ALAMEEN’S VIEWS
To participate in my first ever race and be thrown at the deep end of things was somewhat of a suicidal move, some might say. But that just gave me the motivation to go out and have a blast. Words do no justice to what I experienced over two days of riding, but I’ll still try.
I had ridden on Kari when I attended the Apex Racing School on a borrowed Ninja 300. That was many moons ago and Jehan had already psyched me enough with what had happened to the track layout as well as surface in the past couple of years. Thankfully, the track tarmac was still holding up this year. I was also racing alongside fast (and our own fat) journos who had more saddle time than me. It was difficult to get to grips with the Gixxer Cup bike as I had no idea what went into racing a small yet potent track bike.
When the draw took place, I felt confident to get Aatish as my partner (Sadly, that spelled doom for him later on - Jehan). We both had a good pace and qualified fourth to my surprise. In an endurance race, it is all about consistency rather than being a flash in the pan.
We were running third for the better part of the race, gaining a position from our starting spot. I shouldn’t have let Aatish be in charge of strategies. He miscalculated the final stint and called me in for a switch, even though we were comfortable. I shouldn’t have done that. Not only did we lose crucial time over the rest but lost a lap in the process, demoting us down to fifth. Damn you, Aatish!
Nevertheless, I cannot help but feel satisfied. A fantastic weekend at the track with buddies who pushed you along throughout, what more could I have asked for? Maybe the podium, but…
Motorsport Suzuki Endurance Race