Coimbatore: JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship 2017, begins at Kari Motor Speedway here this weekend with the spotlight on Vadodara’s Mira Erda, the first woman driver to compete in the Euro JK 17 category.
Australia’s Ricky Capo and Palo Ippolito of Italy would be taking part in the Euro JK 17 races, which has a packed grid headed by defending champion Anindith Reddy, said a press release here.
The championship is into its 20th year and JK Motorsport has added a new dimension to the JKNRC this year, with the introduction of a bike category – Suzuki Gixxer Cup.
Euro JK 17 category, featuring FB02 formula cars, would be the main attraction and Anindith Reddy starts as the early favourite.
The Hyderabad lad, who won three of the four rounds last year, is expected to face stiff challenge from Ippolito and Capo.
Capo would be a major threat, especially after winning the European Le Mans Series.
Last year’s second runner-up Nayan Chatterjee (Mumbai) and defending LGB4 champion Vishnu Prasad (Chennai) would be expected to push Reddy and the two foreign drivers.
Also, the performance of Erda, who would become the first woman driver to compete in the Euro JK 17 class, would be watched keenly.
The Suzuki Gixxer Cup features 30 young bikers, including two women battling it out for honours. The participants have come through selection rounds across the country – Bengaluru, Aizawl, Pune and the National Capital Region.
The Gixxer Cup would provide an opportunity for 15 young racers, including eight from Aizawl, in the Rookie category (12-16 years), to make their mark and earn a ticket to represent India at the Red Bull Rookie Cup – Road to MotoGP in Spain.
The other popular category, the LGB4, would see as many as 18 racers take part.
Apart from Capo and Ippolito, two Sri Lankan racers bring an international flavour to the meet while Chennai’s Raghul Rangasamy, Mumbai’s pilot-cum-racer Sneha Sharma (both Meco Racing) and Delhi’s Rohit Khanna (Dark Don) are expected to be among the favourites. (PTI)
