The MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championships 2016 for four-wheelers resume after a four-week break at the MMRT track with MRF Formula 1600 along with three categories of saloon cars besides the rookie Formula LGB making for a card of 12 races in the second round commencing on Friday.
The MRF F1600, with 15 cars on the grid, will have four races, two each on Saturday and Sunday. Last year’s champion Karthik Tharanisingh has enjoyed a head-start, having won both the races in the first round held here in January.
Tharanisingh will be looking to consolidate the early gains by sustaining the fine form he is in. However, despite his dominating start which has put him 20 points clear of the field, he will have to again deal with some serious competition from the likes of Goutham Parekh, Anindith Reddy and Raghul Rangasamy, all of whom are tied on 30 points, ahead of the talented Sandeep Kumar (22).
The winner of the MRF Formula Ford 1600 will qualify for the Mazda Road to Indy shootout in the USA in December.
Adding spice to the proceedings will be the popular saloon car races which have three grids — the top-end Indian Touring Cars, Indian Junior Touring Cars and the Super Stock — with a total of 38 entries that should throw up some exciting wheel-to-wheel competition.
The ITC, like the Formula LGB 1300, joins the championship after missing the first round, and it has always showcased the engineering talent given the modifications that are permitted besides race craft.
In the Super Stock, Adith KC of Race Concepts (Bengaluru) heads the leaderboard with a win and a second place finish while Alisha Abdullah (RAD Racing), a two-wheeler racer who has moved to saloon cars, performed creditably with two podium finishes to be placed second in the championship.
