Double win for Kraisart in Supersport races of ARRC

CHENNAI: Decha Kraisart was unstoppable. Neither the sapping Chennai heat, nor the bumpy ride at the MMSC Race Track or the wheel-to-wheel, start-to-finish affairs with rivals could deter the defending champion from scoring a memorable double victory in the 600cc Supersport category at the third round races of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) on Sunday.

Thai Kraisart had missed out on the second round races in Indonesia due to a wrist injury. The Yamaha Thailand Racing rider, however, had made his intentions of storming back into the title race clear by taking pole after breaking the lap during qualifying on Saturday. And on race day, he just carried forward the form, breaking the lap record once again during Race 2, as he revved his way to the finish line.

With the win, Kraisart has jumped to fifth place in the championship table with 57.5 points. Japanese rider Katsuaki Fujiwara of Manual-Tech BEET Kawasaki, who finished seventh and sixth in Race 1 and 2, still leads the table with 114.5 points while Malaysians Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman of Boon Siew Honda Racing is second with 84 points followed by Mohd Zamri Baba (65 points) of Petronas Yamaha.

Moto-Rev India also had something to cheer when their lead rider Toshiyuki Hamaguchi of Japan finished fourth in Race 2 after starting from tenth position. The five-time Asian champion used all his experience to claw up the order, making up for an average outing in Race 1.

The Indian team's second rider, national champ K Rajini, had a poor outing at his home event though. The 29-year-old, fighting pain from a wrist sprain after a crash on Friday, finished 16th in Race 1 and failed to finish in Race 2.

But at the business end of the grid, Kraisart stamped his credentials as a champ. As he had predicted, he faced stiff challenge from Malaysians Baba and Kamaruzaman in both the races.

In Race 1, Baba made a flying start and overtook Kraisart in the first corner and maintained half a second advantage till the fifth lap when Kraisart made his move. At the start of the sixth lap, the Thai closed in on Baba in the first corner and made his pass after slip-streaming the Malaysian in the second.

There after Kraisart rode a flawless race, warding off the Malaysian challenge with some on-the-edge riding. The race was red-flagged prematurely in the 11th lap after Aussie Michael Edward Jones, who was running fifth, had a serious crash. Kraisart was declared the winner with Kamaruzaman and Baba finishing second and third.

Race 2 followed on similar lines with Baba, and Kamaruzaman taking over the lead from Kraisart during the race only to see the Thai champ regain his position. Kraisart crossed the chequered flag ahead of Baba and Aussie Aaron Morris of Yamaha Indonesia.

In the Underbone 115cc category, Rafid Topan Sucipto continued his literally unchallenged run in the season by scoring double victories. The Indonesian, riding for Yamaha CKJ TJM Racing, currently leads the standings with 125 points, followed by Hadi Wijaya of Kawasaki NHK Rextor (86 points). Hadi finished both the races in second place but way behind Sucipto.  

From Link

Mirando's governance took motorcycle racing to great heights

The first Motorcycle Club was formed in March 1947 by enthusiastic motorcycle riders, past and present, who were well educated on the rules and regulations laid out by the international governing body for motorcycle racing, the Federation International Motorcycling (FIM).

It was first named as the Ceylon Motor Cycle Club (CMCC) and the inaugural meeting was held at the Hameedia Hotel, Bambalapitiya, not in existence now.

Wally De Zylwa was elected the first president and the committee comprised of Carlo Garth, Peter Fernando, Andrew P. Mirando (known as the father of CMCC), and a host of other well read gentlemen who were passionate towards the sport. They were men with integrity who always adhered to the rules and regulations laid out by FIM whenever they conducted motorcycle races.

At the beginning races were conducted at the Ratmalana airport until Mirando persuaded the Kalutara GA to allow the CMCC to run motorcycle races at the abandoned Katukurunda airstrip.

Andrew Mirando was considered a genius in organising motorcycle races and would go out his way to take riders to participate overseas. The first such trip was in 1950 when Mirando organised a team to participate in a race held in the Isle of Man in England.

The first motorcycle race team to go to India was in 1956 managed by Mirando. Zacky Dean, W.P. Indraratne, Chandra de Costa and Trim Seneviratne formed the team. They travelled by train to Talaimanner and the ferry to Danuishkodi where their bikes were off loaded on the sandy beach. This place was only half a kilometre away from the onward train station.

Zacky Dean's Norton Manx was bogged down in the sand and would not reach the station in time. But the determined Mirando went ahead and convinced the Railway Station Master and the engine drive to delay the departure by 15 minutes to allow Zacky Dean to arrive on time.

That was the beginning of a six week racing tour of India from where the Ceylonese riders brought back numerous trophies while gathering fame and reputation for the country.

Mirando efficiently managed three such six week tours to five Indian racing venues from Madras (Chennai) up to Bombay (Mumbai). Acting as the god father to the riders, Mirando managed to arrange with the five organising clubs to fully sponsor the expenses of the Ceylon racing team from one circuit to another.

"Mirando's passion for the sport made him ambitious to keep the country's flag flying high and his efficient organising ability was most appreciated by riders and the Indian racing clubs alike," said Chandra de Costa the champion rider in Sri Lanka and India.De Costa questions the efficiency, passion and knowledge on the rules of FIM by the present set of officials governing the Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club.

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Ramdan out to make an impact in first start of the season

Tuesday August 2, 2011:

 

PETALING JAYA: Petronas Syntium Moto Yamaha AHM rider Mohd Ramdan Rosli will be making his first start in the 2011 season of the Petronas Asia Road Racing Cham­pionships in Chennai this weekend after missing the first two legs.

Ramdan, who missed the first two legs due to injuries sustained in April, is optimist he could make an impact in the third leg of the championships at the Madras Motor Race Track in the Underbone 115cc race.

