Motorcycle Drag Racing: Muddappa sets national record in third, final round

Multiple-time national champion Hemanth Mudappa of Mantra Racing clinched the national championship in both the top-two classes, with record-setting performances in the third and final round of the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship here on Sunday.

The combination of Muddappa and Sharan Pratap, his tuner, produced a magic run that not only got them a record in both the top classes but helped the Kodava star to clinch the Drag National title.

Bengaluru's Mudappa won his fifth consecutive national title in the premier Super Sport 1051cc and above class for super bikes and also clinched the national championship in the 851 to 1050cc class with a double gold on Sunday.

Overall that makes him a nine-time Indian National Drag champion. He won the premier class in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. He also bagged four other titles in lower classes.

Mudappa clipped a good one-tenth of a second to clock 7.749 seconds, astride the black Suzuki Hayabusa touching speeds of 239.58 at the 302-metre Madras Motor Sports Club's iconic circuit.

Thus, he broke his own record of 7.913s which he set in Round 2 in October 2021. In the 851cc to 1050cc class, he broke his own record.

"I am on cloud nine. Behind my performance is a dedicated Mantra Racing who have worked day and night tirelessly," said Muddappa.

"A lot of testing and development based on the collected data is a testimony to the commitment to every member of my team. Clipping two-tenths is a very, very big achievement in drag.