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Category: Non-F1
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ReiseMotoSports, sixth and final team in ISRL
Pune, 15 Dec 2023: The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) continues its momentum as it proudly announces the inclusion of ReiseMotoSports, the sixth formidable team, in its much-anticipated inaugural season. Owned byReiseMoto, ReiseMotoSports is set to add a new dimension to the high-octane world of Indian Supercross.
Launched under brand name “Reise” in November 2022, ReiseMoto (owned by Mahansaria Group) has rapidly emerged as a game-changer in the Indian performance two-wheeler market. The company prides itself on introducing cutting-edge European technology and performance to the Indian landscape, setting new standards in the industry.
ReiseMoto’s initial success with high-performance tyres, through their JV with Mitas, has paved the way for a broader product range. Reise Moto will soon be introducingrange of riding gear, accessories & apparelsfrom leading European brands for the Indiantwo-wheeler enthusiasts. This ensures riders across the country experience the perfect mix of style, safety, and performance.
Sharing his enthusiasm for the venture, Yogesh Mahansaria, MD of Reise Moto & Mahansaria Group said, “Since its inception, Reise has been an active participant and supporter of motorsports. In the last one year, we have participated with a pool of 50+ racers in 20races and have achieved over 125+podium finishes. The decision to launch our own racing team is the next logical step and aligns with our vision of fostering a deeper connection with the vibrant community of riders and enthusiasts.
Veer Patel, Director & Co-Founder at Supercross India Pvt Ltd., welcomed ReiseMotoSports, stating, “The addition of ReiseMotoSports brings another layer of excitement and expertise to our league. Reise Moto’s passion and dedication to motorsports align seamlessly with our mission to elevate the Indian Supercross Racing scene. We look forward to witnessing their contribution to the league’s success.”
With ReiseMotoSports joining the league, the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League now boasts six dynamic teams, setting the stage for a thrilling inaugural season starting in January 2024. Fans can expect a fierce competition that promises to redefine the motorsports experience in India.
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Team Mohite Racing, fifth franchise team in ISRL
Pune, 8 Dec 2023: Team Mohite Racing, led by passionate motorsports enthusiast Abhishek Mohite will be the fifth franchise team in the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL), which is reshaping the motorsports landscape in India. With this addition, the league takes a significant stride towards elevating the standards of motorsport in the country. The team will be based out of Kolhapur.
Mohite Group, is a pioneering force in the construction industry, with a rich legacy spanning several decades. Specializing in the construction of dams, buildings, mining, and earthworks further diversifying to Textiles, Automobiles, Education, hydro power and energy sector.
Beyond Construction, the company proudly runs the Mohite’s Racing Academy which has India’s biggest Go-Karting track since 2006. This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to community engagement, youth development, and fostering a culture of excellence beyond the boardroom.
Mohite Group stands as a dynamic and multifaceted organization, integrating construction prowess with a commitment to energy sustainability, sports and a future-focused vision.
Abhishek Mohite, Team Mohite Racing, expressed his excitement about this new partnership: “Joining the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League with Team Mohite Racing is an incredible achievement and a true milestone for me. I am extremely excited to be part of this innovative approach to motorsports, which aligns perfectly with my passion for racing. Through this partnership, we are committed to inspiring and nurturing young talent in the field and develop Indian motorsport landscape.
Veer Patel, Director & Co-Founder at Supercross India Pvt Ltd., extended his warm welcome to Team Mohite Racing, stating, we are incredibly proud to welcome such a talented team to our league. Their knowledge and dedication to motorsport perfectly align with our mission to revolutionise the motorsports scene in India. Our goal is to provide the best entertainment and quality in motorsports for fans nationwide, and together, we will make this a reality.
With the addition of Team Mohite Racing, the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League has announced Five teams, with more exciting announcements on the horizon. The league is set to raise the bar for motorsport in India, promising a season filled with exhilarating experiences for fans and participants alike.
For further details on rider registration, the Player Auction, and the ISRL Season 1 schedule, please visit the official SXI website at https://indiansupercrossleague.com/
ABOUT THE PROMOTERS:
Team Supercross India (SXI), the parent company of CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, is at the helm of a groundbreaking initiative led by former international racers, Veer Patel (a two-time national SX Champion), Eeshan Lokhande and Aashwin Lokhande. Drawing upon their extensive personal experience and unwavering passion for the sport, they have meticulously conceptualized, identified crucial gaps, and delivered a League that is set to redefine Supercross racing on a global scale. With their deep understanding of the sport and relentless pursuit of excellence, they are paving the way for a new era of Supercross that will captivate audiences worldwide.
ABOUT CEAT INDIAN SUPERCROSS RACING LEAGUE:
The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (CEAT ISRL) is the world’s first franchise-based Supercross league. This groundbreaking initiative is set to revolutionize the way sports are perceived in India. It is here to create a global extravaganza, an awe-inspiring spectacle that will captivate Indian spectators like never before. CEAT ISRL have signed up with athletes around the world to compete in a variety of formats and categories, pushing the limits of their skills and inspiring Indian riders to reach new heights. Prepare to be amazed as our stage performers break records with their charismatic engagement, adding an extra layer of excitement to this premier motorsport event. The league is committed to providing a safe and competitive environment for riders of all ages and skill levels. The league also believes in giving back to the community and partnering with local organizations to promote youth development and environmental sustainability.
