Bengaluru: Ten-time Indian National champion, Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing will begin his campaign on Sunday in Round 2 of the 2023 season of the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Drag Championship at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) here on Saturday.
Muddappa holds both the National Records in the ‘851 to 1050cc class’ and the ‘1051cc and above class’ which he bettered last season. Apart from these two classes, he will take part in the 550-850cc class, and the Unrestricted Open category which is reintroduced this year as championship class. The 851 to 1050cc class is now a support category and will not count for the National championship.
On Saturday, Mohammed Arfath became the fastest rider of the day on their way to winning the Super Sport 2-stroke 131cc to 165cc class and bagging two more podium places, while Mohammed Fazil won the Super Sport Indian 4-stroke up to 165cc class and Abdul Shaik claimed the Super Sport 2-stroke up to 130cc class.
All three riders are from Team G1Racing, and their bikes are tuned by Waseem Akram. Jagathishree beat defending champion Lani Zena Fernandes in the Girls’ class.
On Sunday, the top four classes will be held. “We started well in the first round, and we are well prepared as we aim to go for three National titles this year,” said a confident Muddappa of the Mantra Racing team.
Provisional Results (Round 2):
Girls 4-stroke up to 165cc: 1 Jagthishree 16.650 seconds; 2. Lani Zena Fernandes16.920; 3. Soundari A 16.949;
SuperSport 2-stroke up to 130cc: 1. Abdul Shaik 13.438; 2. Mohammed Arfath13.715; 3. R Sirajuddin 14.140;
SuperSport 2-stroke 131 to 165cc: 1. Mohammed Arfath 13.187; 2. Mustafa Siraj Khan 13.268; 3. Abdul Shaik 13.283;
Super Sport Indian 4-stroke up to 165cc: 1. Mohammed Fazil 14.327;2. Aravind Ganesh 14.335; 3. Mohammed Arfath 14.482.
–IANS