“I am 100% fit to race and my participation in the Round 5 (Teluk Intan) and Round 6 (Alor Setar) of the Petronas AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship recently proved that I have fully recovered,” said Ramdan.

Back in action: Mohd Ramdan Rosli will be making his first start of the 2011 season in Chennai this weekend.

“I am ready to handle the most technical track in the calendar which requires skills and bravery to master.”

The Underbone 115cc title may be out of his reach by now as he is without a single point in the championship, but the 15-year-old rider is looking forward to tackle the 3.717km circuit with eight right turns and four left turns. “The track in Chennai has many technical corners and it is crucial to get your lines right and make sure the bike is set up well.

“Even though my chance to fight for the crown is very slim, but my objective remains the same which is to do my team and country proud,” he said.

Ramdan is hoping for a top five finish in the race this weekend in his bid to collect as many points as possible.

“The likes of Indonesian riders namely Rafid Topan Sucipto, Hadi Wijaya and Denny Triyugo will make it hard for me.

“Last year I managed to finish seventh in Race 1 and I’m confident of doing better this year in Chennai,” he said. Currently leading the standings is Indonesian ace Rafid of Yamaha CKJ TJM Racing on 75 points, followed by Ramdan’s team-mate, Shahril Izzuwan Mohd Noor on 58 points while in third placing is defending champion, Hadi of Kawasaki NHK Rextor Manual Tech on 46 points.

Moto-Rev gears up for road racing Championship

CHENNAI:  Moto-Rev India will be the sole team from India to field bikers in the PETRONAS Asia Ro­ad Racing Championship (ARRC), one of Asia’s most prestigious events for two-wheeler racing, scheduled at the Sriperumbudur track from August 4 to 7. Their th­ree-pronged attack comprises Toshiyuki Hamaguchi, Krishnan Rajini, Gautham Mayilvagnan.

Overall, 22 riders would feature in the Supersports 600cc category, which has seen participation from leading bike manufacturers – Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki. Hamaguchi, Rajini and Gautham will mount Yamaha YZF-R6 bikes.Local lad Rajini is pumped up for the race. “I know this circuit like the back of my hand, but the quality of the riders in the ARRC is such that their learning time is next to zero. This is the third cons­ecutive year that Chennai will host the event. Event promoter, Two Wheels Motor Racing (TWMR) Promotions director Ron Hogg is hopeful of the race’s successful conduct in the city.

Rajini not banking on home advantage in Asian Road Racing

CHENNAI: National bike racing champion K Rajini may have a lot of fond memories from the MMSC Race track at Irrungatukottai, the venue where he has won countless national championship races over the years.

But he is under no illusion about home advantage when the lights turn green for the third round races of the FIM Asian Road Racing Championship (ARRC), to be held this weekend (August 5 to 7).

Rajini, who had a podium finish here during the ARRC round two years back, is the second rider for Moto-Rev India, the only Indian team in the Supersports 600cc category of the series. Five-time Asian champ Toshiyuki Hamaguchi of Japan is the senior rider of the team, which is also fielding Gautam Mayilvaganan as a wildcard entry for this round.

It has been a tough season so far for Rajini and Co, struggling to match the competition from riders who are not just talented, but also have the added support from the major bike manufacturers from Japan.

Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki have factory-supported teams in the fray this year at ARRC and it has brought up the competition standards by more than a few notches.

Ron Hogg, promotions director of Two Wheels Motor Racing, the organisers of ARRC, is happy with the rise in competition and attributes it to the change in rules this year.

"Basically we allowed changes to be made on the bikes - the main was to allow the use of big radiators that would add a few revs and allow the bikes to be more reliable too. Plus we allow the slip clutches and quick shifters too and after all these changes, the big manufacturers have entered the fray and the competition is fierce now," explained Hogg.

Hot competition means the biggies are pumping in their know-how to give their riders the best hardware and that has made life difficult for private teams like Moto-Rev, who are struggling to rope in sponsors to set up bikes which can compete with the giants.

Rajini and Gautam will still be riding bikes without the three modifications Hogg mentioned and Hamaguchi will just have the big radiator and that in itself is a handicap.

And the results are obvious. Hamaguchi, nicknamed Hammer, is lying seventh in the standings with 33 points while Rajini, who missed the second round races in Indonesia, is 20th with just four points in his kitty. The table is led by Manual-Tech Beet Kawasaki Racing's Japanese sensation Katsuaki Fujiwara (100 points), who has a hundred per cent record this season, having won all the four races.

Rajini knows the MMSC track inside out and since the track has a lot of twists compared to the other circuits in the ARRC season, the national champ's familiarity might give him the edge at the weekend.

"The competition is tough and bikes, with the modifications, are at least a second or so faster per lap than last year and to match that with our team's virtually stock Yamahas would be difficult," says the 29-year-old.

"The riders are also of top quality. I hope to do well here as the track is familiar to me. If I can get a good qualifying run on Saturday and start within 10th position I could push for a podium," he added. "I am confident of giving my best and I will match or better my best timing here. The question is whether that will be enough to match the other riders. I am confident though."

The ARRC round also features races in the fiercely-competed 115cc Underbone category, where Indonesian Rafid Topan of Yamaha CKJ TJM Racing is leading the standings with 75 points while Malaysia's Shahril Izzuwan Md Noor (58 points) of Petronas Syntium Moto Yamaha AHM is breathing down his neck.

The weekend will also have the Honda Asia Cup one-make races, run on the Japanese manufacturer's CBR-250R bikes.

The action beings on Friday with free practice and 'time practice' in all the segments, followed by Saturday 'time practice' (qualifiers) and two races each on Sunday.