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Category: Non-F1
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Karun Chandhok confirms return to 2015 Le Mans 24 hours with Murphy Prototypes
Le Mans, 8 April 2015: Indian racing driver Karun Chandhok confirmed that he will return to the historic Le Mans 24 hours race on the June 13 and 14. Chandhok, who was the first Indian to drive in the Le Mans 24 hours in 2012, goes back with a firm target of a podium finish at this iconic race. For the third year in succession, Chandhok will race with Murphy Prototypes and the Murphy Prototypes Oreca 03R Nissan-powered LMP2 car. He will be joined by GP2 driver Nathaniel Berthon and the experienced Mark Patterson.
The Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) category this year is the most competitive it has ever been, with new cars from Oreca and HPD as well as a more developed Ligier. However the team are optimistic following a strong pre-season test at Paul Ricard earlier this month.
Chandhok, who is supported by JK Tyre, AVT Premium, Sidvin and Tag Heuer, reiterated his conviction on the Le Mans 24hours being one of the most exciting races in the world. He commented, “Le Mans is one of the greatest races in the world and my ambition to be the first Indian on the podium is still burning strongly within. I am happy to be back with Murphy Prototypes as we have always worked really well together. Nathanael (Berthon) was very quickly up to speed last year and now has a year of sportscar racing under his belt and Mark (Patterson) has improved a great deal from when we raced together in 2013 so I think we’ve got a strong line up. We had a lot of speed and potential in the last two years there but the results didn’t work out for variety of reasons. Hopefully third time lucky!”
Chandhok will add the Le Mans 24Hours to his existing program in the FIA Formula E series with Mahindra Racing. He added, “We’re still half way through the Formula E season and there’s plenty of work to do there with Mahindra Racing, but equally, pursuing my career in Sportscars is still very important to me. There are more and more manufacturers coming into Sportscar racing and having a good result in LMP2 is the perfect way to put yourself back in the shopping window for a full factory drive. It’s going to be a very busy few weeks in May and June with 5 out of 6 weekends on track for Formula E races in Berlin, Moscow and London and then the Le Mans test and race alternating in between!”
Team owner Greg Murphy was excited about having Chandhok back with the team for another assault on the Le Mans 24Hours. He said “I’m really happy to have Karun back with us again. We work well together and we also drive each other mad, but it’s because we have an equally strong ambition to succeed at the biggest race in the world. Apart from obviously being quick, Karun has proven to be a real team player for the past two years at Le Mans for us and this is the main reason I keep pushing for him to join the team. For the first time, we are heading to Le Mans with all three drivers having previous Le Mans experience and this is very important I think.”
The Le Mans 24 hours race, is widely regarded as part of the three Crown Jewels of Motorsport, along with the F1 Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500. The 13.6 kilometres long circuit at Le Mans winds through the French countryside, with cars touching top speeds of 315km/h. The race distance is more than 5000 km, which is equal to about 16 F1 races. 2014 saw a record 263300 spectators at the circuit to witness the race. Chandhok, who has a highest finishing position of 6th place, will return to the La Sarthe circuit where the race traditionally starts at 3pm on a Saturday and finishes at 3pm on the Sunday.
Chandhok was also quick to thank his long time supporters JK Tyre, AVT Premium, Sidvin and Tag Heuer for their continued support. He said, “I am entering into my 15th year of association with JK Tyre which is just amazing. We’ ve been together from Formula Maruti all the way to F1 and now to Formula E and Le Mans. Tag Heuer, Sidvin and AVT have also been with me for a few years now and I’m proud to be carrying their colours with me once again.”
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eom/Adrenna release
Karun Chandhok poses with an Indian flag. An Adrenna image -
Infiniti Red Bull Showrun leaves Hyderabadis stunned
David Coulthard during the Red Bull showrun in Hyderabad on Easter Sunday. A Red Bull Content Pool image. Hyderabad, 5 April 2015: It was Easter Sunday! The 5th of April, 2015; and the Hussain Sagar road reverberated with sound of a roaring Formula One engine. All the roads in Hyderabad lead to the Upper Tank Bund Road for the Showrun. It was the day when Infiniti Red Bull Racing came down to the city of Nawabs and showcased their mean machine in action. The Formula 1 legend David Coulthard took to the wheel of the V8-powered Formula 1 car and wowed the audience. But he was not alone. Two-time European Stunt Biking Champion Aras Gibieza also provided a world class exhibition of stunts and tricks on his two-wheeled ride.