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Hemanth Muddappa fastest rider; Shahrukh bags a triple
Bengaluru, 26 Nov. 2023: Ten-time National champion Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing bagged a grand triple in the top-two premier classes of the 9th edition of the Vroom Drag meet, an fmsci-licensed event at the Taneja Aerospace strip, near here, on Sunday. The event was held for both cars and bikes but only the bike details are reported here. The 8th edition was also held here in Feb 2023.
Shweta Chithrode keeps the women in motorsport flag flying. Another Mantra rider, Shahrukh Hikmat Ali Khan of Mumbai also won a triple winning the E2, C4 and B2 classes while two lady riders, Shweta Chithrode and Sarah Khan excelled in their classes taking a podium each.
Organised by Vroom Motorsports, Speed, the High Performance Petrol by Bharat Petroleum presented Vroom Drag Meet was powered by Hero MotoCorp, Electric performance partner Ultraviolette, Safety Car Partner Lexus Bangalore, and was supported by School of India. The pulsating weekend showcased 600 entries, with more than 280 participants. A crowd of over 10,000 witnessed the high-octane event, one of top drag meets in the country.
Bengaluru’s Muddappa, the Drag King of India, also clocked the fastest time of the event winning the 1051 to 1650cc class astride a Suzuki Hayabusa beating Shweta Chithrode, a lady rider, who competed on equal footing with men and did a creditable job. Mujahid Pasha came third. Muddappa congratulated Shweta on her good run. Muddappa also won the 851 to 1050cc class beating Sugan Prasad by a huge margin. Khaja Awais Ahmed came third.
Hemanth Muddappa also won the 551cc and above class to make it a grand triple. Alimon Saidalvi from Mumbai won the 1651 and above class with a timing of 10.184sec as a lone warrior.
Hemanth Muddappa (centre) bagged a triple. INDIAinF1 photo courtesy Muddappa. “By God’s grace, I am very happy that I dominated all the three classes I took part in and to top it got the fastest time of the event too. My hearty thanks are to Team Mantra Racing and all credit to Sharan Jayram and the whole team for tirelessly working as always,” said Hemanth Muddappa.
“I am thrilled to get my first podium in the D2 class. From a journey of 11.545s to 9.980s in just a year, it’s been a rollercoaster. Achieving my goal to stand on the podium among men in the Busa class exceeded my expectations,” said a visibly pleased Shweta, the fastest female rider of the event.
Zubair Ali Jung won the F2 Naked Open while Aiyaz topped the 4stroke upto 500cc beating Mubarak Pasha and Sara Khan of Mumbai, another lady rider, took a third place.
Alimon Saidalvi, who won the premier class, 1651 cc and above class. Baba Blaze, also from Mantra Racing, astride a Kawasaki Ninja 6R, won the 551 to 850cc class defeating Altaf Khan and Mirza Jahangir to second and third respectively.
“Congratulations to Hemanth and Sharan, take a bow guys! An awesome weekend of drag racing for the Mantra team with all the machines entered securing a P1,” said Pratap Jayaram, the legend and creator of many a speed machine.
C6 winner S Nishanth, centre, Annish, 2nd and Mohsin Shareef, 3rd, right. Mohsin also won the A2 class at the Vroom 9th Edition on Nov 26 at Taneja airstrip, Hosur. Results for Quarter Mile (Taneja Airstrip, Hosur):
1. D3 1651cc and Above: 1. Alimon Saidalvi 10.184;
2. D1 851 to 1050cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) 9.637; 2. Sugan Prasad SP 10.063; 3. Khaja Awais Ahmed 10.125;
3. D2 1051 to 1650cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) 9.564; 2. Shweta Chithrode 9.980; 3. Mujahid Pasha 10.012;
