Coimbatore: Day 1 in Round 2 of the 16th JK Tyre Racing Championship 2013 presented motorsport aficionados with countless moments packed with speed, thrills and excitement at the historic Kari Motor Speedway in Chettipalayam near here. While Vishnu Prasad cornered glory and took the chequered flags in the newly introduced JK Racing India Series and one race of the Formula LGB 4 class, Sarosh Hataria delighted spectators with a grand display of swiftness and excellent control.
Race 1 of the JK Racing India Series saw Vishnu Prasad taking pole with a best lap time of 1 minute 06.799 seconds and a top speed of 113.175 kmph. Keeping him company were Bangalore boys Arjun Maini and Akhil Rabindra.
Making the start he desired under overcast skies, the promising Prasad went on to get better and more confident with each passing lap, and registered a smooth victory.
Winning in a total time of 17:40.299 the Chennai racer said, “I am glad to have won this race and thank JK Tyre for the opportunity.
EUROINTERNATIONAL has been extremely helpful with the car. For my part, I feel satisfied to have put in some consistent driving throughout the race. I am now much more comfortable in the car.”
Though Maini hoped for a better start, he put in steady yet careful driving and retained his No. 2 spot (17:40.973), driving admirably. Kohlapur’s Chittesh Mandody, who is known to thrive under challenging situations, overtook Rabindra in the first quarter of the contest and stayed there (17:41.161). The podium belonged to the three young men, who are proud graduates from JK Tyre’s karting programmes. Championship points leader Akhil Khushlani did not have the best of qualifying and finished fourth.
Introduced to the championship last year, the Formula LGB 4 continued to prove its credibility as India’s finest grassroots level Formula car. The first of the weekend’s three races witnessed Coimbatore’s Sarosh Hataria - already in the lead on the championship points table – clinching pole with a best time of 1:12.486 seconds. Driving with confidence and poise, the Dark Don Racing driver went on to register a delightful lights to flag win in a total time of 19:38.407.
“I was disappointed with practice but feel vital setup changes on the car made all the difference. The results are proof of the improvement on the car”, said Hataria.
An unlucky Ameya Bafna (Rayo Racing), who started a promising second on the grid, was forced to finish fourteenth due to a mid-race incident, in the bargain giving Chennai’s Saran Vikram the perfect opportunity to race ahead into second place, which he kept until the end. Likewise, Vishnu Prasad (Meco Racing), who started fourth, also grabbed the opportunity to register a second podium finish of the day and come third. As this race progressed, the pack of the top three built up an enviable lead and were invincible throughout.
An immensely exciting second Formula LGB 4 race was flagged off under wet conditions and witnessed a constant drizzle. While it empowered racers who love driving in the rain, it was challenging for others. Vishnu Prasad was the one who excelled under the conditions, and was part of a battle royale for first spot. The race saw Prasad winning in style (21:59.648) and in the scheme of things, clinching a dream third podium on the same day. Coming second, Dark Don Racing’s Advait Deodhar secured his first ever podium finish (22:00.454) while Saran Vikram finished third (22:01.653).
Day 1 of Round 2 clearly belonged to Prasad, who drove magnificently well in the races in which he participated.
In the qualifying races for the JK Tyre Volkswagen Polo R Cup, Prashant Tharani clinched pole with the quickest timing of 1:14.844 seconds followed by South African driver Jeffrey Kruger, Samarth Jaiswal, Yatin Magu and Rahil Noorani.
The races on Sunday, 11th August 2012 will commence at 9:30 am. Two races of the JK Racing India Series, two of the Volkswagen Polo R Cup and one Formula LGB 4 race will be held apart from a host of other exciting support events.
JK Racing India Series – Race 1
1. Vishnu Prasad (17:40.299) 2. Arjun Maini (17:40.973) 3. Chittesh Mandody (17:41.161)
Formula LGB 4 - Race 1
1. Sarosh Hataria (19:41.340) 2. Saran Vikram (19:41.340) 3. Vishnu Prasad (19:41.980)
Formula LGB 4 – Race 2
1. Vishnu Prasad (21:59.648) 2. Advait Deodhar (22:00.454) 3. Saran Vikram (22:01.653)
VW Polo R Cup – Qualifying
1. Prashanth Tharani (1:14.844) 2. Jeffrey Kruger (1:15.099) 3. Samarth Jaiswal (1:15.460)