In attendance, were men, women and children of all ages; even Indian athletes CS Santosh and Varun Aaron had come to witness this adrenaline-fueled event. Bollywood & Telugu film superstar Nagarjuna flagged off the event and put the adrenaline wheels in motion. Aras Gibieza and David Coulthard took turns to entertain the capacity crowd packed from end-to-end along the length of the Upper Tank Bund Road, overlooking the Buddha Statue. The Hyderabadis cheered, waved, whistled, gasped and applauded; every wheelie, stoppie, donut and roaring acceleration engineered by Gibieza and Coulthard.
Earlier, in 2009, the Mumbaikars were left stunned by marvelous display of Formula 1 action by David Coulthard on the Bandra Worli Sea Link; while in 2011, the Delhiites were in awe of Daniel Ricciardo who had set the Rajpath on fire. This year, David Coulthard returned to the Indian shore and enthralled the Hyderabadis. All in all, it was an exhibition of skill, talent and technological advancement which the people Hyderabad would remember for a long, long time. It remains to be seen, on which Indian city the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team will leave their mark next.
eom/Red Bull content pool
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Daniel Ricciardo to race with the Number 1 for Wings for Life World Run Catch 35 locations around the world from Gurgaon
Dietrich Mateschitz puts Daniel Ricciardo into Pole Position for the Wings for Life World Run on May 3, 2015.Bangalore, 20 Feb 2014: Red Bull and Wings for Life founder Dietrich Mateschitz recently surprised his young star by presenting him with the coveted number One, which he had personally reserved for him. “It was definitely a special moment and a huge surprise to me,” said Ricciardo. “I appreciate it a lot and am looking forward to being a part of the Wings for Life World Run on 3 May. I hope that as many people as possible take part to help find a cure for spinal cord injury.”
For registration click. http://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/in/en/#map-799
In the world of motor sports, Daniel’s proven that he’s got it all: speed, wits and more than enough talent to help Infiniti Red Bull Racing achieve more success in the future. Now the up-and coming Formula One superstar from Australia is ready to tackle a challenge that will see him trying to evade a car, rather than chasing it down.
Everyone taking part in the Wings for Life World Run – at the 35 locations around the world – will start at exactly at the same time with the aim of staying ahead of the ‘Catcher Car’. Rather than running towards a finish line, all athletes are gradually chased by the car, which increases its speed at given times. Once the car catches you, you have finished the race. The global winners are the last female and male athlete to be caught on one of the 35 tracks. Runners can also team up globally and challenge others, even world class athletes have already started their own teams.
Registration is still open (in most countries). All entry fees and global donations raised through the Wings for Life World Run will go straight to Wings for Life, a non-profit spinal cord research foundation. Its mission is to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Since 2004, Wings for Life funds life-changing research projects and clinical trials around the globe. While the cure is still to be found, steady progress has been made. Every step taken at the Wings for Life World Run is a step in the right direction. Find out more at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com.
About Wings for Life About WFLWR: It’s estimated that 3,000,000 people worldwide are living with a spinal cord injury. Every year 130,000 more people sustain a spinal cord injury, followed by paralysis. Dedicated to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, Wings for Life is a non-profit research foundation established in 2004 by Dietrich Mateschitz and the two-time motocross world champion Heinz Kinigadner. In order to realise its vision, Wings for Life supports and finances world-class scientific research and clinical trials across the world aimed at healing the injured spinal cord. Moreover, it also facilitates the sharing of scientific knowledge. Wings for Life is supported by many global ambassadors including former Formula One driver David Coulthard, and Mark Webber.
The world’s most unique running event is on its way again.
So take part – set yourself a goal.
Click here to register
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Toby Sowery beats Raj Bharath to win MRF Challenge 2014
Raj Bharath finishes 3rd on Sunday. Photo by Raj Bharath’s PR team Irungattukottai (Chennai), 25 Jan 2015: 18 year old Toby Sowery was crowned MRF Challenge 2014 Champion after finishing on the podium in Race 3 at the finale at the MMRT in Chennai. Sowery is the third Champion of the MRF Challenge and at 18 years, the youngest as well. Ryan Cullen won his first race of the weekend ahead of Sowery and Oscar King in Race 3 while King took his first win of the series ahead of Matthew Solomon and Gustava Myasava. Arjun Narendran won his first MRF FF1600 race ahead of Goutham Parekh in another thrilling race with the top 2 finishing less than a second apart from each other.
