.
KMSC President Shivu Shivappa said: “With support from our rally fraternity, we have been able to put together this event. Our sponsors have been generous and without them, this rally would not have been possible.”
Clerk of the Course Praneeth Perumal said: “We are having a tarmac rally after more than a decade and it should be entertaining. There will be a mix of terrain and though the average speeds may not be very high, the stages are going to be technical and highly competitive.”
eom/FMSCI release
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MMSC ties-up with Road to Indy USF 2000 series; 2016 championship to commence in Jan
- Incentives for 2016 MMSC Racing Championship
CHENNAI: The MMSC Racing Championship received a major boost as their six-round 2016 season, commencing in January, will provide an entry to the Mazda Road to Indy USF 2000 series scholarship shootout.
Announcing this here on Monday, the Madras Motor Sports Club, one of the oldest motorsport clubs in India, said the topper of the MRF Formula Ford 1600 series will be sent for the Mazda Road to Indy shootout, the winner of which will receive a scholarship of USD 200,000.
Besides the MRF FF 1600 category, the other proposed classes are: Formula LGB 1300, Indian Junior Touring Cars, Indian Touring Cars and Superstock, all part of the support races.
In another move, MMSC, promoters of the National Racing Championship for the past 27 years, converted the Formula LGB 1300 into a rookie class, open to drivers below 25 years of age. The top performers in this series will be eligible for scholarship to the 2017 MRF FF 1600 championship.
MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “We are pleased to announce our tie-up with the Indy Racing League for the Mazda Road to Indy scholarship shootout which is further evidence to our commitment to develop talent in the sport.
“We will continue the trend from this year to start our championship early in the year and stretch it over the year. The feedback from our partners and competitors has been positive and encouraging in starting early again next year.
“More importantly, the cooler temperatures in the beginning of the year make it more enjoyable for all the competitors.”
The Mazda Road to Indy is one of the most successful driver development programs in the world, providing a unique, scholarship-funded path to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.
MMSC will also conduct shootouts for scholarships in the 2016 championship at the iconic MMRT Circuit in Sriperumbudur, from December 8 to 11. Rookies and newcomers can take part in the scholarship shootout for the Formula LGB 1300 and existing drivers below 25 years of age participate in the shootout for the MRF FF1600.
Details for the scholarship programme will be posted on the MMSC official website and their social Media page shortly. Interested competitors can also email to race@mmsc.in for details.
Provisional calendar for 2016 Racing Championship:
Round 1: January 29-31. Round 2: March 4-6. Round 3: June 17-19. Round 4: July 15– 17. Round 5: August 19-21. Round 6: September 6-18.
About MMSC
The MMSC has been the pioneer in developing motorsport in India since 1953 and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is our endeavor to provide more opportunities for our competitors and thus have chalked out a progressive program for 2016. From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2015, making it the only club which owns such a facility. The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the Asian 2-wheeler racing championships besides a host of other motorsport events over the years. The club also has active participation for its events from vehicle manufacturers who also use the Madras Motor race Track (MMRT) extensively for their testing.
For Media queries, please contact:
Anand Philar, AP Media Communications, at +91-94835 48185.
or
File photo of Karthik Tharanisingh, winner of the MRF Formula Ford 1600 championship in the MMSC-Fmsci Indian National Racing Championship 2015 in Chennai. Image by Anand Philar B David +91-98455 69496.
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Ananth Shanmugham takes the lead in the JK Racing India Series
Ananth Shanmugam (centre) won the JK Racing India series at BIC on Saturday. A JK Tyre image Greater Noida, 17 October 2015: Ananth Shanmugam of Bangalore won the 10-lap race in the JK Racing India Series as the Round 3 of the 18th JK Tyre Racing Championship at Buddh International Circuit here on Saturday. Two races of the Formula LGB 4 and a race each in the JK Racing India Series and JK Tyre-VW Vento Cup were held on Saturday, the first day of the two-day event.
Shanmugam clocked 21 minutes 55.344 seconds while Vishnu Prasad came second in 22:06869 followed by Nayan Chatterjee (22:16.022) in third.
In Race One of Formula LGB 4, Sandeep Kumar of Team Meco Racing came first. Diljith TS of Team Avalanche Racing was second and Vishnu Prasad was third. In Race 3 saw a different set of podium finishers in Sudarshana Rao Karwal of Team Dark Don Racing who came in first followed by teammate Ajay Kini and Raghul Rangaswamy of Team Meco Racing took third place.
In the JK Tyre Volkswagen Vento Cup, Konda Anindith Reddy won the race in 15 minutes, 9.504 seconds while Ishaan Dodhiwala and Karminder Singh finished behind him in second and third respectively.