4. F1 Wheelie Class for Indian/ Superbikes: NOT HELD due to High Winds for safety reasons.
5. F2 Naked Open: 1. Zubair Ali Jung 10.882; 2. Aamir 11.007; 3. Junaid 11.286;
6. F3 4Stroke Open upto 500cc: 1. Aiyaz 12.526; 2. Mubarak Pasha Rem 12.801; 3. Sara Khan 13.214;
7. F4 2Stroke Jawa Yezdi Open: 1. Yacoob Shafiek 15.559; 2. Suprit S Kumar 17.392; 3. Abdul Hafeez 18.611;
8. E1 Upto 395cc: 1. Salman Khan A 12.303; 2. Sumit Salvi 12.589; 3. Attaulla Baig 12/624’
9. E2 396 to 550cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.028; Aymaan Baig 12.369; 3. Aiyaz 12.471;
10. E3 551cc and Above: 1. Hemanth Muddappa 9.743; 2. Sugan Prasad SP 9.974; 3. Mujahid Pasha 10.072;
11. C1 Upto 165cc: 1. Mustafa Siraj Khan 14.975; 2. Faraaz Akhter 15.287; 3. Sunil Kumar 15.473;
12. C2: 166 to 225cc: 1. Balasubramanian 14.347; 2. Badhusha 14.874; 3. Aiyaz 15.013;
13. C3 226 to 360cc: 1. Shankar Guru Arumugam 13.308; 2. Mohammed Arfath 13.399; 3. Mohammed Fazal 13.765;
14. C4 361 to 550cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.286; 2. Aiyaz 12.515; 3. Ayman Baig 12.685;
15. C5 551 to 850cc: 1. Baba Blaze (Mantra Racing) 10.668; 2. Altaf Khan 11.443; 3. Mirza Jahangir Baig 11.583;
16. C6 551 to 750cc: 1. S Nishanth 13.151; 2. Annish 14.478; 3. Mohsin Shareef 15.176;
17. C7 751cc: 1. Chiranth Kumar 11.051; 2. Tasmai PC 11.333; 3. Vishwajeet 11.899;
17. B1 Upto 130cc: 1. Aravind 14.137; 2. Mohammed Rafiq 14.242; 3. Abdul Shaikh Gi 14.300;
18. B2 131 to 165cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 13.490; 2. Mohammed Rafiq 13.658; 3. Shashi Kiran V 13.681;
19. B3 350cc and Above: 1. Salman Khan A 11.979; 2. Attaulla Baig 12.203; 3. Shahrukh Khan 13.210;
20. A4 161cc and Above: 1. Santosh 17.419; 2. Prashanth 17.815; 3. Sadiq Pasha 18.669;
21. EV1 Electric Vehicle Open: 1. Shuheb A 18.756; 2. Shashi Kiran V 18.937; 3. Aamir Suheal 19.125;
22. EX1 Electric Vehicle: 1. Iqhlas Ameen 15.311; 2. Mohammed Afaqh Ameen 15.467;
22. A3 111 to 160cc: 1. Aiyaz 22.247; 2. David Babu 23.256; 3. Abrar Pasha 1:20.388;
23. A2 81 to 110cc: 1. Mohsin Shareef 20.898; 2. Mohammed Hidayath 23.002; 3. Daulath Khan 25.621;
24. A1 upto 80cc: 1. Daulath Khan 31.049; 2. Javeed 35.190;
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Ruhaan Alva clinches LGB Formula 4 title for 2023
Coimbatore, 19 Nov. 2003: Championship leader Ruhaan Alva of MSport signed off on a merry note winning the LGB Formula 4 title much to the joy of his team on an action-packed final round of the 26th JK Tyre National Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway in
Chettipalayam here on Sunday.
Ruhaan enjoyed a good 20-point lead over Kolkata’s Arya Singh of Dark Don Racing the other day. With just a race to go, it was enough for the Bengaluru boy to seal the title. But it turned out to be a different story as Arya got some relief and his points back after they appealed to the Indian Motor Sports Appeal Court (IMSAC). So did a couple of Momentum Motorsport drivers in the JK Tyre Novice Cup.
A post event scrutiny saw their points docked in the penultimate round at the same venue for technical infringement and they slipped down the table. So that put the pressure back on Ruhaan gunning for his maiden national championship title in the premier category. However, Ruhaan put that at the back of his head and fought hard from P8 to take the second spot on the podium in the final race and emerge the champion with a final tally of 82 points.
The youngster was obviously elated after the race. “I feel great to have got the title. It was a crazy final race. Diljith [Dark Don] and I were involved in a great battle went neck to neck. He tried to hold me up for some time but I managed to cut a corner to come in second,” said Ruhaan.
“It was a bit tense at the beginning but I am a lot relieved now,” he added. Arya and his teammate Tijil Rao, who finished on top of the podium, were tied for the second spot with 71 points each.
Arjun S. Nair (82pts) brought great delight to his team Momentum Motorsports by clinching the JK Tyre Novice Cup without much ado. His teammate Neythan McPherson (53pts) and DTS Racing’s Joel Joseph (44pts) had to content with the next two places respectively.
It was a clean sweep by the Bengaluru boys in the JK Tyre presents Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup with Abhishek Vasudev (54pts), Jagadeesh Nagara (45pts) and Ullas S. Nanda (39pts) finishing in that order.
Sarvesh Balappa (Hubballi), who dominated the entire season, finished with 30 points, to seal the title in the JK Tyre Presents 250 Cup followed by Sachin Jothees (Hosur) and S. Govidharaj (Tirupur).
The results (provisional): Day 2:
LGB Formula 4: 1. Tijil Rao (Dark Don Racing) 28:19.852, 2. Ruhaan Alva (MSport) 28:22.808, 3. Mira Erda (MSport) 28:25.478.
