Vishnu, Muzammil emerge winners

GREATER NOIDA: Chennai’s Vishnu Prasad and Bengaluru’s Syed Muzammil Ali stole the show and emerged as champions at the JK Tyre Festival of Speed here on Sunday.

Vishnu of MSport pipped his friend, team-mate and rival, Raghul Rangaswamy, to win the crown in the coveted Formula LGB-4 category of the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship. Going into the final day with 73 points apiece, Vishnu and Raghul knew that they just had to finish ahead of the other to claim the championship.

But, true to their reputation, they went all out, providing for a thrilling race, with Vishnu winning in dramatic fashion. Raghul finished third to take the second position in the championship.

The Suzuki Gixxer Cup too followed the script of the season, with Syed Muzammil Ali and Tanay Gaikwad locked in one last fight. Tanay, however, began with a huge disadvantage following a DNF on Saturday.

He began from the back of the grid and valiantly fought his way up but could only manage a third-place finish to settle for the second position in the championship. Muzammil, who had an overnight two-point lead, made sure that he hit the post ahead of Tanay to clinch the Cup.

The inaugural X1 Racing competition, Powered by JK Tyre, too proved to be with an instant hit, with its mix of top international and domestic drivers in an exciting new format. Bangalore Racing Stars, with Arjun Maini, Oliver Webb, Vishnu Prasad and Michelle Gatting, claimed Round 1 in style, thanks to their two wins on Day 1. They also won the relay race to emerge clear victors. Mumbai Falcons, (Kush Maini, Mikkel Jensen, Karthik Tharani and Pippa Mann) won one of the two races of the day and had to settle for the second position.

GOING INTO THE FINAL DAY WITH 73 POINTS APIECE, VISHNU AND RAGHUL KNEW THAT THEY JUST HAD TO FINISH AHEAD OF THE OTHER TO CLAIM THE CHAMPIONSHIP