Chennai, Mar 26 (IANS): At least 48 teams have made entries for the MMSC Motorcycle Endurance Race that will be run over two hours on Sunday at the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT).
The race which will have a Le Mans-style running start, a unique feature of this format, and will be contested in three categories -- Pro-stock 301-400cc, Stock 165cc (restricted to under-25 riders), and girls (TVS Apache RTR 200). Each team will have two riders. All the bikes will be run on TVS Eurogrip tyres.
As per the format, each team comprising two riders will race for two hours with a minimum of one compulsory fuel stop. Further, each rider is allowed a maximum of 45 minutes per outing with a mandatory 20-minute rest between sessions. The final positions are decided by the number of laps completed in the specified period.
"We are absolutely delighted that TVS Eurogrip have made an entry into racing, and the MMSC is truly grateful for their involvement. We are also overwhelmed by the response from the riders despite the challenging conditions dictated by the pandemic. Back in 2019, we had received 32 entries, but this time, the number has exceeded our expectations," said Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) vice-president Vicky Chandhok.
"In our constant endeavour to provide a platform for young riders to exhibit their racing skills, one of the three categories, the Stock 165cc, is restricted to those below 25 years of age while we also have an exclusive class for girls. We at the MMSC always put a premium on safety and in view of the current situation, there will be strict Covid-19 protocols in place," he further said.
The Pro-Stock category, largely populated by KTM 390 and Yamaha R3 machines, will be headlined by the team of veteran international riders, Rajini Krishan and Sarath Kumar who will be up against skilled pairings like Karthik Mateti-Yashas RL and Abhimanyu Gautam-Anand R.
The 2020 National champion in the Novice class, Mohan Babu along with Uday Prakash, will be the pair to watch in the stock 165cc category while the talented Lani Zena Fernandez, runner-up in the 2020 National championship, and her team-mate Arpitha Bhat are expected to dominate the Girls category.