Chennai, Dec 16 (IANS): Twenty-nine races will be held across 10 categories as the concluding leg of the 2020 MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC) gets underway at the Madras Motor Racing Track (MMRT) on Friday. The races will be held behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2020 National Championship, hit hard by the lockdown and the restrictions due to Covid-19 virus spread, was compressed into two weekends instead of five, as also the number of races in each of the four categories -- Pro-Stock 301-400cc, Pro-Stock 165cc, Novice and Girls -- though the entries again topped 200.

That apart, the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup with two categories (NSF 250R and Novice) is also part of the weekend card besides the TVS One-Make Championship organised by the MMSC which has four classes -- Open, Novice, Girls and Media.

Bengaluru's Anish Shetty (Race Concepts), originally from Hubballi, dominated the 30-rider, premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category in the first round with three wins from four starts for a 12-point lead over TVS Racing's K.Y. Ahamed (one win).

The position in the Pro-Stock 165cc is much tighter, with a straight fight between Eneos Honda Erula Racing and TVS Racing riders. Only 15 points separate the top four -- Mathana Kumar (73, Erula), K.Y. Ahamed (61, TVS), Rajiv Sethu (60, Erula) and Jagan Kumar (58, TVS).

Going into the final weekend, Mohan Babu, a privateer from Chennai, and Bengaluru challenger Ullas Santrupt (RACR Castrol Power Racing) are tied on 68, with the latter having won two of the four races in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category that has a grid of 40 riders. Sparks Racing's Ann Jennifer (50) enjoys a comfortable lead over Lani Zen Fernandez of Gusto Racing (36) in the girls' category.