INDIA in F1

Tag: MMSC

  • Volkswagen shortlists 15 drivers for Ameo Cup 2017

    Volkswagen shortlists 15 drivers for Ameo Cup 2017

    Pune, 27 Dec 2016: Volkswagen Motorsport India conducted the driver selection process for the Ameo Cup 2017 on Dec 17 and 18 at the Indi Karting here in Kharadi. Aspiring drivers were selected to participate in the one-make series of Volkswagen Ameo Cup 2017 which will be hosted as a part of the MMSC-FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship in Chennai.

    The selection process received an enormous response from the young racers from across the country with over 600 aspirants registering for the racing series. Rayomand Banajee, driver coach for Volkswagen Motorsport India and Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India were the judges. Overall driving skills that covered consistency in performance, understanding of racing lines, driving attitude, lap times and ability to learn were judged.

    During the two days of comprehensive and rigorous selection process, participants were briefed about the techniques to hone their skills. The prospective racers were also put through a fitness session which tested their stamina and core physical strength. Additionally, they were also introduced to the importance of sponsorship in their career and how it plays a vital role especially in the field of racing.

    Vissa said, “Volkswagen Motorsport India has been committed to nurturing budding racing talent and it is pleasing to see such enthusiasm among youngsters in the country. Promising racing talent has come forward this year and I hope they would put their learnings to practice in competition. With the introduction of Ameo Cup, we expect to see more action on the tracks.

    Earlier in December, 15 drivers have been shortlisted for the 2017 season one make-series. The list of the final 20 drivers will be confirmed by end of January 2017.

    About Volkswagen Motorsport India: Taking ahead 50 years of enriching global motorsport legacy of Volkswagen, Volkswagen Motorsport India commenced operations with the Polo Cup India in 2010. The series started off with a first- ever iconic race being held at Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi in Pune, the hometown of Volkswagen in India. The vast global expertise, coupled with rich dynamic history of the Group has enabled Volkswagen Motorsport India to progress swiftly and become the best one make series in a short span of time. The Volkswagen Polo R Cup enhanced awareness as well as underlined the technological advancement of Volkswagen in India. In 2015, Volkswagen Motorsport India shifted to Vento Cup and continued to provide a vital platform for the talented young racers to demonstrate their capabilities nationally and internationally by nurturing them. In the one-make series, all participating cars are technically identical with the same performance making it possible for only the most skilled drivers to leave an impact.

    Successes in Indian Rallying: Under the Customer Sport Initiative, Volkswagen Motorsport India started providing teams and individuals running Volkswagen Polo rally cars in the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) with technical assistance and spares from 2013. The Volkswagen Polo won the 2013 and 2014 season in the 1600-cc class.

    eom/Volkswagen Motorsport release

  • Jayaram’s `mantra’ brings a Reva to life in Drag Nationals

    Jayaram’s `mantra’ brings a Reva to life in Drag Nationals

    Bengaluru, 13 Nov 2016: Veteran Pratap Jayaram literally set the track on fire in a fully modified Reva as he won the Indian Open class for cars in the MMSC fmsci Indian National Drag Racing Championship at the Taneja Aerospace facility near here on Sunday while Mysuru’s Rizwan Khan took the honours in the Superbikes category (Unrestricted).

    Jayaram, who last raced actively in 1995 and returned for one-off events in 2010, clocked a bewildering 11.055 seconds for the 400 metres dash. He wopratap-jayaram-reva-wins-drag-r1-13nov2016uld have clocked a faster time but for a seized engine some 50 metres before the finish.

    “There is very little original about this little Reva. I worked on it for nearly three months and brought it out for the championship. I would have gone under 11 seconds but the engine seized about 50 metres from the finish,” said “senior citizen” Jayaram.

    True to his team’s name, Mantra, Jayaram performed a magic of sorts in the Reva which touched a top speed of 260Kmph while winning the Indian Open hands down while also being the quickest among cars across all classes.