JK Tyre Novice Cup: 1. Arjun S. Nair (Momentum Motorsport) 10:07.713, 2. Neythan McPherson (Momentum Motorsport) 10:07.754, 3. Jigar Muni 10:10.095.
RE Continental GT Cup: 1. Anish Shetty (Bengaluru) 13:17.302, 2. Abhishek Vasudev 13:18.817, 3. MD Samrul Zubair 13:19.706.
250 Cup (10 laps): 1. Sarvesh Balappa (Hubballi) 15:49.274, 2. Sachin Jothees (Hosur) 15:53.109, 3. S. Govindharaj (Tirupur) 15:53.250. -
Harkrishan-Kunal duo emerges overall winners at Robusta Rally: INRC Ro5
Kodagu, 19 Nov. 2023: Displaying controlled aggression Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia, along with Himachal’s Kunal Kashyap, of Arka Motorsports bagged their maiden overall victory as they emerged triumphant in the Blueband Robusta Rally of Kodagu, the fifth Round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for four-wheelers here on Sunday.
The penultimate round organised by Robusta Adventure and Sports Academy, and promoted by Blueband Sports, offered a tough terrain, like the last rally in Hyderabad, with only one INRC spec car finishing in the top-10. With top guns faltering once again, like in Hyderabad, Wadia and Kashyap, unfurled their magic in a lower spec INRC2 Volkswagen Polo 1.6 to win the Overall honours in an INRC event. They also won their class, INRC2. Aroor Vikram Rao and co-driver Somayya, who were third overnight finished a creditable Overall second with young Jahaan Singh Gill and co-driver Suraj Keshav Prasad taking overall third.
“We are over the moon. This is our first overall victory and first INRC2 win. And our first stage wins, too. We are thankful to everyone who helped us in this journey. Especially, my father, who’s always been my No.1 supporter. Thanks to the whole team at Arka but for whom this sweet victory would not have been possible. They gave us the perfect car throughout the weekend. And Phil bhaiyya (Philippos Matthai) who’s helped improve my driving massively,” said a visibly delighed Wadia.
Chandigarh’s Jahaan Gill also won the INRC3 class while local star Abhin Rai and co-driver Aravind Dheerendra of Ammyfied Rallying won the INRC4 class. Privateers Mitchu Ganapathy of Gonikoppa and co-driver Venu Ramesh Kumar of Coimbatore won the Gypsy class.
A total of 23 cars of the 60 failed to finish the course (DNF). Of the 60 that took the start on Day 1 (Leg 1) only 52 finished and of the 52 cars that took the start on Day 2 (Leg 2) 15 cars logged DNF. Sixty one cars entered the fray but one car did not start the raly.
“We congratulate the winners of Robusta Rally, Coorg. We have received tremendous feedback on the course and the overall experience from the participants. We are grateful for the opportunity to organise and bring back the pride of motorsport back to Coorg,” said Somanna JJ, Founder Partner, Robusta Adventure and Sports Academy.
Final Provisional Results:
Jahaan Singh Gill and Suraj Keshav Prasad win INRC3. INDIAinF1 photo Overall: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (1min, 45min, 07.2seconds); 2. Aroor Vikram Rao/ AG Somayya (Chettinad Sporting) (01:46:35.8); 3.Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:46:51.3).
INRC2: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (1:45:07.2); 2. Aroor Vikram Rao/ AG Somayya (Chettinad Sporting) (01:46:35.8); 3. Jacob KJ/ Shanmuga SN (Arka MS) (01:47:27.8).
INRC3: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:46:51.3); 2. Sheshank Jamwal/ Aseem Sharma (Arka Motorsports) (01:48:25.4); 3. Daraious Shroff/ Shahid Salman (Chettinad Sporting) (01:48:32.8).
INRC4: 1. Abhin Rai/ Aravind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:52:28.0); 2. Vivek Ruthuparna/ Athreya Kousgi (Snap Racing) (01:56:15.4); 3. Sefeekudheel/ Arun V (pvt.) (02:11:09.2).
Gypsy: 1. Michu Ganapathy/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (Pvt.) (02:03:30.5): 2. Abhishek Gowda/ Dheeraj Manae (pvt.) (02:04:09.7); 3. Jayanth Somanathan /R Rajashekar (pvt.) (02:04:13.0).
Ladies: 1. Anushriya Gulati/ Sherwin Dalmeida (Dark Don Racing) (01:55:20.8); 2. Shivani Parmar/ Arjun Dheerendra (Chettinad) (01:56:21.5); 3. Pragathi Gowda/ Trisha Alonkar (AART Motorsports) (02:00:06.3).
Junior INRC: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:46:51.3); 2. . Abhin Rai/ Aravind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:52:28.0); 3. Vivek Ruthuparna/ Athreya Kousgi (Snap Racing) (01:56:15.4)
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Harkrishan, Kunal duo takes lead after Day 1 at Rally Robusta: INRC Ro5
Kodagu, 18 Nov. 2023: Delhi driver Harkrishan Wadia, along with Himachal’s Kunal Kashyap did a splendid job to take the overall lead in the Round 5 of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship at the end of Day 1 at the Special Stages near here on Saturday. The Blueband Robusta Rally of Kodagu, organised by Robusta Adventure and Sports Academy, offered a tricky and tough terrain that saw 21 cars, of the 61 that started, fail to finish the course on Day 1.
