KY Ahamed leads front row sweep for TVS Racing

Chennai, 3 Feb 2022: KY Ahamed led a front-row lockout for TVS Racing as he took pole position in the premier Pro-Stock 165cc Open category as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 commenced at the MMRT, here on Thursday.

Ahamed clocked 01 minute, 54.353 seconds while his team-mates Deepak Ravikumar (01:54.988) and championship leader Jagan Kumar (01:55.179) filled the front row. Incidentally, Jagan, a nine-times National champion, needs a total of 10 points in this weekend’s double-header to seal the title.

Pacer Yamaha team, making a comeback to the championship after a dozen years, had two of their riders, Prabhu Arunagiri (P4) and Mithun Kumar (P6) in the second row along with Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing’s Rajiv Sethu qualified P5.

Earlier, Sparks Racing’s Allwin Xavier, a 22-year old engineering student from Thrissur, who is currently placed third on the leaderboard, grabbed the pole position, clocking 02:07.266.

Championship co-leader Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports) from Chennai (02:07.466) was second while Mysuru rider, Varun Nanjundegowda (Sparks Racing), completed the front row on the grid for tomorrow’s first of three races, with a hot lap of 02:08.474. Anfal Akdhar (Rockstar Racing), also from Thrissur, who is tied on points with Alwin Sundar, will start from P9, some two seconds off the pace.

In the Girls (Stock 165cc) category, Lani Zena Fernandez (Speed Up Racing) from Puducherry qualified for pole position ahead of Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) who has already clinched the title in this category, and last year’s champion Ann Jennifer (Sparks Racing).

Meanwhile, Bengaluru’s Anish Damodara Shetty (Race Concepts), currently placed second in the championship behind veteran Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate), posted the quickest time during the free practice session in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc category, with a best lap of 01:50.614secs. TVS Racing’s Deepak Ravikumar (01:51.175) was the second quickest, ahead of Rajini (01:51.638).

Provisional results (Qualifying – best laps):

Pro-Stock 165cc: 1. KY Ahamed (TVS Racing, Chennai) (01min, 54.353secs); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (01:54.988); 3. Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (01:55.179).

Novice (Stock 165cc): 1. Allwin Xavier (Sparks Racing, Thrissur) (02:07.266); 2. Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports, Chennai) (02:07.466); 3. Varun Nanjundegowda (Sparks Racing, Mysuru) (02:08.474).

Girls (Stock 165cc): 1. Lani Zena Fernandez (Speed Up Racing, Puducherry) (02:10.011); 2. Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, Chennai) (02:10.213); 3. Ann Jennifer (Sparks Racing, Chennai) (02:11.052).

TVS One-Make Championship – Open (RR 310): 1. Ami Van (Auroville) (01:56.505); 2. Jagadeesh N (Bengaluru) (01:56.724); 3. Navaneeth Kumar (Puducherry) (01:56.836).

Girls (Apache RTR 200): 1. Deepika Reddy (Hyderabad) (02:12.895); 2. Rakishitha Dave (Chennai) (02:15.137); 3. Adlin Seles (Chennai) (02:15.206).

Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – CBR 150: 1. Prakash Kamat (Bokaro Steel City) (02:08.265); 2. Vivek Gaurav (Patna) (02:08.559); 3. Theopaul Leander (Chennai) (02:09.128)

Hornet 2.0 (Support class): 1. Kevin Kannan (Chennai) (02:11.712); 2. G Balaji (Chennai) (02:13.053); 3. Shankar Guru (Chennai) (02:14.264).