National racing championship to kick off in Coimbatore

The national racing championship will get underway at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Saturday.

The racing capital of India here is abuzz with excitement at the prospect of the upgraded Formula BMW cars, rechristened as the Euro JK 16, being unveiled and scorching the track over the weekend. With new aerodynamics and slicker new tyres, they are expected to shave off 8 to 10 seconds over the race distance of 2.1 kilometre compared to last year.

The longest running racing championship, in its 19th edition, will see old rivalries resume and new challengers emerge in three categories, the Euro JK 16 India Series, the LGB 4 and the Indian Touring Cars.

Leading the pack in the Euro JK 16 category will be well-known racers Krishnaraaj Mahadik and Akhil Rabindra who have been creating ripples in the British Formula 3 championships. Akash Gowda, Mohammed Nalwalla and Kush Maini, who have been pitting their skills against the world's best in the FIA Formula 4 will also be strong contenders in a field of 12 racers.

Among the debutants in this class, all eyes will be on defending Senior Max champion Ricky Donison. Currently the runaway leader in the JK Tyre-FMSCI National rotax karting championship, he will be hoping to make a successful transition from karting to single-seater racing.

The LGB 4 races promise to be equally fascinating with Sudarshan Karwal, Rohit Khanna and Sneha Sharma expected to be among the title contenders. Apart from Sneha, Mira Erda is the other woman racer making it a pack of 19 top racers. Twenty three year old Vishnu Prasad, a seasoned racer and winner, will be hoping to crack this jigsaw and add this trophy to his cabinet.

The return of the Indian Touring Class, involving super saloons, to the championship is a welcome addition to this year's calendar. Defending champion Arjun Narendran will be the name to watch out for in this class.

In addition, 20 women bikers from Bengaluru who are part of the popular Bikerni group, will be riding around the city on Saturday and Sunday to promote road safety among youngsters.

--IANS

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