Arka Motorsports’ Harkrishan (co-driver Kashyap), driving an INRC2 spec Volkswagen Polo 1.6 did a commendable job to finish the tough Anandpura and Polibetta competitive stages after Day 1. The duo also topped their INRC2 class. Talented Jahaan Singh Gill of Chandigarh with Bengaluru co-driver Suraj Keshav Prasad of Snap Racing came overall second and topped the INRC3 class after six Special Stages on Saturday. The Mangaluru-Bengaluru pair of Aroor Vikram RAo and co-driver AG Somayya of Chettinad Sporting were placed overall third with six more stages to go on Sunday.
“The day was full of adrenaline. The stages were fast and flowing but down to narrow and bumpy at places from time to time. I thank Arka Motorsport for giving us the perfect car even after the damages at Hyderabad rally. The strategy for Sunday is to do nothing different but follow up on today’s pace. keep the car on road and drive fast,” said Wadia after a tough day.
Vikram Rao and Sahil Khanna (co-driver Harish KN) are following Wadia in INRC2 class while Jahaan Singh Gill is also leading his INRC3 class with Daraious Shroff (co-driver Shahid Salman) and Sheshank Jamwal (Harish KN) trailing him in that order. Abin Rai and Aravind Dheerendra of Ammyfied Rallying were leading INRC4 class while Darshan Nachappa and co-driver Abhinav Ganapathy topped the Gypsy class on Day 1.
Provisional Results after Day 1:
Overall: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (1min, 0min, 55.7seconds); 2. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:01:27.5); 3. Aroor Vikram Rao/ AG Somayya (Chettinad Sporting) (01:01:47.0).
INRC2: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (1min, 0min, 55.7seconds); 2. Aroor Vikram Rao/ AG Somayya (Chettinad Sporting) (01:01:47.0); 3. Sahil Khanna/ Harish KN Gowda(Snap Racing) (01:02:41.8).
INRC3: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:01:27.5); 2. Daraious Shroff/ Shahid Salman (Chettinad Sporting) (01:02:51.8); 3. Sheshank Jamwal/ Ashish Sharma (Arka Motorsports) (01:03:08.2);
INRC4: 1. Abhin Rai/ Aravind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:04:52.4); 2. Vivek Ruthuparna/ Athreya Kousgi (Snap Racing) (01:05:34.7); 3. Prajwal HM/ Vinay SM (Pvt.) (1:12:19.2).
Gypsy: 1. Darshan Nachappa/ Abhinav Ganapathy (Ammyfied) (01:10:14.6); 2. Sanjay Agarwal/ Phalguna Raghavendra (pvt) (01:11:28.6); 3. Michu Ganapathy/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (Pvt.) (01:11:40.3).
Ladies: 1. Anushriya Gulati/ Sherwin Dalmeida (Dark Don Racing) (01:06:22.8); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale/ Raghuram Saminathan (Snap Racing) (01:06:52.9); 3. Shivani Parmar/ Arjun Dheerendra (Chettinad) (01:07:45.7).
Junior INRC: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:01:27.5); 2. . Abhin Rai/ Aravind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:04:52.4); 3. Vivek Ruthuparna/ Athreya Kousgi (Snap Racing) (01:05:34.7).
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Ruhaan Alva continues to dominate; Tjil, Arya steal a win each: JK Racing
Coimbatore, 18 Nov. 2023: Championship leader Ruhaan Alva (MSport), Arya Singh and Tijil Rao from Dark Don Racing shared a race win each on an eventful Saturday in the final round of the 26th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway in Chettipalayam here.
It has never been this close between the top three in the LGB Formula 4, the premier class of the championship. All the three races went down to the wire. With just a few points separating them, they knew it was now or never and gave their all for one more time.
Bengaluru’s Ruhaan started with a fighting win over Tijil of Dark Don Racing in the opening race. It did boost his confidence and further his points tally going into the second race. The former took advantage of starting on pole and raced to a quick lead. He was in control for over four laps but quite soon found Arya and Tijil breathing down his neck. The duo even managed to go upfront.
It was wheel-to-wheel racing between the three from there. Even as Arya and Tijil were fighting right up in front for some time, Ruhaan made a clever move in the first corner of 11th lap to take the lead yet again only to surrender it soon.
The duo maintained a steady pace to finish one-two for Dark Don, while Ruhaan had to rest content for the third spot on the podium.
In the last race of the day, Ruhaan was quick off the blocks. So did Tijil and T.S. Diljith of Dark Don Racing. The battle royal had the spectators on the edge of their seats but Tijil held his nerve to finish on top.
