The 12th JK Tyre-FMSCI Rotax National Karting Championship kick started today at the brand new Chicane circuit with heavy rains throwing new challenges for the karters on the opening day.
Nikhil Vohra from Bangalore representing Team Meco Racing, Mohammed Nallwala from Mumbai representing Team Rayo Racing & Ricky Donison from Bangalore representing Team BPC Racing lead in the qualifying round in the Micro Max, Junior Max & Senior Max categories respectively.
After qualifying, the two heats were scheduled and Rain gods played spoilsport in the middle of Heat 1 of Micro & Junior which forced the drivers in the Senior Max category change to wet tyres.
Agra boy Shahan Ali Mohsin dominated the heat races in Micro Max category. He will take the lead position in the pre-finals tomorrow.
In Heat 1, Nikhil gave a tough fight to Shahan but could only finish behind him in the second place. Chirag Ghorpade from Bangalore from Team BPC Racing finished third.
Tables completely turned in Heat 2 as Nikhil could barely manage to keep his second place and ended up at the last place. Chirag took full advantage of the same and sealed his second place followed by Ruhaan Alva.
The fight in the Junior Max category was intense as during Heat 1, Bangalore boy Akash Gowda from Team Meco Racing took the lead and finished first. Closing in second was Pradyumna V Danigond from Kolhapur from Team Mohites Racing followed by Paul Francis who finished in third.
Last year's micro max champion Yash Aradhya, who started sixth in Heat 2, took everyone by surprise by walking away with the chequered flag. Nalwala finished second in Heat 2. Aanjan Patodia from Mumbai from Team Rayo Racing gave a good fight to the top five contenders and managed a third place.
In Senior Max category, heavy rains added to the excitement and it turned out to be a fight from the start to finish between Mumbai boy Ameya Bafna, Vishnu Prasad from Chennai, Nayan Chatterjee from Mumbai, Chittesh Mandody from Kolhapur. After a bumper to bumper 15 laps race, Ameya emerged first followed by Vishnu Prasad and Nayan Chatterjee.
In Heat 2, Ameya despite starting first could only manage a fifth place finish as Vishnu ensured that he took the lead position right from the start. Kolhapur lad Dhruv Mohite finished second, followed by Nayan Chatterjee.
But due to technical infringement Vishnu was disqualified which made Dhruv the leader in the Heat 2 pushing Nayan to second place and Ricky Donison to the third place.