    Joel Joseph from Bengaluru won the title in the Unrestricted class clocking 11.992 seconds with Jayaram unable to enter the Reva which could not be repaired in time.

    Pavan Rangaraj (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Dheeraj Manae (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Siddharth Sinh Jhala (Bengaluru, 2550cc), Vineet Abhiram (Bengaluru, 3050cc) and Vivek Ramachander (Bengaluru, 2050cc Diesel) topped their respective categories in the MMSC Drag Race series that doubled up as the support event for the National Championship.

    Earlier, Rizwan Khan, a 29-year old orthopedic doctor from Mysuru, won the high-end Unrestricted class of the Superbikes category riding the BMW HP4 Competition, just fractions ahead of Hyderabad’s Md Riyaz, clocking 09.746 seconds.

    “I could have gone a bit quicker, but the tyres were worn out a bit and so, I was a bit slow,” said Rizwan who divides time between his professional commitments as a doctor and his passion for bike racing.

    Provisional results (National Championship):

    CARS – Unrestricted: 1. Joel Joseph (Bengaluru) (11.992secs); Stephen Pachigalla (Vizag) (13.166); Jayant V (Bengaluru) (13.898).

    Indian Open: 1. Pratap Jayaram (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (11.055); 2. Joel Joseph (Bengaluru) (12:042); 3. Jagadish Gowda (Bengaluru) (12.653).

    MMSC Drag Race (Pro-Stock, winners only): Pavan Rangaraj (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Dheeraj Manae (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Siddharth Sinh Jhala (Bengaluru, 2550cc), Vineet Abhiram (Bengaluru, 3050cc), Vivek Ramachander (Bengaluru, 2050cc Diesel).

    SUPERBIKES – Unrestricted: 1. Rizwan Khan (Mysuru) (09.746); 2. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (09.898); 3. Stephen Pachigalla (Vizag) (10.110).

    Above 1050cc: 1. Zubair Ali Jung (Bengaluru) (10.647); 2. Mohammed Asif Ullah (Bengaluru) (10.812); 3. Naveen YA (Bengaluru) (11.133).

    Up to 1050cc: 1. Rameez Khan (Mysuru) (09.820); 2. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (09.874); 3. Rizwan Khan (Mysuru) (09.942).

    Up to 750cc: 1. Mohammed Asif Ullah (Bengaluru) (11.530); 2. Aftab Khan (Bengaluru) (11.714); 3. Zubair Ali Jung (Bengaluru) (11.735).

    =====

    eom/AP Media Communications release

  • Double for Jagan Kumar, Sofyyan Ahamed

    Double for Jagan Kumar, Sofyyan Ahamed

    Bengaluru, 12 Nov 2006: Jagan Kumar from Chennai (TVS Racing) and Bengaluru’s Sofyyan Ahamed (Quick Shift Racing) achieved a double each in the first round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Drag Racing Championship at the Taneja Aerospace facility near here on Saturday.

    International rider Jagan Kumar from Chennai, astride the TVS RTR Apache, got into his stride by clocking 14.250 seconds for the 400-metre sprint in the Up to 165cc class.

    Later, he took the honours in the Indian Open class with a time of 13.484 seconds which was the quickest in the National Championship category.

    “I could have probably clocked a better timing had I reacted to the start lights faster. I am not used to having lights so low. So, my reaction time was a bit slow, and I also did a wheelie unintentionally, but it was a good run nevertheless,” said Jagan, the National track racing champion.

    Emulating the double was Sofyyan Ahamed who topped in the 360cc and 225cc classes of the National Championship. “I was much quicker in a recent drag race here, but today, I had some issues with the clutch and hence was a bit slower. But I am happy to have won a double as the competition was stiff,” said Sofyyan.

    ​

    Kalim Pasha (Bengaluru, Indian Open), Attaullah Baiq (Bengaluru, 350cc), Md Touheed (Bengaluru, 165cc) and Khalid Pasha (130cc) won in their respective classes in the the MMSC Drag Race series which doubled up as the support event.​

    The championship concludes on Sunday when the Superbikes and cars get into action that promises to be as close as it was today.