The JK Tyre Novice Cup was as close as the LGB Formula 4 class. Neythan McPherson of Momentum Motorsport edged out teammate and championship leader Arjun S. Nair in the first race. But Arjun, a fighter that he is, shot back to win the second race in style and further strengthened his chances of clinching the championship crown
with a tally of 62 points.
Anish Shetty underlined his class in the JK Tyre Presents RE Continental GT Cup with a well-deserved double win.
The results (provisional):
LGB Formula 4: Race 1: Ruhaan Alva (MSport) 19:48.550, 2. Tijil Rao (Dark Don Racing) 1:16.555, 3. T.S. Diljith (Dark Don Racing) 1:16.875.Race 2: 1. Arya Singh (Dark Don Racing) 20:55.669, 2. Tijil Rao 20:56.711, 3. Ru+haan Alva 20:56.738.
Race 3: 1. Tijil Rao 20:32.887, 2. Ruhaan Alva 20:33.254, 3. T.S. Diljith 20:34.282.
JK Tyre Presents RE Continental GT Cup: Race 1: 1. Jagadeesh Nagaraj (Bengaluru) 6:05.395, 2. Anish Shetty (Bengaluru) 6:06.322, 3. Vignesh Goud (Hyderabad) 6:07.141.
Race 2: 1. Anish Shetty 12:55.273, 2. P.M. Soorya (Chennai) 13:00.965, 3. Abhishek Vasudev (Bengaluru) 13:00.965.
Race 3: 1. Anish Shetty 12:57.123, 2. Jagadeesh Nagaraj 12:59.901, 3. Rajkumar (Coimbatore) 13:00.209.
JK Tyre Novice Cup: Race 1: 1. Neythan McPherson (Momentum Motorsport) 14:39.144, 2. Arjun S. Nair (Momentum Motorsport) 14:39.459, 3. Jigar Muni (Momentum Motorsport) 14:42.854.
Race 2: 1. Arjun S. Nair13:57.412, 2. M. Abhay (MSport) 13:57.615, 3. Joel Joseph (DTS Racing) 13:57.909.The races will be webcasted live on JK Tyre Motorsport’s social media handles:
Sunday, 19th Nov from 10.15am onwards
YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/zn__E7azfyE?feature=share
Facebook: https://fb.me/e/3lLWs714X
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KJ Jacob and Shanmuga triumph at Rally of Hyderabad; Big guns topple
Hyderabad, 29 October 2023: KJ Jacob and co-driver Shanmuga SN bagged their maiden big victory as they became the Overall winners of the Rally of Hyderabad, the fourth round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) 2023 at Sanghi Nagar, near Ramoji Film City, here on Sunday.
Thrissur’s KJ Jacob, who made his debut in the INRC in 2015 at K1000 rally in Bengaluru, took his first Overall victory. Ably assisted by co-driver Shanmuga of Bengaluru, the duo driving an INRC2 spec Volkswagen Polo 1.6 punched above their weight. Hyderabad’s tough terrain and, the longest special stage among the current rally venues in, India, proved daunting as the top-three in both the INRC1 and INRC2 and many overnight leaders, fell by the way side in the final stage. Of the eight premier class cars, driven by top guns in the country, only Younus Ilyas finished the punishing course.
Vishakh Balachandran and Anil Abbas and young turk Arjun Rajiv and Rohit Gowda, both driving the lower INRC3 spec Polo 1.6 cars finished Overall second and third. Jacob and Shanmugha also won the INRC2 class while Vishakh and Anil took the INRC3 victory.
Vivek Ruthuparna and co-driver Athreya Kousgi won the INRC4 while talented Pragathi Gowda and Trisha Alonkar bagged the Ladies class. Baljinder Singh Dhillon and Goutham CP won the Gypsy class.
Revised Provisional Results: Overall: 1. Jacob KJ, Thrissur /Shanmugh, Bengaluru, Team Arka Motorsports (1hour, 54minutes, 29.2seconds); 2. Vishakh Balachandran/ Anil Abbas (1:55:18.0); 3. Arjun Rajiv/ Rohit Gowda (1:55:28.7);
INRC2: 1.Jacob KJ/ Shanmugha SN, (1:54:29.2); 2. Ritesh Guttedar / Suraj M (1:57:01.2); 3. Chetan Shivram/ Shiv Prakash (1:58:02.9).
INRC3: 1. Vishakh Balachandran, Thrissur/ Anil Abbas, Ernakulam (1:55:18.0); 2. Arjun Raj:iv/ Rohit Gowda (1:55:28.7); 3. Jason Saldanha/ Thimmu Uddapanda (1:56:04.7).
INRC4: 1. Vivek Ruthuparna, Chikkamagaluru/ Athreya Kousgi, Mumbai (2:11:07.5); 2. Safeekuddin/ Arun V (2:21.41.8);
Ladies: 1.Pragathi Gowda/ Trisha Alonka (Both Bengaluru) (1:58.07.5); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale/ Raghuram Saminathan (2:11:45.3).
Junior INRC: 1. Arjun Rajiv; 2. Jahaan Singh Gill; 3. Vivek Ruthuparna.
