Coimbatore, Jul 10 (IANS): Mumbai schoolboy Ameya Kamlesh Bafna (Rayo Racing) recorded the first win of his three-season-old karting career as he pipped favourite Chittesh Mandody (Mohite's Racing) in the final of the Senior Max category in the third round of the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Rotax Max Karting Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway here Sunday.
Bafna, 16, lying 14th in the FIA-CIK approved championship promoted by Meco Motorsports, started third on the grid, but gained a place before moving past pole-sitter and winner of the opening two rounds Mandody for his first win in three seasons of karting.
"I had to work hard for today's win. In the earlier two rounds, I was very much in the running for podium, but couldn't finish due to mechanical problems. For this season, I have a full budget, bought a new chassis and engine, and also a tuner from Malaysia. Now I want to be consistent," said Bafna, a 12th standard student of Mumbai's Podar International School.
Earlier, Mandody, the 18-year old from Kolhapur, won the pre-final by the proverbial country mile after overcoming a slow start even as two of his closest challengers Vishnu Prasad (Meco Racing) and Bafna spun out of contention.
Bangalore's Arjun Maini and his younger brother Kush (both Maini Racing), won the final of the Junior Max and Micro Max categories in contrasting styles.
In the junior pre-final run, Maini, who led at the start, pulled out midway through with a stuck throttle and finished two laps down as Chennai schoolboy Tarun Reddy (Meco Racing) coasted home.
Maini, however, was in his elements in the final when he carved his way through the field from 10th position to second spot behind Jehan Daruvala (Rayo Racing). In the last lap, Maini squeezed past Daruvala a few corners before the finish and hung on for a fine win.
Kush Maini dominated the Micro Max category as he barely put a wheel wrong to win from start to finish in both Pre-Final and Final.
The results:
Senior Max - Final (22 laps): Ameya Kamlesh Bafna (Rayo Racing) 1 (14mins, 08.571secs); Chittesh Mandody (Mohite's Racing) 2 (14:11.032); Raj Gantara (Rayo Racing) 3 (14:21.543). Pre-Final (20 laps): Mandody 1 (12:55.432); Sandeep Kumar (Meco Racing) 2 (13:02.906); Bafna 3 (13:04.843).
Junior Max - Final (20 laps): Arjun Maini (Maini Racing) 1 (12:55.511); Jehan Daruvala (Rayo Racing) 2 (12:55.626); Krishnaraj D Mahadik (Mohite's Racing) 3 (13:04.690). Pre-Final (17 laps): Tarun Reddy (Meco Racing) 1 (12:18.656); Daruvala 2 (12:18.977); Akhil Rabindra (Meco Racing) 3 (12:19.277).
Micro Max - Final (15 laps): Kush Maini (Maini Racing) 1 (11:00.208); Pradyumna Danigond (Mohite's Racing) 2 (11:13.311); Abhirath Shetty (Meco Racing) 3 (11:20.095). Pre-Final (12 laps): Maini 1 (08:49.426); Danigond 2 (08:58.069); Akash Gowda (Meco Racing) 3 (09:01.541).
Championship standings after three rounds (top 3): Senior Max - Chittesh Mandody 1 (259 points); Sandeep Kumar 2 (241); Raj Gantara 3 (229). Junior Max - Jehan Daruvala 1 (255); Arjun Maini 2 (249); Dhruv Shivaji Mohite 3 (237). Micro Max - Kush Maini 1 (178); Pradyumna Danigond 2 (163); Gaurav Rakesh Marne 3 (163).