    Provisional results (National Championship – all 4-Stroke):

    Indian Open: 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai) (13.484secs); 2. Ashwin Kumar (Chennai) (13.707); 3. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (13.723).

    Up to 550cc: 1. Zaker Baig (Mysuru) (13.689); 2. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (13.725); Anantharaj (Chennai) (13.946).

    Up to 360cc: 1. Sofyyan Ahamed (Bengaluru) (15.410); 2. Avinash R (Bengaluru) (15.944); 3. Abdul Hafeez (Bengaluru) (17.130).

    Up to 225cc: 1. Sofyyan Ahamed (Bengaluru) (15.527); 2. Avinash R (15.831); 3. Harsha V (Bengaluru) (16.604).

    Up to 165cc: 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai) (14.250); 2. KY Ahmed (Chennai) (14.385); 3. Khalid Pasha (Bengaluru) (15.796).

    MMSC Drag Races (2-Stroke – winners only): Kalim Pasha (Bengaluru, Indian Open), Attaullah Baiq (Bengaluru, 350cc), Md Touheed (Bengaluru, 165cc), Khalid Pasha (130cc).

     

    eom/AP Media Communications press release

    Jagan Kumar, on way to wining the 165cc class title (4-Stroke) on Nov 12, Saturday at the Taneja Aerodrome in Hosur. Image by Anand Philar
    Jagan Kumar, on way to wining the 165cc class title (4-Stroke) on Nov 12, Saturday at the Taneja Aerodrome in Hosur. Image by Anand Philar
  • Ishaan bags Vento Cup 2016 title; Jeet clinches Jr Drivers’ Cup

    Ishaan bags Vento Cup 2016 title; Jeet clinches Jr Drivers’ Cup

    Greater Noida, 2 Oct 2016: Volkswagen Motorsport India finishes yet another thrilling season of its premium one-make series with the last round of the MMSC Volkswagen Vento Cup 2016 today. Hosted at the Buddh International Circuit, the final race of the season started in reverse grid order and concluded on an interesting note with Karminder finishing first, Ishaan coming in a near second and guest racer Rishaad Mody finishing third. However, having won five races and securing seven podium finishes so far, Ishaan had built a strong 32-point lead over Karminder by the end of the season and bagged the MMSC Volkswagen Vento Cup 2016 title.

    The final race of the season began with Niranjan Todkari starting on pole position alongside guest racer Affan Sadat from Bangladesh on the first row. However, both were unable to hold their position going into the second lap. Gowdham Murugan, who had started fourth on the grid, moved up positions and went on to lead followed by Karminder, guest racer Rishaad and title contender Ishaan in tow.

    Lap 2 saw a three-way fight between Ishaan, Rishaad and Keith for the third position which finally broke at C4 of the third lap when Ishaan overtook Rishaad. Lap 4 of the race proved to be the most exciting as Gowdham, who had been leading from the front lost his advantage with a drive-through penalty for going beyond the track limit. At this stage, Karminder who had been trailing behind Gowdham went on to take the lead in the race. From then on, Karminder remained in control and stayed ahead.

    In the fifth lap, Amit Mete lost control of his car and went on to hit the barricades forcing the Safety Car to come out. Amit emerged from the car unhurt but could not continue in the race due to the severity of damages to his car.

    Going into lap 5, 6 and 7, Karminder followed by Ishaan, Rishaad and Keith stayed behind the Safety Car till it finally pulled in by the end of the penultimate lap. Once the cars were at race pace, Karminder and Ishaan were left to battle for the first position while Keith was putting pressure on Rishaad for the third spot. Although Ishaan attempted a move on Karminder at C4 of the last lap, he wasn’t successful in getting past. The positions remained the same as the drivers drove past the chequered flag with Karminder winning the race followed by Ishaan, and guest racer Rishaad in the third place.

    Jeet Jhabak, the Junior Division driver showed a lot of promise through the season and has sealed the title as he successfully finished the final round.

