Rahul, Dhruv Shivaji win titles in MRF car racing

Raghul Rangasamy of Mamallapuram and Kohlapur's Dhruv Shivaji Mohite won the titles in the MRF F1600 and Indian Touring Cars categories respectively in the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI National Car racing championship at nearby Sriperumbudur on Sunday.

Also winning national titles in their respective categories at the MMRT track were Rithvik Thomas, a 26-year old from Bengaluru (Super Stock), Chennais Ashwin Datta (Formula LGB 1300) who had sealed the title on Saturday itself, Hyderabads Jeet Jhabakh (Ameo Class) and Aiman Sadat (Bangladesh, Ameo Class Junior).

Rangasamy, 26, thus, earned a sponsored drive from MRF Tyres in one round of the Civic Cup Racing Championship in the United Kingdom.

Although he finished fifth in the last race, he picked up sufficient points to annex the title for the second year in a row capping a highly productive weekend, when he netted 138 points.

I am thrilled at this opportunity to race abroad and thank MRF for this opportunity which came as a pleasant surprise for me. As for this weekend, I came in trailing Sohil Shah by 43 points after a poor start to the season and was determined to win as many races as possible, said Rangasamy, who had started weekend in seventh position on the leaderboard.

With the ITC championship hanging in balance, the focus was on leader Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) who led Rayo Racings Mohite by four points.

However, the reverse grid put paid to Balus aspirations as he started ninth while Mohite occupied P6.

As the 10-lap race unfolded, it went topsy-turvy with septuagenarian D Vidyaprakash making two places to take the lead before he was overhauled by the faster Arjun Narendran (Arka Motorsports) and the Ventos of Mohite and Karthik Tharani.

Balu made a few spots but got stuck behind Daniel Rowe, the South African guest driver.

Eventually, Narendran, a former national champion and taking part in this round as a non-registered driver (not eligible for championship points), won by the proverbial country mile, followed by Mohite, Tharani, Rowe and Balu.

Mohite, winner of three National karting titles and the Volkswagen Ameo Cup last year, said:"... it has been a great journey for me, from karting to the Ameo Cup, but winning the Touring Cars title tops it all.

"Coming into this weekend, I knew it would be tough going, but the unfortunate retirement of Arjun Balu yesterday turned everything in my favour."
Results (Provisional, all 8 laps unless mentioned):