Sowery finished on top of the standings with 221 points with Cullen in 2nd place with 174 points. Raj Bharath finished in 3rd place, making him the highest Indian finisher in the MRF Challenge. Kyle Mitchell, who missed the final round, had 112 points with Tarun Reddy finishing 5th in the Championship with 87 points.
In Race 3 of the MRF Challenge 2014, Cullen took the lead into the first corner ahead of Sowery and Gustavo Myasava. For the first time this weekend all drivers got through the first few corners safely. Behind the top 3 was King leading the Indians Tarun Reddy and Raj Bharath. Cullen and Sowery pulled away from the rest of the field while Myasava had a battle on his hands holding off King and Raj after Reddy was forced to retire with a fuel pump problem. On lap 7 both King and Raj got past Myasava but the top 2 were too far ahead. Cullen made up for the disappointment of yesterday to take his first win this weekend ahead of Sowery and King. Raj finished in 4th place with Myasava and Matthew Solomon in 5th & 6th places respectively.
In Race 4 of the MRF Challenge 2014, Matthew Solomon started on reverse grid pole alongside Myasava. Solomon held on to the lead with Myasava and King right behind him as they finished the first lap. The top 6 drivers were closely bunched up for the first half of the race with Myasava applying constant pressure on the leader. On lap 8 as Solomon tried to defend against Myasava, King pulled off the overtaking move of the weekend as he drove around the outside of the two drivers to go into the lead. King pulled away from the pack to take his first ever win in the series. Solomon managed to finish in 2nd place, taking his first podium in the series as well. The battle for 3rd was a 4-way battle with Myasava getting the final podium spot ahead of Cullen, Sowery and Raj.
MRF Challenge 2014 Champion Toby Sowery commented, “It is just an unbelievable feeling to win this title. It felt great to fight with such good drivers in what was a highly competitive field. A big thank you to MRF and the organizers for doing such a great job and giving me such a good car to fight with. Every race every round has been a challenge so am happy to come away with the title. Driving in Chennai has been unbelievable and from the first session I have felt comfortable on this circuit and am happy to win the title here. I hope to use this experience to help me in my next season as well. ”
In the MRF FF1600 Race 2, Arjun Narendran starting on reverse grid pole, led into the first corner ahead of fast starting British driver Hamish Robinson, who jumped into 2nd place from 5th on the grid. Race 1 winner slotted in into third place and quickly passed Robinson and set off after the leader. Advait Deodhar also passed Robinson and joined Parekh in catching the leader. As in Race 1 there was nothing to choose from the top 3. Narendran crossed the line to take his first win with Parekh finishing in 2nd place and Advait in 3rd. Karthik Tharani Singh survived a first lap crash which damaged his front wing to finish in 4th position, ahead of Robinson and Anshul Shah.
Arjun Narendran was delighted to take his first win in the category and third win of the weekend after winning the two Indian Touring Car races as well. He commented, “This weekend has been perfect for me with 3 wins. I was happy to be so competitive in the MRF FF1600 category as I was not happy with the races I did here last year. These cars are really good and the competition is so close and fierce that it is really enjoyable to battle with these guys.”
MRF Challenge
In its third year, the MRF Challenge 2014 will feature 16 MRF Formula 2000 race cars, which have been made in India by JA Motorsport based in Coimbatore, in collaboration with Dallara, world’s largest racing car manufacturer and also Jayem Automotives Ltd, which is a strategic partner for Tata Motors Ltd. The Formula 3 style car has been built by JA Motorsport in technical collaboration with Dallara, and is considered to be the fastest of its kind in Asia. The MRF Formula 2000 is powered by a 2.0 litre 210 BHP Renault Sport Engine and will have a Hewland 6-Speed sequential gearbox. The race car has also been crash tested to FIA F3 safety standards and will race with MRF ZLO slick and wet tyres.
The MRF Challenge has fielded a strong driver line-up in the last two seasons, with drivers going on to win races in GP2 and British Formula 3. The MRF Challenge Alumni include GP2 drivers like Arthur Pic, Tio Ellinas, Jon Lancaster, Conor Daly, GP3 drivers like Ryan Cullen and Carmen Jorda, Former Formula 2 Champion Luciano Baccheta and British Drivers Harry Tincknell (WEC) and Rupert Svendsen-Cook.