    Ecstatic over winning the title Ishaan Dodhiwala said, “This was a long and hard fought season but all the preparation helped. I was confident of doing well and it feels incredible now that I have won the cup.” Commenting on the Vento Cup 2016 series he added, “The Volkswagen team has been incredible and their efforts have been phenomenal though the season. They have been extremely supportive of the racers and have given us amazing machines to run with.”

    Junior Cup winner Jeet Jhabak said, “This has been an incredible racing season for me as I was racing for the very first time. I have learnt a lot in this one-make series and having won the Junior Drivers’ Cup has given me the confidence of racing professionally in the coming years.”

    To conclude the season and congratulate the winners of the 2016 season, Sirish Vissa said, “I am really proud of how the season has ended and how these young drivers have matured into professional racers. Going into this season with a new partnership we had to do a lot of testing to see how the cars behave and we are happy with their performance on all the circuits. We make it a point at Volkswagen Motorsport to constantly invite feedback from the drivers and engineers and the Vento Cup car is a fine example of an evolved race machine with top performance.”

    Volkswagen Vento Cup 2016 – Round 4: Race 10

    Vento Cup winner Ishaan Dodhiwala (left - front row) poses with VW Motorsport head Sirish Vissa (front row right) at BIC on Sunday. A VW Motorsport image
    Vento Cup winner Ishaan Dodhiwala (left – front row) poses with VW Motorsport head Sirish Vissa (front row right) at BIC on Sunday. A VW Motorsport image
    Sr. No. Car Number Name Total Time
    1 16 Karminder Singh 23:34.724
    2 8 Ishaan Dodhiwala 23:34.994
    3 21 Rishaad Mody 23:38.416
    4 11 Keith Desouza 23:38.987
    5 7 Aditya Pawar 23:39.551
    6 20 Pradeep Rao 23:40.191
    7 15 Affan Sadat Safwan Islam 23:41.475
    8 10 Arfath Mohammad 23:42.274
    9 6 Hatim Shabbir 23:48.205
    10 22 Simran Rastogi 23:48.820
    11 12 Gowdham Murugan 23:48.901
    12 17 Arunshowry Vallabhaneni 23:49.988
    13 5 Jeet Jhabakh 23:50.088
    14 1 Rashad Khan 23:51.747
    15 9 Sree Venkata Teja 23:52.543
    16 18 Niranjan Todkari 26:55.429
    17 19 Shreyas Venkatesh 4:05.723
    18 3 Amit Mete DNF

     

  • Classy Anthony West scores a double: ARRC at BIC

    Classy Anthony West scores a double: ARRC at BIC

    New Delhi, 2 October 2016: Two 35-year old veterans, Anthony Keith West (Australia) and Decha Kraisart (Thailand) lit up the Buddh International Circuit on Sunday with a memorable battle before the former took the honours for a double in the SuperSport 600cc class on the concluding day of the fifth round of the Asia Road Racing Championship organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club.

    On the home front, Hari Krishnan Rajagopal and Mathana Kumar finished 11thand 15th in the Asia Dream Cup while the third entrant Rajiv Sethu crashed out in the very first lap.

    West, in scoring only his second win of the season, exhibited great riding skills and also showcasing his experience of having ridden in various World Championships for 16 seasons, as he won a battle with Kraisart, the former two times champion who matched the Aussie before wilting away in the final stages of the 16-lap race.

    Both West and Kraisart, who led briefly in the early stages before getting passed by the Aussie, were in a class of their own while Azlan Shah Kamaruza of Malaysia, who initially ran the front-runners close, came home in third, some six seconds adrift.

    The Asia Dream Cup race witnessed a thrilling battle with a bunch of seven riders roaring through the last corner on the last lap before Australia’s Broc Pearson snatched a win.

    Hari Krishnan, Sethu and Mathana Kumar, starting in the third and fourth rows, got entangled in the big midfield bunch and never quite broke free to challenge the front runners.