In the JK Racing India Series, karting champion Ananth Shanmugam from Bangalore had a comfortable race as he lead from the start to finish. He ensured he kept a safe distance from his followers behind. The main action was for the second and third place. Karthik Tharani made his move to the third place after starting fourth. Two-times champion Vishnu Prasad was on attack mode and had a great battle with Akhil Rabindra so much that they exchanged positions thrice. Their fight went to the extreme and Akhil lost traction and went off the track and Vishnu managed a second place finish. Karthik fell back too and Nayan who was in fifth position moved ahead to take a surprise podium. For Nayan the hard work paid off as he started seventh and finished third.
The day started with the qualifying sessions of each category. Karting champion Ananth Shanmugam lead in the JK Racing India Series, Chennai lad Ajay Kini lead in the Formula LGB 4 and Anindith Reddy Konda from Hyderabad lead in the JK- VW Vento Cup. In the qualifying race of the JK Super Bike Cup, Sandesh Prasanna finished first.
Race 1 of the Formula LGB witnessed some bumper to bumper racing. It wasn’t a good start to the weekend for pole sitter and current championship leader Ajay Kini. The Chennai lad who is a pilot by profession, lost out in the first two corners of the race and he retired from the race due to a technical snag. It was a constant battle between Delhi boy Rohit Khanna (Team Dark Don Racing) and Kolhapur boy Krishnaraj Mahadik (Team Dark Don Racing) for the first place as they were constantly charging at each other lap after lap. Rohit managed to regain his lead but as Anshul Shah spun, the safety car had to come out and stayed for a lap. The safety car changed the entire race. Rohit was caught up by Sandeep Kumar (Team Meco Racing) who drove brilliantly well to catch up the race leader and finally took the lead. However, a wrong move cost Rohit his second place and it allowed Diljith to move in to the second position and five other cars overtook Rohit. The fight for the third place became a five way fight which has not been seen in the championship in a long time. Rohit got a tough fight from Sudarshana Rao, Krishnaraj, Vishnu Prasad, Raghul Rangaswamy fought hard for the third position but as the chequered flag came out Vishnu Prasad from Chennai crossed the line by just having the nose of his car ahead of Krishnaraj who finished fourth.
Race 2 of the Formula LGB4, Ajay Kini was back in action and fought a tough race from start to finish. It was Ajay’s maiden race at the Buddh International Circuit and focused on finishing the race ahead of everyone. However, Sudarshana Rao Karwal from Bangalore was the surprise package and it was a roller coaster race for him as he kept swapping places with Ajay Kini on most of the laps. At the end it was Sudarshana who took the chequered flag followed by Ajay Kini. Raghul Rangaswamy from Chennai finished in the third place.
JK Tyre- VW Vento Cup: Anindith Reddy from Hyderabad had a good start and ensured he stayed focused throughout the race to seal his first place finish. Last year’s runner-up Karminder Singh from Delhi who is vying for the overall champion title this year kept the pressure on. Nayan Chatterjee the podium finisher in the JK Racing India Series who was on his maiden outing in this category had a poor start and fell back to the tenth place. HarkisanWadia from Delhi got stuck on the home stretch due to which the race was stopped. When the race restarted, Anindith resumed his lead and despite getting a tough competition from Hyderabad boy Ishaan Dodhiwala, Anindith smoothly took the chequered flag. Karminder due to his usual aggressive start finished third. The experienced SaileshBolisetti and the rookie Raghav Sharma fought really hard for the fourth place and in the end, Sailesh managed to cross the line ahead of Raghav.
The races are webcasted live on www.jktyremotorsport.com. The championship is run under the aegis of Federation of Motor Sport Clubs of India (FMSCI) and Motul is the official lubricant partner to the championship.
Provisional Race Results: Formula LGB 4- Race 1 (8 laps): 1. Sandeep Kumar (Team Meco Racing) – 22:27.062; 2. Diljith TS (Team Avalanche Racing) – 22:30.554; 3. Vishnu Prasad (Team Meco Racing) – 22:34.904. Race 2: 1. Sudarshana Rao Karwal (Team Dark Don Racing) – 21:58.469; 2. Ajay Kini (Team Dark Don Racing) – 21:58.934; 3. Raghul Rangaswamy (Tea Meco Racing) – 22:01.164.
JK Racing India Series (10 laps): 1, Ananth Shanmugam – 21:55.344; 2. Vishnu Prasad – 22:06869; bNayan Chatterjee – 22:16.022.
JK Tyre -VW Vento Cup: 1. Anindith Reddy Konda – 15:09.504; 2. Ishaan Dodhiwala – 15:10.323; 3. Karminder Singh -15:15.724.
For JK racing updates visit: www.jktyremotorsport.com, www.twitter.com/JKTyreRacing, www.facebook.com/jktyremotorsport,
eom/david/JK Tyre release