MRF Challenge 2014 Calendar:
Round 1: October 17-18, 2014, Doha, Losail International Circuit (Night Race)
Round 2: November 14-15, 2014, Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit (World Endurance Championship Support Race)
Round 3: January 24-25, 2014, Chennai, Madras Motor Race Track
eom/MRF press release
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Raj Bharath finishes third overall in MRF Challenge 2015
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 26 Jan 2015: Raj Bharath became the first Indian driver to finish in the top three of the champioinship. The grand finale of the MRF Challenge 2015 which concluded at the Madras Motor Race Track on Sunday saw Indian prodigy Raj Bharath finish third in the championship the first Indian to have achieved this significant milestone in the four-year history of the international championship.
Raj started his 2014 MRF Challenge season on an ominous note with a win and a second place at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar and emerged as a true championship contender and of course the fastest Indian driver by far! (out of four participating).
In round two at Bahrain International Circuit, Raj secured a pole position in qualifying — showcasing his raw speed and talent in an extremely competitive grid made up of drivers from UK, Germany, Australia, Russia, South Africa, Brazil and Austria to name a few. He became the first Indian driver in the history of MRF Challenge to qualify on pole position.
At the final round held in Chennai over this weekend, Raj worked hard to consolidate his position in the championship amongst stiff competition from his rivals and ultimately managed to clinch third overall in the standings – a commendable achievement considering the level of talent on the grid.
“It has been a good season at MRF Challenge – it was of course great to be back in the car after not having raced in 2014. After Qatar it was clear that we would be fighting for the championship despite some bad luck we had in the first round [pit lane start due to mechanical issues]”, commented Raj.
“Bahrain was also a good weekend and although Chennai didn’t exactly go to plan we were still able to be consistently in the points throughout the four races and secure third place in the standings”, he added.
“I’d like to thank my parents for all their support and I’m now aiming to put together enough sponsorship to race in Formula 3 or GP3 next season.”
eom/Press Release from planetsurf creations
Raj Bharath finishes 3rd on Sunday. Photo by planetsurf creations -
MRF Challenge: Ryan Cullen ahead of Sowery and Bharath Raj to start in 6th
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 23 Jan 2015: Dark horse, Raj Bharath suffered initial hiccups as title contender Ryan Cullen boosted his chances by qualifying 2nd, ahead of championship leader Toby Sowery, who took P4 and Raj Bharath, who is third in the standings, will follow further back in 6th position. German driver Sebastian Balthasar took pole position in the final round of the MRF Challenge 2014 at the MMRT in Chennai.
2014 MRF FF1600 Champion Tarun Reddy was the fastest Indian and will start in 5th position. Young British driver Toby Sowery holds a slender 14 point lead over GP3 driver Ryan Cullen, with Indian driver Raj Bharath also in with a chance, albeit 29 points off the leader.
Qualifying was always going to be close after the tight practice sessions. British driver Oscar King, who has been quick in all practice sessions set a time of 1:35.563 to top the times after 5 minutes. Cullen was quick to respond and went almost half a second faster to set a 1:35.095. Balthasar and Sowery both broke the 1:35s barrier to do a late 1:34.9. Mid way through the session the top drivers came in to change for a new set of MRF tyres. The times started tumbling as Balthasar went even faster to set a fastest time of 1:34.543 which was enough for pole position. Behind him was Cullen, King, Sowery, Reddy and Bharath.
An ecstatic Balthasar commented, “It feels great to be on pole position in my first race this season. Qualifying was tough as the sun was setting and it was a challenge for all the drivers. Starting on pole always gives you the best chance to win and I am confident of having a great race tomorrow and will do my best to stay out of the title fight.”
GP3 driver Ryan Cullen was disappointed to miss out on pole position by just one tenth off a second but was happy to start ahead of his rivals. He said, “It was a really good qualifying session but a shame to miss out on pole position as I felt I definitely had the pace. But it is important I beat Toby (Sowery) and hopefully also have some cars between us as it will help me in the title fight. I am confident of a strong result tomorrow so really looking forward to some good racing.”
Earlier in the day Sowery topped Free Practice 1 ahead of King and Balthasar. All drivers were within one tenth off a second of each other with Cullen and Raj in 5th & 6th places respectively. Balthsar struck back to go fastest in Free Practice 2 edging surprise debutant Mathew Solomon and Toby Sowery.