Gypsy (non championship):1. Baljinder Singh Dhillon/ Goutham CP (2:16:23.5); 2. Sanjay Lal/ V Sekar (2:17:10.7); 3. Abhishek Gowda/ Dhiraj Manae (2:18:01.6).
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Sarthak Chavan, Abdul Basim grab pole positions
Chennai, 20 October 2023: Two teenagers, Sarthak Chavan from Pune and Chennai collegian Abdul Basim put in sizzling laps to qualify for pole position in their respective categories as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2023 got underway at the Madras International Circuit, here on Friday.
The 16-year-old Sarthak, who joined Petronas TVS Racing team this season, took pole position in the premier Pro-stock 301-400cc Open category with a best lap of one minute, 50.854 seconds.
Qualifying for P2 was championship leader, Chennai’s Rajiv Sethu (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) who clocked a best of 01:51.076 despite nursing a healing left shoulder that was dislocated following a crash in the previous round. Completing the front row was Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty (KTM Gusto Racing) with a hot lap of 01:51.823.
Later, 17-year-old Abdul Basim of Gulf Rockers Racing team, the younger brother of KY Ahamed who last month participated in the Moto3 class of Indian MotoGP, put in a lap of 02:07.685 for his maiden pole position in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category, ahead of Vadodara’s Adit Shah (Axor Sparks Racing, 02:08.260) and Bengaluru’s Manvith Reddy K (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, 02:08.253).
In the other premier category, the Pro-Stock 165cc Open, KY Ahamed (01:56.224) of Petronas TVS Racing was the quickest in the practice session, followed by team-mates Sarthak Chavan (01:57.069) and Chiranth Vishwanath (01:57.540).
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup: Championship leader in the NSF 250R category Chennai’s Kavin Quintal (01:52.262), who is gunning for his sixth win of the season, topped the timesheets in the official practice session. Another Chennai youngster Rakshith Dave was the second quickest in 01:53.367.
Petronas TVS One-Make Championship: Bengaluru teenager Chiranth Vishwanath, who has four wins from seven starts, expectedly qualified for pole position in the Open (RR 310) category, clocking a best lap of 01:54.621, followed by Coimbatore’s Senthilkumar C (01:54.848) and G Balaji (01:56.100) from Chennai.
Mumbai’s Sarah Khan, with a hot lap of 02:13.553, qualified for the pole position in the Girls (Apache RTR 200) category, ahead of Chennai’s Nadine Faith Balaji (02:14.714) and Pune’s Saimah Ajaz Baig (02:16.499).
The results (Qualifying – Top 3 best laps):
National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open: 1. Sathak Chavan (Pune, Petronas TVS Racing) (1min, 50.854sec); 2. Rajiv Sethu (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate) (01:51.076); 3. Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad, KTM Gusto Racing) (01:51.823);
Novice (Stock 165cc): 1. Abdul Basim (Chennai, Gulf Rockers Racing) (02:07.685); 2. Aadit Shah (Vadodara, Axor Sparks Racing) (02:08.260); 3. Manvith Reddy K (Bengaluru, Team RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate) (02:08.253).
Support Race – 301-400cc Novice: 1. Aldrin Babu (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power Ultimate1) (02:04.717); 2. Rajeswaran K (Chennai, KTM Gusto Racing India) (02:07.101); 3. Dhanush Ram K (Bengaluru, Pvt) (02:07.332).
Petronas TVS One-Make Championship: Open (301-400cc, RR 310): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (01:54.621); 2. Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) (01:54.848); 3. G Balji (Chennai) (01:56.100).
Girls (Apache RTR 200): 1. Sarah Khan (Mumbai) (02:13.553); 2. Nadine Faith Balaji (Chennai) (02:14.714); 3. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (02:16.499).
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Diana Pundole creates history beating a strong field of male drivers: National Racing
Chennai, 15 October 2023: Lady driver Diana Pundole from Pune created history in the annals of motor racing at the Madras International Circuit to become the first lady driver to win back to back races in the National Chamionships. “I have never seen a lady winning two races in one round, at least at the track here in a National Championship,” said Vicky Chandhok, former fmsci president and chairman of the meet.
Competing on equal footing with male drivers, Diana Pundole won two races in the MRF Saloon Car category and became the first female driver to score a double in a single round in MMSC National four-wheeler racing championship.
Aditya, Chetan score a double each
Bengaluru’s Aditya Swaminathan and Chetan Surineni notched a double each in the MRF Formula 2000 and F1600 categories, respectively, as the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2023 concluded at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.
Aditya Swaminathan take pole on Saturday. Photo by Anand Philar Meanwhile, Chandigarh’s Angad Matharoo provisionally clinched the championship in the MRF Saloon Car (Toyota Etios) category with five wins from nine starts, besides two podium finishes this weekend, while Coimbatore’s Jai Prashanth Venkat was placed second followed by Mumbai’s Zahan Commissariat.
