Chennai to host Asian Bike championship

The third leg of the Petronas Asia Road Racing Championship for two-wheelers will be held at the refurbished Madras Motor Race Track here from July 12 to 14 with some of the best riders from the region in attendance.

This will be the fourth time that the MMRT will be hosting the championship in five years after missing the event in 2012 when the track was closed for renovations.

This year, the championship features three classes - the developmental Underbone 115cc, the scholarship mid-level Asia Dream Cup and the premier SuperSports 600cc. The practice and qualifying sessions will be run on July 12 and 13 with the races the following day.

TWMR promotions director Ron Hogg said he was very pleased with the commitment showed by the parties involved to further strengthen motorsports presence in India and hoped the cooperation would continue for years to come.

"Hosting an international racing event is a big step for India and it will most certainly help stimulate the growth of motorsports in this country which is a very important market for the global motorcycle industry," he said.

Fans attending are also in for a treat as Hogg further revealed there will be no admission fee to watch the action-packed races.

"That said, we will also be offering spectators free admission for next weekend's race and we hope there will be a sizable crowd at the event to cheer on the riders," Hogg said.

Vicky Chandok, president of the Federation of Motorsports Clubs of India (FMSCI) said: "It is great to see the ARRC return to India at the MMRT. The ARRC is the pinnacle of two-wheeler racing in Asia and a great platform for upcoming riders to showcase their talent."