Kari Motor Speedway set to host National Racing Championship, Ameo Cup races

The blast from the finely tuned saloon racing cars will yet again reverberate through the Kari Motor Speedway here when MRF MMSC Indian National Racing Championship along with the Volkswagen Ameo Cup gets underway on Saturday.

A dozen entries, headlined by reigning champion and local favourite Arjun Narendran will form the grid for the triple-header in the premiere Indian Touring Cars (ITC) class while the Volkswagen Ameo Cup has 20 drivers, including two from Bangladesh, in the fray, according to a release.

Narendran, winner of eight of the 10 races last season, will again lead the challenge for Red Rooster Racing team. As in the past, he will have to contend with competition from Bengaluru's Race Concepts and Mumbai's Team N1 besides Chennai outfits Performance Racing and RAD Racing.

Also in the hunt are two Coimbatore-based veterans of Prime Racing team -- Vidyaprakash, who at 72 has completed over 50 years in racing, and B. Vijayakumar, who developed the Kari Motor Speedway. The pair has been carrying the flag for old-timers, and still fiercely competitive.

The ITC races have always been featured by high adrenaline rush and extremely tight, edge-of-the-seat competition. This season will be no different and the spectators will have plenty to cheer about.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Motorsport has taken another big step up by introducing the powerful Ameo car which replaces the Vento of last season.

The Ameo is powered by a 1.8-litre, turbocharged TSI petrol engine that produces 205hp, and equipped with a six-speed racing sequential gearbox with steering-mounted paddle shifters. The car runs on new 17-inch wheels.

The 20 drivers for Ameo Cup were short-listed from over 500 entries across India following a selection process that also involved evaluation of the aspirant's fitness, driving skills and discipline. Of the 20 entrants, eight are from previous season's Vento Cup and Polo Cup.

During the season, more international racing drivers are expected to make appearances as guest drivers for single rounds as a part of exchange programme run by Volkswagen Motorsport globally.

--IANS

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