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
