INDIA in F1

Tag: Indian National Autocross Championship

  • Gravel Fest 2025 to flag off Indian National Autocross Qualifiers on May 3 and 4

    Gravel Fest 2025 to flag off Indian National Autocross Qualifiers on May 3 and 4

    Chikkamagaluru, 3 May 2025: Top stars of Indian motorsports including defending champions Arshad Pasha and Pallavi Yadav are in the fray for the Chikmagalur Gravel Fest 2025 which officially kicks off the qualifying rounds for the Octane Pits FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship (INAC) 2025. Set to be held on May 3 and 4 at the picturesque foothills of Sahayadri ranges in Kurvangi Grama, near Sangnipura Road, the event will feature eight classes and over 100 competitors from across the country in what promises to be one of the biggest and most competitive INAC qualifiers to date.

    Organized by the Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur (MSCC) in association with JK Tyre Motorsport and promoted by Octane Pits of Lokesh Gowda, the Chikmagalur Gravel Fest is part of INAC, one of the 13 National championships recognised and sanctioned by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci)* and will be conducted under the 2025 FIA International Sporting Code and applicable FMSCI regulations.

    Set on a 2.2-kilometre all-gravel track, the event will follow the FIA Formula One point system (25–18–15 for the top three) and will feature eight official classes, including the INAC2 & INAC3 Ladies Open, where entry for women drivers is free. However, the popular 4WD and Diesel Open categories will not be included in the national championship this year.

    Key Highlights:

    • Over Rs.7 lakh in total prize money
    • Special awards for Best Tuner and Fastest Driver of the Day (Gravel Fest King)
    • On-site rally tyre support and caravan facilities for outstation teams
    • Premium hospitality including lunch, snacks, and fresh juices for drivers, tuners, and fans
    • Best-in-class accommodation to ensure a complete motorsport experience

    Speaking ahead of the event, Promoter Lokesh Gowda of Octane Pits said, “This year’s Chikmagalur Gravel Fest sets a new benchmark for Indian autocross. With a record number of participants and enhanced facilities, we’re proud to offer a world-class racing experience right here in Karnataka.”

    As per championship regulations, drivers must participate in at least two qualifying rounds to be eligible for the INAC Grand Finals, where only the top five in each class will qualify. Winners at the Grand Finals will be officially crowned FMSCI Indian National Autocross Champions 2025 in each class, apart from an overall champion, the fastest driver among all classes.

    INAC 2025 Official Categories:

    • INAC 1 – Class A: Up to 2000cc
    • INAC 1 – Class B: Unrestricted Open
    • INAC 2 – Class C: Up to 1450cc
    • INAC 2 – Class D: Up to 1650cc
    • INAC 2 – Class E: Up to 2000cc
    • INAC 2 – Class F: Open
    • INAC 3 – Class G: Open
    • INAC 2 & INAC 3 – Class H: Ladies Open

    *As per the branding done by the Federation a few years back, the letters in the acronym are all small letters as in fmsci.

  • Aniruddha Rangnekar fastest; Ruthuparna bags a triple: Autocross Nationals

    Aniruddha Rangnekar fastest; Ruthuparna bags a triple: Autocross Nationals

    Pune, 2 April 2023: Talented Pune driver Aniruddha Rangnekar clinched the Overall honours as he won the fastest driver tag and led his team Slideways Industries to a rich haul in the IARC fmsci Indian National Autocross Championship promoted by Bangalore Motorsports Club at the Nanoli Speedway on April 1 and 2. Rangnekar clocked 1min, 15.265 seconds in the INAC2 open covering about 1 Km, of a lap on the dirt track in his Chettinad Sporting prepared Polo shod on JK Tyres.

    Promoter Umesh Pandey of Bangalore Motorsports Club said: “We saw new talent and a lot of enthusiasm in the first round and the championship is becoming bigger and better. This year we have eight rounds in different regions of the country and the finals are likely in Bengaluru again in December.” Pandey, the brain behind the whole Championship, made it a truly ‘National’ event, in geography too, by spreading the Zonal rounds around the country including one round in North East. The Pune round is the first of the eight rounds and the qualified drivers will fight it out for National Championship titles in eight classes. A non-championship support event, “Time Attack” was also held to promote the sport.

    Aniruddha won INAC2 Open with a faster time than Rutuparna Vivek, who won the INAC1 Open. But Ruthuparna Vivek of Snap Racing clinched three big victories as he claimed all three INAC1 categories. However, Aniruddha bagged the INAC3 Open too, and clocked the fastest time beginning 2023 on a grand note.

    Another INRC lady driver Shivani Parmar displayed enough skills in this shorter format which calls for precise movements and car control and won the INAC2 upto 1650cc class beating both Ruthuparna Vivek and Aniruddha Rangnekar to hoist the Women in Motorsports (WIM) flag. Nikeeta Takkale, who scored points in the APRC Asia Cup round earlier in Chennai, was the other woman who notched up four podiums. Competing with men and beating them is a huge achievement for these women behind the wheel.

