JK Tyre Racing Championship: Prasad, Tharani and Manmeet Singh crowned champions in season finale

Reporting by: Rachit Thukral

The 17th running of JK Tyre Racing Championship came to a conclusion at the Buddh International Circuit on Sunday with Vishnu Prasad, Akhil Rabindra, Ameya Bafna and Manmeet Singh all scoring wins in their respective categories.

Drivers had to deal with tricky damp conditions with low temperatures adding to their misery. However, unlike yesterday, tail/head wind wasn’t a problem for the drivers.

FB02: PRASAD CLINCHES TITLE WITH SECOND VICTORY OF THE WEEKEND

Chennai’s Vishnu Prasad emerged victorious in the FB02 category of the JK Tyre Racing Championship by winning the second race of the weekend earlier this morning. The 21 year old was engaged in a heated battle with Bengaluru’s Akhil Rabindra who himself had to resist a challenge from Krishnaraj Mahadik, particularly in the latter part of the race.

In the third FB02 race, Akhil Rabindra passed Sandeep Kumar after the latter overshot at turn 1, paving way for Rabindra to take the lead of the race. Prasad finished third on the road, taking his final tally to 104 points.

However, Prasad had little reason to celebrate with his future very much hanging in the air. Having been detained in India with lack of sponsorship, the Chennai born driver desperately wants to graduate to other racing series outside of the country.

LGB FORMULA 4: PRASAD TAKES ANOTHER VICTORY IN TENSE RACE

Vishnu Prasad took the top step of the podium in the LBG Formula 4 race in what he described as one of the best race of his life.

A trail of four cars led by Diljith - who sealed the championship yesterday - set the crowd alight with their wheel-to-wheel fights. The Dark Don Racing driver did a decent job of holding on to his lead before he made contact with the Meco Racing car of Sandeep Kumar, incurring a puncture in the process.

With the challenge from Diljith subsiding, the remaining three drivers - Vishnu Prasad, Sandeep Kumar and Karthik Shankar - fought for the race win in a battle that continued till the chequered flag was dropped on lap eight. Kumar made a last turn effort to take the race win but couldn’t pass Prasad who crossed the line with just over a second in hand.

Shankar who returned to racing this year after a three year sabbatical made it three out of three podiums this weekend with a fine third place result at the Buddh International Circuit.

POLO R CUP: THARANI SECURES COME-FROM-BEHIND TITLE AS BAFNA IMPRESSES

Guest driver Ameya Bafna overtook Karthik Tharani at turn 4 on the final lap of the race to take the victory in the last Volkswagen Polo R Cup race. With Bafna not eligible for points, the second place result was enough for Tharani to seal the title by 11 points.

Karminder Pal Singh arrived at the final round of the championship with a healthy advantage but could do little to prevent the title from his slipping away and into the hands of Tharani who finished 1st, 2nd, 2nd respectively in the three races scheduled for the weekend.

Also finishing on the podium in race three was Hike messenger’s design head Lee Keshav. The Delhi born racer also took part in the FB02 race this weekend, albeit with disappointing results.

SUPERBIKES CUP: MANMEET SINGH TAKES TITLE WITH VICTORY IN ROUND TWO

Manmeet Singh took the Superbikes Cup title - a new addition to the JK Tyre Racing Championship - by winning today’s race by four tenths of a second from Vijay Singh. Rajasthan’s Aashir Agarwal completed the podium.

With no wet weather tyres for the superbikes, the race was delayed by more than an hour and the riders still had to be extra cautious on a track that had visible wet patches.

FB02 RESULTS

Race 2:
1. Vishnu Prasad (24:02.596)
2. Akhil Rabindra (24:02.821)
3. Krishnaraj Mahadik (24:03.447)

Race 3:
1. Akhil Rabindra (23:33.092 )
2. Sandeep Kumar (23:38.224 )
3. Vishnu Prasad (23:39.820)

VOLKSWAGEN POLO R CUP
Race 3
1. Ameya Bafna (21:11.344)
2. Karthik Tharani (21:11.548 )
3. Lee Keshav Gupta (21:16.759)

LGB FORMULA 4
Race 3
1. Vishnu Prasad (20:13.860)
2. Sandeep Kumar (20:15:115 )
3. Karthik Shankar (20:19.854)

JK SUPERBIKES CUP
1. Manmeet Singh (13:22.510)
2. Vijay Singh (13:22.893)
3. Aashir Agrawal (13: 32.457)