    Sethu’s race ended when he lost the front of his bike going into the sweeping parabola and crashed, while Hari Krishnan and Mathana Kumar remained in 12th and 16th positions, but moved up a spot when championship leader Hiroki Nakamura, who was running fifth, crashed in the last lap.

    Thailand’s Apiwat Wongthananon on a Yamaha yet again dominated the Asia Production 250cc class by notching his second consecutive win and eighth from 10 starts to seal the championship as he took his tally to 221 points to second-placed Takehiro Yamamoto of Japan who is on 151. With the sixth and last round to be run later this year and a maximum of 50 points at stake, Wongthananon enjoys an unassailable lead.

    Ahmad Fazli Sham of Malaysia, astride a Yamaha, won a tight race to complete a double in the Underbone 130cc class to come within three points of championship leader Indonesian Wahyu Ali Trilaksana, also on a Yamaha, who finished a close second, ahead of Md Fairues (Indonesia, Kawasaki).

    Trilaksana has 113 points to Sham’s 100 while Md Izzat Zaidi of Malaysia, having finished seventh on a Yamaha, is third on the leaderboard with 107 points, just one ahead of compatriot Md Amirul Arif Musa (Honda).

    Ishaan Dodhiwala clinched the title in the Volkswagen Vento Cup despite finishing second behind Karminder Pal Singh in the concluding race of the series while Jeet Jhabak took the crown in the Junior Division.

    The results (Provisional):

    Asia Road Racing Championship – SuperSport 600cc (Race-2, 16 laps): 1. Anthony Keith West (Australia, Yamaha) (31:03.153); 2. Decha Kraisart (Thailand, Yamaha) (31:06.352); Azlan Shah Kamaruza (Malaysia, Kawasaki) (31:10.691).

    Underbone 130cc (Race-2, 7 laps): 1. Ahmad Fazli Sham (Malaysia, Yamaha) (17:17.612); 2. Wahyu Aji Trilaksana (Indonesia, Yamaha) (17:17.733); 3. Md Haziq Md Fairues (Malaysia, Yamaha) (17:17.834).

    Asia Production 250cc (Race-2, 9 laps):  1. Apiwat Wongthananon (Thailand, Yamaha) (20:37.809); 2. Sitthisak Onchawiang (Thailand, Honda) (20:38.285); 3. Galang Hendra Pratam (Indonesia, Yamaha) (20:38.364).

    Asia Dream Cup (Race-2, 7 laps): Broc Pearson (Australia) (17:01.625); 2. Sittipon Srimoontree (Thailand) (17:02.138); 3. Hafiz Nor Azman (Malaysia) (17:02.540).

    MMSC One Make Championship – Honda CBR 250 (Open, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Abhishek Vasudev (12:52.326); 2. Anish D Shetty (12:52.386); 3. Mathana Kumar (12:52.517).

    TVS Apache RTR 200 (Open, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Shyam Shankar (13:57.809); 2. Prashanth Kumar (13:57.964); 3. Arun Muthukrishnan (13:58.001).

    Suzuki Gixxer Cup (Open, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Aaron Gunawardena (Sri Lanka) (14:07.947); 2. Meka Vidhuraj (14:08.472); 3. Vivian Gladwin (14:08.496).

    Volkswagen Vento Cup (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Karminder Pal Singh (23:34.724); 2. Ishaan Dodhiwala (23:34.994); 3. Rishaad Mody (23:38.416).

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors and to this end, it has 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 testing their products.

    eom/AP Media Communications press release

    Anthony West (No.13) leads Decha Kraisart on way to winning the SuperSport 600cc race (Oct 02) on Sunday at BIC. An MMSC image
    Anthony West (No.13) leads Decha Kraisart on way to winning the SuperSport 600cc race (Oct 02) on Sunday at BIC. An MMSC image

     

  • Sethu, Mathana Kumar among top 10: ARRC at BIC

    Sethu, Mathana Kumar among top 10: ARRC at BIC

    New Delhi, 30 Sept. 2016: Teenager Rajiv Sethu and debutant Mathana Kumar brought some cheer in the Indian camp with top-10 placing in the two Asia Dream Cup free practice sessions as the fifth round of the Asia Road Racing Championship got off to a flier at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida, on Friday.

