Chennai’s Raghul Rangamsamy will aim to extend his lead at the top of the table as the penultimate round of the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship 2019 begins at the Kari Motor Speedway on Saturday.
The defending champion did not have the best of starts in the last round and finished outside the podium in the opening race. But the MSport driver got back to his elements on Day 2, finishing second in Race 2 and winning the final race to climb to the top of the leader-board in the FLGB 4 category with 47 points.
He will want to maintain his momentum in the penultimate round and go into the final round of the championship with a defendable cushion. But it won’t be easy as his city and team-mate Vishnu Prasad will be looking to make amends after an eventful round which saw him surrender the top position.
Vishnu could gather only 17 points in Round 2 after one second and one third-place finish. However, it was enough for him to stay afloat with 45 points to be in sight of the leader.
But both will be wary of Dark Don’s Diljith TS who is in the third position with 31 points. The Kerala driver has time and again proved how dangerous he can get on the track and two good races over the weekend can tilt the balance in his favour.
In the JK Tyre Novice Cup, Mumbai’s Aaroh Ravindra has been in menacing form throughout the season. The Momentum Motorsports driver had yet another successful outing in the last round, winning two races and finishing second in the other to collect 28 points and take his total tally to 52 points. His team-mate Chirag Ghorpade is lying a distant second with 39 points.
The Bangalore youngster was easily one of the best drivers in the last round and posted two second place finishes. But it was the 7th place finish in one of the races that hurt him really bad. He will come out with all guns blazing to cut short the lead at the top of the table.
Mohamed Ryan of MSport is on 38 points and will definitely be in the mix in Round 3. The weekend will be a decider of who will be walk away with the National Champion trophy.
Syed Muzamil Ali of Bangalore and Tanay Gaikwad of Pune will be involved in a tussle for the top spot in the JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup. Both the riders have been on each other’s backs throughout the season. They are currently locked on 36 points. Local boy Sidharth Sajan is in the third place with 19 points and will go into the round with his eyes set firmly on the top podium.