    Munjal Savla and Umesh Rane were the other National Category winners while another veteran Mazdayar Vatcha, a yesteryears star from Hyderabad, showed glimpses of his talent, with a podium in INAC3. Zahan Commissariat, another racing talent, and a regular podium finisher at Madras International Circuit took second in the INAC 4×4 Class. Amey Desai, a former champ who represented India in Gymkhana Asian competitions, and 2019 National Champion, Sanjay Lall and Altaf Hussain were the others who took podium spots.

    The next Regional qualifier round will be held in Goa on April 29 and 30.

    Provisional Results: West Zone Qualifier for INAC final 2023: Round 1:

    INAC1 Open: 1. Ruthuparna Vivek 1:15.555; 2. Aditya Kousgi 1;15.780; 3. Nikeeta Takkale 1:15.995.

    INAC1 Upto 1650cc: 1. Ruthuparna Vivek 1:16.175; 2. Nikeeta Takkale 1:17.600; 3. Aniruddha Rangnekar 1:17.710.

    INAC1 Upto 2400cc: 1. Ruthuparna Vivek 1:16.105; 2. Aniruddha Rangnekar 1:17.440; 3. Nikeeta Takkale 1:18.120;

    INAC2 Open: 1. Aniruddha Rangnekar 1:15.265; 2. Ruthuparna Vivek 1:15.880; 3. Nikeeta Takkale 1:16.950;

    INAC2 Upto 1400cc: 1. Munjal Savla 1:22.430; 2. Altaf Hussain 1:36.735;

    INAC2 Upto 1650cc: 1. Shivani Parmar 1:16.200; 2.  Ruthuparna Vivek 1:16.750; 3. Aniruddha Rangnekar 1:17.835;

    INAC3 Open: 1. Aniruddha Rangnekar 1:19.255; 2. Amey Desai 1:20.630; 3. Mazdayar Vatcha 1:21.615;

    INAC 4×4 Open: 1. Umesh Rane 1:19.210; 2. Zahan Commissariat 1:20.100; 3. Sanjay Lall 1:21.695;

  • Slideways Industries team dominates INAC Round 1 & Time Attack at Pune

    Slideways Industries team dominates INAC Round 1 & Time Attack at Pune

    Pune, 21 April 2023: Experienced rally driver from Team Slideways Industries, Maharashtra, Aniruddha Rangnekar won the Overall honours taking home the coveted “Fastest Driver” award in the first round of the 8-round fmsci* Indian National Autocross Championship (INAC) here on April 1 and 2.

    At the Nanoli Speedway round in Pune, Slideways Industries, one of the largest teams in Maharashtra and one of the oldest teams in India, bagged 15 trophies and is the West Zone qualifier including in the Time Attack. All the zonal qualifiers will compete for the National Champion tag at the Grand Finale to be held in December. The finals are likely to be in Bengaluru once again but the venue is yet to be confirmed. The 15 trophies include the victories in the Support event.

    Sponsored by Pune-based Pinnacle Group, Slideways, a household name in Indian Motorsport, won multiple National championships over the years. Supported by JK Tyre and Gaurav Gill Advanced Driving Academy (GGADA) in their preparations, the team put on a stellar show at the event. And Aniruddha Rangnekar, one of the founding members of the team, and currently the co-driver for Gaurav Gill in the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC), the longer version of rallying, taking the top honours is a bonus. Just like INRC, INAC is one of the dozen National Championships of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci) the governing body for the sport in India.

    While the team has been a regular over at INRC, they are now also exploring other forms of motorsport. Trained and mentored by Arjun Awardee, the three-time Asia Pacific and seven-time National rally champion, Gaurav Gill, the team is growing from strength to strength. Since its inception in 2010, the Slideways Industries rally cars have been built by Coimbatore-based Chettinad Sporting, one of the leading Motorsport tuning houses in India led by Thiagarajan and Roshan, the driver-navigator pair in late nineties. The rally cars run on a 1.6-litre engine that has been upgraded according to the Sporting Regulations of the championship. Running on specially-designed 15-inch JK Rally tyres, the drivers acclaim the excellent grip on varied surfaces.

    Shivani Parmar, one of the few female drivers in the National championship also had a good outing, winning in one category against experienced drivers and bagged a couple of other podiums in different classes. The biggest surprise of the weekend came in the form of rookies, Priyanandana Varma and Aditya Vikram Bose, who are fresh graduates from GGADA, bagging a class win and a couple of podiums over the weekend.

    “Winning is a great feeling, but doing so on home turf is even more special,” said Aniruddha, who set the fastest time in the INAC, won as many as three categories and bagged multiple other podiums in Round 1. “It’s sad that we don’t have a round of INRC in Maharashtra anymore, but this is the closest we can get and we are glad to have taken home so many trophies from the weekend” added Shivani. Nashik used to be a regular round of the INRC for many years, until the clubs ran out of tracks where closed-road time Special Stages can be held.

    “Being a rookie and entering the first event is always nerve-racking but the support from Slideways and GGADA made this event much easier for us,” said Bose, who bagged two podium finishes. “Training with Gaurav Gill and his team of experienced coaches has transformed my driving. It has not only made me a faster driver but safer and smarter too,” said a delighted Priyanandana Varma who won a class, apart from two other top-3 finishes.

    *fmsci took a decision to write its short form in small letters a few years back.