    While 19-year old Sethu put in consistent laps to finish seventh in both sessions, Mathana, 23, came in 10th and eighth despite a crash in the second session.

    The third Indian in the Asia Dream Cup, Hari Krishnan Rajagopal, who is coming off two back-to-back podium finishes in the previous rounds, disappointed as he slipped to 16th and 14th.

    Another home hope, Shankar Sarath Kumar (T. Pro Yuzy Honda NTS with WOW team) crashed heavily on out-lap as he set out for the third and final free practice session in the SuperSport 600cc class, suffering a broken collar bone in the process and requiring a trip to the hospital.

    The crash culminated a day of frustration for Sarath Kumar who is recovering from a pre-season left knee injury. In both his previous two practice sessions today the toe slider of the left boot ripped off even as he improved on his timings.

    Sethu, who is recovering from a hip injury that he suffered after a crash in the National Championship earlier this year, seemed quite pleased with his performance, though he had some issues with his bike. “I think, I can do much better if we get the set-up right. We are working on this and hopefully, I will be able to go quicker tomorrow,” said Sethu.

    Mathana Kumar was understandably excited about his international debut. “It means a lot for me and opens up opportunities to go forward. Today, I had decent timings but for the crash. I have to also get used to the bike (Honda CBR 250) which is different from the one ride in the MMSC One Make championship,” he said.

    Hari Krishnan, who won a race in the second round and was placed second in the next outing, said: “Yes, I am a bit disappointed. I could have done much better. I had a few issues with the bike and then the crash. So, not very happy, but I hope I can put it all together over the next two days.”

    Meanwhile, the SuperSport 600cc riders dished out some thrilling fare with Thai star and former two-times champion Decha Kraisart (Yamaha) topping the timesheets in two of the three practice sessions before Australia’s Anthony Keith West, also on a Yamaha, came up with a sizzling 01min, 55.912 secs lap in the final practice, the only rider today to clock a sub one minute, 56 seconds lap.

    In the Underbone 130cc class, championship leader Wahyu Aji Trilaksana of Indonesia astride a Yamaha, qualified for pole position ahead of his closest rival Malaysian Md Amirul Musa (Honda) who was third behind Amhad Fazli Sham (Yamaha). The other championship contender Md Izzat Zaidi (Yamaha) was placed ninth.

    Ayumu Tanaka from Japan on a Kawasaki, Thailand’s Somkiat Chantra (Honda) and compatriot Apiwat Wongthananon (Yamaha) shared the honours in the three Asia Prdouction 250cc practice sessions.

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors and to this end, it has 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 testing their products.

    eom/AP Media Communications Release

    Rajiv Sethu finishes 7th in both the sessions at BIC on Friday. An AP Media Comm. image
    Rajiv Sethu finishes 7th in both the sessions at BIC on Friday. An AP Media Comm. image
    Rajiv Sethu finishes 7th in both the sessions at BIC on Friday. An AP Media Comm. image
    Rajiv Sethu finishes 7th in both the sessions at BIC on Friday. An AP Media Comm. image
  • Top Asian riders to showcase talent in ARRC at BIC

    Top Asian riders to showcase talent in ARRC at BIC

    • Asia Road Racing Championship at Buddh International Circuit
    • Over 70 riders from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and India in fray

    ​New Delhi, 29 Sept. 2016: The premium Asia Road Racing Championship, which showcases the region’s top riders and manufacturers, returns to India with the Madras Motor Sports Club organizing the fifth round of the series at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida on October 1-2.

    The ARRC round this weekend comprises the Asia Dream Cup (Honda CBR250) which will see two Indian riders, Hari Krishnan Rajagopal and Rajiv Sethu, besides the SuperSport 600cc that has country’s lone representative Shankar Sarath Kumar on the grid, the Asia Production 250cc and the Underbone 130cc.

