JOIN USMumbai's Rahil Noorani grabbed the limelight winning the first race of the Volkswagen Polo Cup, while Vishnu Prasad, who won both the races in the first leg last month, claimed honours in the second race today before a good holiday crowd.
In Super Saloon cars category, industrialist and veteran driver B Vijayakumar made good use of a swift start ahead of Radha Selvaran to win the event, while Chennai's Baja Vijay, who finished first in the IJTC Cup events yesterday and today was stripped off points in both races held yesterday and today by Stewards for "technical infringement".
This helped drivers who finished second, third and fourth yesterday and today to finish on podium in that order in two races held in the second leg. Kerala's Dilith T Shaji (LCT Singaram), S Narendran (IPL Power Pak) and Jai Prashanth Venkat (LCT Singaram) were declared top three winners.
The lone Formula event held on the reverse grid rule or top four positions on pole saw a stiff fight. Drivers swapped the leader spot for almost each lap of the ten-lapper with 21 cars in the fray.
Ameya, starting at fifth, moved up a spot and tried his best to pass others, but failed. TVS Girling's Karthik Krishna led the field from second to seventh lap. Ameya with a better powered car got to the left of slipstreaming cars in front and attacked from an outer line.
Winner of the first race yesterday, Ameya got past Wallace Sports Goutham Parekh in the eighth lap and then held on to win the race by fractions of seconds from Goutham Parekh, who finished runner-up. Karthik Krishna settled for third spot.
Deepak Ravi Kumar,who won both races in the first round last month and finished runner-up yesterday, gradually made up from sixth on grid to finish fourth for 10 points to lead the table with 80 points. Karthik Krishna has tallied 51 to be in second spot, while Ameya is on 50 with two wins for third place.
In Super Saloon event, T R Radha Sevlarajan is leading the points table with 86 followed by Rajvirudhan (63) and B Vijay Kumar (60 pts).
Polo R Cup: (Race 1, 15 laps): 1. Rahil Noorani (Mumbai) 19:28.757s; 2. Ajay Kini (Chennai) 19:32.136s; 3. Vishnu Prasad (Chennai) 19:32.509s.
Saloon cars: (Race 2): 1. B. Vijay Kumar 12:36.348; 2. Radha Selvaraj 12:37.277; 3. D. Vidhyaprakash 12:55.033.
Indian Junior Touring Cars: (Race 2): 1. T.S. Diljith (LCT Singaram) 9:36.453; 2. S Narendran (IPL Power Pak) 9:40.499; 3. Jai Prasanth Venkat 13:43.355 secs
Formula Swift (Race 2): 1. Ameya Walavalkar (Mars) 12:19.697; 2.Goutham Parekh (Wallace Sports) 12:21.222; 3. Karthik Krishna (TVS Girling) 12:21.818.
Volkswagen Polo Cup-(1st Race): 1. Rahil Noorani (Mumbai) 19:28.57 secs, 2.Ajay Kini (Chennai) 19:32.136 secs, 3. Vishnu Prasad (Chennai) 19:32.509 secs
Volkswagen Polo Cup (2nd Race): 1. Vishnu Prasad 19:52.823 secs; 2.Oshan Kothadiya (Pune) 19:55.440 secs; 3. Rahil Noorani 19:56.210 secs.