TVS’ Rajendra sets fastest time; wins Round 1: 2w Rally
Madikeri, 22 May 2023: Defending champion Rajendra RE of Petronas TVS Racing began his title defence clocking the best time as he won the premier class in the MRF Rally of Coorg, the first round of the National Rally Championship for two-wheelers 2023 here on Sunday.
The first round of the two-wheeler National Rally Championship was organised by Ace Events and promoted by Godspeed Racing. While MRF sponsored the event, many of the riders were individually supported by Vamsi Merla Sports Foundation.
In the Ladies class, young Tanika Shanbagh of Satara (Hero MotoSports) dominated the proceedings all through and won the class with ease and also beat the times of fancied Aishwarya Pissay, the reigning champion, in three of the six special stages. Tanika also finished a creditable overall 30th, among 94 finishers, just two spots behind 2019 World Baja champion Pissay. The six-time national champion, Pissay, moved to the top class contending on equal footing with the male bikers on a TVS Apache RTR 450.
Nataraj of Bengaluru won the Superbike Expert class while Stephen Roy of Kodagu beat Ajin Abraham of Kottayam to clinch the Supersport 165cc Group B class.
Imran Pasha (Supersport 260cc Group B) and Syed Asif Ali (Scooters) won two more titles for Petronas TVS Racing team while Tanika kept the Hero MotoSports flag flying winning the Ladies class victory.
Shivamogga’s Darpan Darshan became Star of Karnataka winning the local class while Stephen Roy, Russel Jossey, Arun Jossey M and Nitish Bharadwaj won the other classes.
Provisional Results:
Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert Group A: 1. Rajendra RE (Petronas TVS Racing) (1hour, 5min, 13.356sec); 2. Samuel Jacob (TVS) (1:05.40.361); 3. Abdul Waheed Tanveer (TVS) (1:06:06.253).
Class 2 Superbike Expert Group A: 1. Nataraj (Bengaluru) (1:09:33.070); 2. Dhritimaan Singh (Dehradun) (1:12:23.307); 3. Sinan Francis (Ernakulam) (1:13:47.472).
Class 10 Star of Karnataka: 1. Darpan Darshan (Shivamogga) (1:22:56.020); 2. Yamanurappa Hugar (Kachohalli) (1:24:13.725 including 1min 51sec penalty); 3. Kiran Kumar S (Mysore) (1:24:33.249).
Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B: 1. Stephen Roy (Kodagu) (1:13:21.324); 2. Ajin Abraham (Kottayam) (1:13:41.419); 3. Akhil Joy (Ernakulam) (1:16:11.147).
Classs 4: Supersport 260 Group B: 1. Imran Pasha (Petronas TVS Racing) (1:06:34.949); 2. T Arun (Hero Motosports) (1:06:58.310); 3. Karan Kumar (Hero Motosports) – 01:08:57.733)
Class 5: Supersport 400 Grouop B: 1. Russel Jossey (Mumbai) (1:16:54.803); 2. Rohit Shinde (Baramathi) (1:21:41.088); 3. Akhand Pratap Singh (Uttarakhand) (1:22:35.504).
Class 6: Supersport 550 Group B: 1. Arun Joy M (Eranakulam) (1:18:23.852); 2. Jeemon Anthony (Kochi) (1:19:12.449); 3. Sharath Kumar (Bengaluru) (1:20:27.756);
Class 7: Scooters up to 210cc Group B: 1. Syed Asif Ali (TVS) – 01:19:26.866; 2. N Karthik Naidu (TVS) (1:21:19.864); 3. Pinkesh Thakkar (JB Racing) (1:21:48.845).
Class 8: Women’s Class Group B: 1. Tanika Shanbhag (Hero MotoSports) (1:19:04.992); 2. Tanaya Singh (Hero MotoSports) (1:25:20.163); 3. Fazeela U (Palakkad) (1:32:18.855).
Class 9: Super Stock up to 450cc Group D: 1. Nitish Bharadwaj (Kulu) (1:14:29.829); 2. Shailesh Kumar (Erode) (1:14:37.088); 3. R Sabarish (Coimbatore) (1:15:44.466).
Last edited on 30May2023