Advait Deodhar and Karthik Tharani Singh look to be the favourites in the MRF FF1600 series as both drivers looked to be in a league of their own. Advait was fastest in both practice sessions with Karthik right behind in what promises to be an intesne battle between the two this weekend.
Saturday will see Race 1 & 2 of the MRF Challenge while Round 1 of the MRF FF1600 will feature the qualifying and the race.
eom/MMSC press release
Raj Bharath during Off season Jan 2014 Photo courtesy Raj Bharath -
Have fun but be safe, Raj Bharath tells fans; MRF Challenge begins in Chennai Saturday
By Niveditha Neelam
Bangalore, 23 January 2015: Excerpts from an interview as Raj Bharath prepares for the season beginning at the Madras Motor Race Track tomorrow. Currently he is third in the standing
s of MRF Challenge and will also begin his campaign in the National Championship.Q&A with Raj Bharath
The season begins in Chennai tomorrow, the last phase of the MRF Challenge. How did you prepare for it?
I have just been training more regularly, putting some extra work with my trainer Ramji Srinivasan in Chennai. My toughest competitor on-track are likely to be Toby Sowery and Ryan Cullen from UK as both are ahead of me in the championship standings.
What is your message for other Indian Formula 1 aspirants?
Follow your dreams but you need to understand from day one that it is a very tough dream to live. A lot of work is needed in the car, in terms of driving technique, as well as out of the car, in terms of the physical/mental training as well as sponsorship – which sadly is the single largest hurdle in our country.
Do you think Indian Formula One Fans have become more aware of the talent pool at home?
Despite Formula 1’s popularity in India, I still feel that most F1 and international motorsport fans in India are not aware of home-grown talent in junior ranks.
Which is the biggest challenge you face as a Formula 1 aspirant in India?
Of course Sponsorship – it has been the same all along for every aspiring racer in India. It is extremely difficult to sell corporates on motorsport.
What are your goals for 2015?
My goal is to participate in a Formula 3 level championship in 2015 and make a proper step up in my racing career.
What do you enjoy apart from Racing?
Playing cue sports, Playstation and table tennis.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I want to prove myself on an international stage and do my country proud, that is my source of inspiration.
How are you managing your studies along with a full-fledged career as a Racer? What is your mantra for focus?
It’s not so difficult to manage as unlike most other drivers I do not go abroad for testing very often, as funds are limited. Race weekends are maybe once every month so I am able to squeeze in decent attendance in college. Sometimes though there is a clash when examinations and race weekends are scheduled around the same time – and that is when I need to make a choice.
Share something about yourself that your fans don’t know yet.
Despite driving a lot on the track, I love driving and riding on the road. Going for long drives or just zipping around town on my motorcycle is something I continue to enjoy!
Any advice to your fans.
Of course, I strongly believe in Road Safety and I don’t drive without a seat-belt and don’t ride without a helmet! Have fun but be safe!!
You can follow Raj Bharath at
www.facebook.com/rajbracing
@RajBRacing
Coming soon www.RBRacing.com
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Irungattukottai MMRT turns 25; MRF Challenge final round at Chennai
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 21 Jan 2015: The Madras Motor Sport Club (MMSC), one of the oldest motorsport clubs in India, will celebrate 25 years of the Irungattukottai Madras Motor Race Track. Round 1 of India’s biggest domestic racing championship The MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship will provide non-stop action this weekend and feature some of the fastest racing categories in India with the India’s only international series, the MRF Challenge 2014, taking centre stage.
Fans will be thrilled with plenty more action on the cards including the fastest bikes in the country, Superbikes, fastest national single-seater series, MRF FF1600 and the fastest saloon cars in the country, the Indian Touring Car Championship (ITC). They will be also be joined by the Indian Junior Touring Car Championship (IJTC) and the Superstock category.
The MMRT has been critical for Indian motorsports and has been first step for India’s only Formula 1 drivers, Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. It has also played a role in developing other Indian stars, including Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel and more recently Tarun Reddy. The NRC has taken motorsports across the country with races held in Chennai, Coimbatore, Kolkata and Greater Noida.