    The three Indians apart, the ARRC will be parading plenty of exciting talent chiefly from Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia, countries that have produced riders who have progressed to the World Championship level, and four top manufacturers Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki.

    The weekend card includes the final round of the Volkswagen Vento Cup, the only four-wheeler category, apart from Round 4 of the MMSC One Make Championships in Honda (CBR 250 Open), TVS (Apache RTR 200 Open) and the Suzuki Gixxer Cup (Open) categories.

    The action begins on Thursday with Free Practice sessions for the Honda and TVS One Make Championships, the Suzuki Gixxer Cup and the ​VW Vento Cup. The ARRC riders will get into their stride with practice sessions on Friday. In all, 16 races will be held over the next two days.

    Chairman of the Meet, Vicky Chandhok said: “In keeping with MMSC’s tradition that dates back to the 1950s of organizing and promoting the highest levels of motor sport in India, we are proud to host a round of the Asia Road Racing Championship at the Buddh International Circuit this weekend.

    “The MMSC today organizes and promotes most of motor racing events in India and I am proud to say that seven of the country’s top manufacturers – Honda, Suzuki, TVS, Yamaha, KTM, Bajaj and Royal Enfield – are participating in our events in one form or other.

    “With Formula One no longer financially viable to host, it is the endeavour of MMSC to bring to India a high profile and top quality event such as the ARRC as part of our efforts to keep India on the global motor sport map besides making our country a motor sport destination.

    “We had the option of hosting the ARRC at our own MMRT tracks in Sripdumbudur at a far lesser cost, but it is MMSC’s philosophy to also support such an iconic track as the BIC which is undoubtedly among the finest race track in the World despite the phenomenal costs involved.”

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors and to this end, it has 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 testing their products.

    ​=====

    eom/AP Media Communications release

    File photo of Hari Krishnan. Photo courtesy AP Media Communications
    File photo of Hari Krishnan. Photo courtesy AP Media Communications
  • Vikash Anand wins title with a double, earns ticket to Indy shootout

    Vikash Anand wins title with a double, earns ticket to Indy shootout

    Vikash Anand in action on Sunday. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan
    Vikash Anand in action on Sunday. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan

    Chennai, 21 August 2016: Twenty-two year old Chennai lad Vikash Anand won a double to clinch the title in the MRF Formula 1600 category and a ticket for the Mazda Road to Indy shootout as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship concluded at the MMRT track in Sriperumbudur, near here on Sunday.

    Going into this weekend’s triple-header, Vikash Anand and Karthik Tharani were locked on 138 points. Anand began his campaign with a second place finish behind Tharani on Saturday, but won both the starts today to seal the championship.

    Championship winners (Left to Right) - Keith Desouza (IJTC), Arjun Narendran (ITC), Vikash Anand (MRF F1600) and Raghul Rangasamy (Super Stock, F1300). Image by Srinivasa Krishnan
    Championship winners (Left to Right) – Keith Desouza (IJTC), Arjun Narendran (ITC), Vikash Anand (MRF F1600) and Raghul Rangasamy (Super Stock, F1300). Image by Srinivasa Krishnan

    “I worked hard to win this championship and I really can’t explain how I am feeling right now. Indy is a great opportunity to go abroad and explore new opportunities and learn. I will give my best to be competitive,’’ said Vikash Anand who returned to racing this season after an 18-month break and notched six wins for a tally of 206 points, 10 ahead of Tharani.

    Also achieving a double was Raghul Rangasamy who won both the races in the F1300 Rookie Championship and annexed the title. He later went on to claim the championship in the Super Stock class after Race 2 winner Veeresh Prasad was given a 20-second penalty for overtaking under yellow flags which demoted him to fourth place. The result saw Raghul and Veeresh tying on 142 points. Raghul was declared champion on the basis of three wins to Veeresh’s two on the countback which was employed to break the tie.

