Fahad Kutty clinches golden double
Chennai, 26 August 2012: Dark Don Racing driver Ashwin Sundar in the LGB Formula 4 category, made light work of slippery conditions with superb driving to give his team its first ever race victory in the second race of Round 3 of the 15th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship.
Arjun Balu (20:04.406 seconds) won the Indian Touring Cars race almost seven seconds ahead of second placed V.Rajvirdhan of Prime Racing (20:11.191 seconds). Veteran racer N.Leelakrishanan (20:15.347 seconds) of Big Foots Coimbatore came third. Balu dedicated his win to the memory of racing champion the Late. Karivaradhan, at the suburban MMST track near Sriperumbudur today.
It was a creditable display by Ashwin Sundar, who had a difficult time with his car in the last two races, as he exhibited his skills to make sure he finished on the podium yesterday and today.
Bangalore’s Sudarshan Rao, a Jet Airways Pilot, made sure a one-two finish for his team Rayo Racing. Sudarshan, lying in second spot, had to surrender his position to his team mate Varun Nathani of Mumbai, who kept the pressure on taking Rao to third spot.
Ashwin Sundar needed 22:00.197 seconds to take the top honours, while Varun clocked 22:06.269 seconds and Sudarshan 22:07.393 seconds for third place. Sudarshan, who had a second place and first spot finishes, tallied 58 points to lead the overall table followed by Varun Nathani at 46 and Ashwin Sundar respectively for second and third places.
In all counts, the Kozhikode born Fahad Kutty was the lone driver amongst his category of racers in the Indian Junior Touring Cars, who witnessed grabbing a deserving double. Fahad, aged 30 and owning an automobile based business in Mumbai city, has been in the circuit for three years. Today, the driver demonstrated that he is made of a different metal.
Yesterday, he had to bring in all his resources on the track to pass the leader to take the top honours but today he had a rather easy time clinching the title, and a double at that! Diljith Shaji, also from Kerala, driving for Eram Group Sports Club and Kashit Kapadia, Team Game Over, came second and third respectively.
In the JK Tyre-Volkswagen Polo R Cup, Mumbai’s Ameya Walavalkar won the first race, while Ajay Kini claimed the honours in the second race today.
Results:
LGB Formula 4: 1.Ashwin Sundar (Dark Don Racing) 22:00.192 secs, 2.Varun Nathwani (Rayo Racing) 22:06.269 secs, 3. Sudarshan Rao (Rayo Racing) 22:07.393 secs,
Indian Touring Cars: 1. Arjun Balu (Tiger Sports) 20:04.406 secs, 2.V.Rajvirdhan (Prime Racing) 20:11.191 secs, 3. N.Leela Krishnan (Big Foots Racing) 20:15.347 secs,
Indian Junior Touring Cars: 1. Fahad Kutty (Team Game Over) 22:39.788 secs, 2.Diljith Shaji (Eram Group Sports Club) 22:40.761 secs, 3. Kashit Kapadia (Team Game Over) 23:05.332 secs,
JK Tyre-VW Polo R Cup: 1. Ameya Walavalkar (Mumbai) 20:30.378 secs, 2.Sailesh Bolisetti (Visag) 20:32.018 secs, 3.A.Sandeep Kumar (Chennai) 20:39.259 secs, 4. Avdumber Hede (Goa) 20:39.371.
Note: Sailesh Bolisetti is a guest driver and thus Sandeep Kumar and Hede get promoted to second and third positions.
Second Race: 1. Ajay Kini (Bangalore) 20:40.108 secs, 2. Mihir Dharkar (Mumbai) 20:40.432 secs, 3.Ameya Walavalkar (Mumbai) 20:40.434 secs.
Overall points for top three-placing for three legs:
LGB Formula 4 (For four races): 1. Sudarshan Rao (Rayo Racing)—58 pts, 2. Varun Nathwani (Rayo Racing) 46, 3.Ashwin Sundar (Dark Don Racing) 43,
Indian Touring Cars: (For four races as 2nd and 4th races under investigation): 1. Arjun Balu (Tiger Sports)—68, Rajvirdhan (Prime Racing) 58, 3. Leela Krishnan (Big Foods) 30,
Indian Junior Touring Cars (for six races) : 1. Fahad Kutty (Team GameOver)–125, 2.Diljith Shaji (Eram Group Sports Club)—82, 3. S.Feroz Khan—76,
JK Tyre-VW Polo R Cup (for six races): 1.Ameya Walavalkar (Mumbai)—176, 2.Sandeep Kumar (Chennai)—155 and Mihir Dharkar (Mumbai) 155 (shared the spot).
ends