Mr. Vicky Chandhok, Vice-President of the MMSC, was thrilled to see the progress made by the NRC in promoting Indian motorsport over the years. He commented, “The MMRT has played one of the most important roles in Indian motorsport as it was the first ever fully functional race track in India. Every Indian driver and rider have made their first steps here and this circuit will always hold a place in Indian motorsport history. It has helped the NRC in promoting and developing motorsport in the country. 25 years has seen progress over the years with vast improvements in the single-seater and touring car categories, infrastructure, and technology advancement. As the promoter, the entire MMSC team has constantly lived up to the challenges and ensured we provide the best possible racing environment. A special thank you to all our partners who continue to show commitment to the sport. This weekend will be a real treat for racing fans with the fastest cars and bikes taking to track and promising unlimited action.”
The FIA inscribed MRF Challenge 2014, which became the first Indian based motorsport series to go international last year, will look to end on a high with the final round taking place at the MMRT in Chennai. Young British driver Toby Sowery holds a slender 14 point lead over GP3 driver Ryan Cullen, with Indian driver Raj Bharath also in with a chance, albeit 29 points off the leader. With Cullen and Bharath having more experience at the highly technical Chennai circuit, the title battle promises to be a thriller. There will be 4 Indians on the grid with Raj being joined by Tarun Reddy, Lee Keshav and Mahavir Raghunathan. Both Sowery and Cullen have two wins each this year with Raj having one win to his name.
The three round calendar, which saw the leading Indian based single-seater racing category go international for the second year running, will also see prize money of Rs. 6,500,000 handed out to the winners of the Championship.
Mr. Arun Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Tyres, commented, “After two entertaining rounds with 8 races, we are extremely excited to head back home to Chennai for the final round. All the drivers enjoy coming to the MMRT and find the circuit technical and highly challenging which makes it the perfect venue to crown our MRF Challenge 2014 Champion. We will also have our MRF FF1600 cars back for another season as this series plays an important role in preparing these youngsters for the next step, which is the MRF Challenge. We will continue to push the boundaries to ensure India is seen as a key global motorsport player.”
This weekend will also see Round 1 of the MRF FF1600 Championship. The FF1600 serves as a perfect platform for upcoming drivers with 4 drivers from last year graduating to the MRF Challenge. This year will see former Indian Junior Touring Cars Champion Feroze Khan, 2014 Volkswagen Polo Cup Champion Karthik Tharani Singh in the FF1600, along with defending Indian Touring Car Champion Arjun Narendran. The series will also feature several young drivers including Tejas Ram, Mahatru Krishnamurthi, and Anshul Shah. However the biggest crowd puller will be leading South Indian cinema star, Actor Jai who will make his debut in single-seaters with the MRF FF1600 series.
In the ITC category, Arjun Narendran will be back to defend his title against regular rivals Ashish Ramaswamy and B Vijaykumar. Last year’s IJTC winner Dr. VJ Senthil will graduate to the ITC and will definitely look to battle to for the title. The Superstock category will continue to be the breeding ground for young rookies looking to make their mark in the sportscar circuit. The ITC, IJTC and Superstock categories represent the fastest saloon car racing in the country and provides a great opportunity for drivers with different experience levels.
There will also be a special Superbike race this weekend, featuring some of the best 600cc & 1000cc bikes. There is an overall list of 14 entries in this category. This will be a great opportunity for 2-wheeler fans to get up close and see riders touching top speeds on some of the best superbikes in the country.
Practice and qualifying will take place on Friday with races starting on Saturday morning. Please visit www.madrasmotorsports.in for more information.
About MMSC
Madras Motor Sports Club, founded in 1952, is one of the oldest motorsports club in India & have been pioneers in conducting motorsports events in India for decades. MMSC hosts more than 14 racing events both cars & bikes, and equal number of TSD rallies in the city. MMSC owns and operates the Madras Motor Race Track Irungattukottai, Sriperumbudur, Chennai, India. MMSC has been the promoter for the National Racing Championship for both 4-wheelers and 2-wheelers for decades. It has constantly maintained the highest standards in organising motor sport at local, national & international levels including the recently conducted Tata T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship. The MMSC is committed to the growth & development of the sport.
eom/MMSC press release
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Karthick Maruthi and Sankar Anand pair clinch National title in a thriller: TSD Rally championship
Chennai, 21 Dec 2014: Karthick Maruthi and Sankar Anand clinched the National title in the Pro-Expert Category in the last and ninth round of the Indian National TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) Rally Championship that concluded at Sriperumbudur, near here, on Sunday.