    Goa’s Keith Desouza (UNIMEK Racing) topped the Indian Junior Touring Cars class with a crucial win today which helped him finish on 199 points while his nearest rival Ananth Pithawala (Team N1) from Mumbai ended up on 191.

     

    Coimbatore’s Arjun Narendran (Red Rooster Racing), who had already clinched the championship in the premium Indian Touring Cars class, ended the season with a double for a tally of 240 points, well clear of Bengaluru’s Deepak Paul Chinnappa (Race Concepts) who finished on 135.

    Ishaan Dodhiwala from Delhi won Sunday’s both races in the Volkswagen Vento Cup to consolidate his position at the top of the leaderboard.

    The results (Provisional):

    MRF F1600 (Race 2, 10 laps): 1. Vikash Anand (Chennai) (16mins, 54.111secs); 2. Raghul Rangasamy (Chennai) (16:58.677); 3. Karthik Tharani (Chennai) (17:02.390). Race 3 (10 laps): 1. Vikash Anand (16:55.247); 2. Karthik Tharani (16:56.108); Anindith Reddy (Hyderabad) (17:03.391). Championship: 1. Vikash Anand 206 points; 2. Karthik Tharani Singh 196; 3. Raghul Rangasamy 171.

    Indian Touring Cars (Race 2, 8 laps): 1. Arjun Narendran (Red Rooster Racing) (15:14.881); 2. Ashish Ramaswamy (Red Rooster Racing) (15:26.777); 3. Siva Ramakrishnan (Red Rooster Racing) (15:34.819).

    Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race 2, 10 laps): 1.Keith Desouza (Unimek Racing) (23:54.238); 2.Ananth Pithawalla (Team N1) (23:55.704); 3.Charen Chandran (Red Rooster Performance) (23:57.784). Championship: 1.Keith Desouza 199; 2.Ananth Pithawala 191; 3.R Sri Hariram 113.

    Super Stock (Race 2, 10 laps):  1.Raghul Rangasamy (Performance Racing) (24:04.104); 2.Deepak Ravi Kumar (Pvt) (24:06357); 3.Dean Mascarenhas (Race Concepts) (24:08161). Championship: 1.Raghul Rangasamy 142 (3 wins); 2.Veeresh Prasad 142 (2 wins); 3.Dean Mascarenhas 117.

    F1300 Rookie Championship (Race 2, 8 laps): 1. Raghul Rangasamy (Wallace Sports) (15:38.816); 2. Tejasram CS (Wallace Sports) (15:43.047); 3. Alex Bora (Wallace Sports) (15:43.896). Championship: 1. Raghul Rangasamy 205; Tejasram CS 179; Alex Bora 135.

    Volkswagen Vento Cup (Race 2, 9 laps): 1. Ishaan Dodhiwala (Hyderabad) (20:13.197); 2. Dhruv Bhel (Delhi) (20:15.171); 3. Niranjan B Todkari (Pune) (20:17.447).  Race 3: 1. Dodhiwala (Hyderabad) (19:44.856); 2.Karminder Pal Singh (New Delhi) (19:46.918); 3. Todkari (19.50.640).

    Caption: Championship winners (Left to Right) – Keith Desouza (IJTC), Arjun Narendran (ITC), Vikash Anand (MRF F1600) and Raghul Rangasamy (Super Stock, F1300)

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors and to this end, it has 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 testing their products.

    ends/AP Media comm. release

  • 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
    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.

  • Madras Motor Sports Club

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved from Sholavaram to its present location in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities.

    In 2019, at a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.

    The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and are the top FMSCI club to take motorsport in India to greater heights by organising racing, rallying, drag races national championships over the years. Endurance National Championship is in the offing but is put off due to Covid19. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors, and to this end, it has chalked out various progressive programmes.

    From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2014, making it the only club which owns such a facility that has been further upgraded with international-standard Paddock, complete with VIP hospitality suites, 20 spacious garages and a separate Paddock on the western side with its own circuit.

    The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the FIM Asia Road Racing Championships (2-wheelers) 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 testing their products.