Also scoring a double over the weekend were: Diana Pundole from Pune, Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Performance Racing) in Indian Junior Touring Cars and Diljith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) in Formula LGB 1300.
Aditya Swaminathan, starting from pole, took the honours in Race-1 in the MRF F2000 category without much ado but had to fight hard for the win in the next after starting from P5 on the reverse grid. Championship leader Sandeep Kumar from Chennai salvaged his weekend by winning Race-3, edging out Kolkata’s Arya Singh in a close finish.
Chetan Surineni won Race-1 and 3 in the MRF F1600 holding off Viswas Vijayaraj in both outings while Mumbai’s Veer Sheth topped Race-2.
One of the big stories of the day was scripted by Biren Pithawalla (Team N1 Racing), a 42-year-old businessman from Mumbai, piloting a Honda Jazz. He put in a solid performance to win the premier Indian Touring Cars race, his second of the season after a stirring duel.
Starting from P2 on the reverse grid, Biren overtook pole-sitter and his cousin Anant Pithawalla on Lap 2. With Anant holding off the pursuing cars, Biren made rapid ground to draw clear of the pack. Behind the pair, championship leader Gurunath Meiyappan (Race Concepts), after surviving a contact with defending champion and team-mate Arjun Balu who then retired, caught up with Biren who gave a fine exhibition of defensive driving to take the chequered flag. Meiyappan finished second to stay on top of the leaderboard while Ritesh Rai (Arka Motorsports) came in third.
“A very special win today, because I won on the track. I had “won” the first race in the previous round, but that was because of penalties to the guys who finished in front of me. So, this is very special and a culmination of nearly 12 years of hard work that my cousin Ananth Pithawalla and I had put in,” said Biren.
Likewise, 28-year-old Diana Pundole, a mother of two, won Race-1 from lights to flag after opening a sizable lead in the early part of the 10-lapper to notch her maiden win in this category. In the next outing, she started from P5 on the reverse grid, but battled her way to the front and went on to achieve a double. Zahan Commissariat topped Race-3 following a time penalty to P1 finisher Matharoo.
In the Formula LGB 1300 category, Diljith was virtually gifted the win in Race-1 as pole-sitter Viswas Vijayaraj, leading by the proverbial mile, went off the track at Turn-1, damaging the nose cone besides losing brakes. Yet, the Nellore youngster re-joined the race and managed to survive the final two laps to come in second behind Diljith who later easily won Race-2 for a double.
Provisional results (8 laps, unless mentioned):
MRF Formula 2000 (Race-1): 1. Aditya Swaminathan (Chennai) (16min, 02.814sec); 2. Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (16:03.313); 3. Chetan Korada (Chennai) (16:08.561). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Aditya Swaminathan (Chennai) (16:13.886); 2. Arya Singh (Kolkata) (16:14.640); 3. Sandeep Kumar (Chennai) (16:15.805). Race-3: 1. Sandeep Kumar (Chennai) (13:08.364); 2. Arya Singh (Kolkata) (13:08.781); 3. Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (13:09.123).
MRF F1600 (Race-1): 1. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (16:38.263); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore) (16:39.456); 3. Aman Nagdev (Noida) (14:59.154 + 1 lap). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Veer Sheth (Mumbai) (17:23.085); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore) (17:28.014); 3. Aman Nagdev (Noida) (17:28.489). Race-3: 1. Chetan Surineni (14:03.496); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (14:04.198); 3. Veer Sheth (14:04.474).
Indian Touring Cars (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1) (19:11.946); 2. Gurunath Meiyappan (Chennai, Race Concepts) (19:12.401); 3. Ritesh Rai (Chennai, Arka Motorsports) (19:16.193).
Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Performance Racing) (19:35.754); 2. Akkineni Anand Prasad (Chennai, Performance Racing) (19:36.864); 3. Srinivas Teja (Chennai, Performance Racing) (19:44.038).
Super Stock (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Diljith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (20:56.057); 2. Manan Patel (Mumbai, Redline Racing) (19:11.463+1 lap); 3. Yokeshwaran K (Coimbatore, Momentum Motorsports) (19:38.091 + 1 lap).
Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1): 1. Dilijith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (14:57.612); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (15:03.336); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Ahura Racing) (15:05.403). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Diljith (18:50.965); 2. Tijil Rao (Bengaluru, Momentum Motorsports) (19:00.080); 3. Raghul Rangasamy (Mahabalipuram, MSPORT) (19:00.681).
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) Race-1: 1. Diana Pundole (Pune, Redline Racing) (16:31.113); 2. Angad Matharoo (Chandigarh, Redline Racing) (16:34.881); 3. Jai Prashanth Venkat (Coimbatore, Redline Racing) (16:35.729). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Diana Pundole (20:49.229); 2. Angad Matharoo (20:50.273); 3. Jai Prashanth Venkat (20:54.606). Race-3: 1. Zahan Commissariat (16:49.499); 2. Jai Prashanth Venkat (16:51.898) 3. Kalim Iqbal (Colombo) (16:52.247).
