A New Season Commences
We were on hand at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore to witness round one of the 2017 JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup
NoW in itS thiRd year, the Suzuki One Make Race Championship, also known as the Gixxer Cup, has been giving enthusiastic youngsters the opportunity to test their mettle on the racetrack. Suzuki provide identical, racespec Gixxer SF 150-cc motorcycles with complete team support to all competitors, so the riders have to only concentrate on the racing. It is such events that identify the best, most committed racers, and help to pave a path towards a career in motorcycle racing. The competitors have been carefully chosen after exhaustive selection rounds in various cities across India, and they finally came together at Kari to battle for top honours.
Round one of the JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup was held on the second weekend of July, with qualifying and a race on Saturday, while the second race was held on Sunday.
RACE ONE
Sanjeev Mhatre started on pole after setting the quickest qualifying time on Saturday morning, just ahead of Joseph Matthew, but in the 10-lap race it was Matthew who set the fastest lap and beat Mhatre to the finish by just over two seconds. Behind them were the two riders from Mizoram, Lalmawipuia and Malsawmdawngliana, as they battled for the last podium spot, with the former taking third place in the end.
RACE TWO
Having won the previous day’s race, Joseph Matthew started Sunday’s Gixxer Cup race on pole position, but was chased throughout the 10 laps by the duo from Mizoram. The three of them traded places several times during the race, and after 10 laps it was once again Matthew who crossed the line first, followed by
Malsawmdawngliana and Lalmawipuia to round out the podium.
With top riders collecting points for the championship, expect competition to heat up when the JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup returns to the Kari Motor Speedway over the first weekend of August.