In an exciting run to the post, both the teams had a neck and neck battle and clocked identical time penalties of 46 seconds. Team Tata Motors’ Ajgar Ali and Mohammad Musthafa, who led by four points before this round but their rivals, Maruthi and Anand, took the National honours winning the tie-breaker with eight zero penalty times compared to six of Ali-Musthafa. In TSD rallying, the time closer to zero penalty determines the winners. Ali-Mohammad lost by three points on 166 while Maruthi-Anand garnered 169 with the first place. Another Team Tata Motors entry of Srikanth GM and Chandrashekar M finished third in the Pro Expert category, losing out by just two seconds.
However, Team Tata Motors swept the Pro-Stock Category scoring a 1-2-3. Kolkata pair of Saurav Chatterjee and Ashoke Kumar Basu won the class in the MRF Chennai TSD Rally, attracting a total time penalty of two minutes, 25 seconds.
Meanwhile, Chidananda Murthy and BS Sujith Kumar (In the file picture posing with the car), with a total time penalty of 02:43 minutes lost the last round despite winning the National title with a round to spar. With the second place today, they amassed 192 points. This is their third Pro Stock National title in a row. Somashekar D/ Chandar (Team Tata Motors) finished third with a penalty of 09:42.
“We tried our best but we are happy to get another `1-2-3′ for Tata Motors. We are happy that the National title is ours for the third year in a row and the hat-trick is definitely special,” said Chidananda Murthy.
Sujith Kumar added: “It would have been nice to clinch a win in the Chennai event and finish the season with a bang. However, we are the National champions for this year too and that is what matters.”
Results: Pro Stock: 1. Saurav Chatterjee/ Ashoke Kumar Basu (Team Tata Motors, 02:25 minutes penalty); 2. Chidananda Murthy/ BS Sujith Kumar (Team Tata Motors, 02:43); 3. Somashekar D/ Chandramouli (Team Tata Motors, 09:42).
Pro Expert: 1. KP Karthick Maruthi/ Sankar Anand (00:46 seconds penalty); 2. Ajgar Ali/ Mohammad Musthafa (Team Tata Motors, 00:46); 3. Srikanth GM/ M Chandrashekar (Team Tata Motors, 00:48).
Chidu and Sujit win hat-trick kof National titles by winning the INRC (TSD) for the third year.: A Tata Motors image Eom/Tata Motors press release
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Ali-Mustafa duo to fight it out with Maruthi-Anand pair for pro-expert class title: TSD Nationals
Chennai, 20 Dec 2014: The real fight for the title will be in the Pro-Expert category in the FMSCI Chennai TSD Rally Nationals that will be held in and around Sriperumbudur, near here, on Sunday. Team Tata Motors’ Ajgar Ali (Kolkata) and Mohammad Musthafa (Erode) are leading the championship table with a narrow 4-point lead on 148 points while Karthick Maruthi and Sankar Anand are second with 144 points and the final round is expected to throw some exciting stuff to decide the championship in the top class.
Ganesh Moorthy and T Nagarajan (Team Tata Motors) are third with 110 points. The Team Tata Motors will also field Srikanth GM-M Chandrashekar (Bangalore) and Sachin Singh (Hyderabad)-Prakash M (Erode) in this category.
Bangaloreans Chidananda Murthy and BS Sujith Kumar may have won the Pro-Stock National title in the 2014 Indian National TSD Rally Championship but it definitely does not stop them from eyeing another win. This time, the Team Tata Motors entrants are determined to end the year with a win They will be driving a Tata Sumo in the ninth and final round in the 2014 season.
Murthy and Sujith Kumar have already wrapped up the National title in the Pro Stock category and have 174 points in the bag. They have won three National titles on the trot. Another win on Sunday will only confirm their status as the undisputed TSD rally specialists in the country. They have won the Jaipur, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Goa, Kolkata and Ranchi rounds and are keen on adding the Chennai feather to their crowns.
“It will be special to win the Chennai round too and establish ourselves as the undisputed leaders in the Pro Stock category. We will give it our best,” said Chidananda Murthy.
Sujith Kumar added: “Despite having won six rounds, we are hungry for more and the Chennai round is one of our favourites. We are keen on winning here on Sunday.”
The second entry from Team Tata Motors in the Pro Stock category is the pair of Saurav Chatterjee and Ashoke Kumar Basu (Kolkata). The duo has 143 points. The third entry from the automobile giant is the D Somashekhar-Chandramouli combine from Bangalore.
Team Tata Motors will also field Sheena Sabharwal and Prathibha Anand as the entry in the all-Ladies class.
eom/Tata Motors press release
