Pawar, Banaji qualify for karting finals

Our Correspondent

The frenzy, the din of roaring engines, the nail-biting tense moments, the huge crowds to cheer the speed merchants, the uncorking of champagne… it was all there at Pune on Sunday, November 12, at the regional finals of the second leg of the JK Tyre National karting championship at the First Track Go-Kart racing track.

After transcending the limits of endurance and speed for over 64 laps of pulsating action, Rajesh Pawar and Rayomand Banaji emerged the Pune regional karting finalists, in the process beating more than 100 speed enthusiasts in the fray.

While Rajesh and Rayomand won J.K.trophies and cash awards of Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 12, 500 respectively for winning their respective groups, besides an invitation to drive at the JK Tyre National karting championship finals in Delhi, on December 24, 2000, Anand Kumar was the third fastest of the lot and also won a J.K. trophy in addition to his cash award of Rs. 8,000.

Elated over his victory, 22-year old Rajesh Pawar, who also works as a marshal at the track, said, "Though motor sports always fascinated me, I never realised it could be so exhilarating. The bumper to bumper chases and split second decisions which I experienced at this first-ever karting championship here, have perhaps given me more enthralling moments than the actual F1 action…about which, I can now perhaps, dream."

Supporting his views, 20-year old Rayomand, a Wadia college student who belongs to a family having several racing laurels, said, "Considering the fact that you were pitted against more than 100 speed fanatics, I'm surely on a high now. I will now concentrate on more practice to prepare myself for the grand finale…which could well be a turning point in my life."

The success, however, did not come easy for these young karting champs. After a series of qualifying rounds and heats, over two days -- on November 10 and 11, 37 participants made it to the final round. While Rajesh won the Group A kart-race, Rayomand topped the Group B event. The suspense reached its zenith, when after the inter-group events, Rajesh and Rayomand, both with final points tally of two (a winner of an event gets 0 points), shared the same berth. The tie-up was finally decided after considering their qualifying lap times. Rajesh, with a qualifying time lap of 35.90 seconds closely pushed Rayomand, with the lap time of 36.15 seconds, to the second spot.

After high action on the tracks of Hyderabad and Pune, the seven-week seven-city hi-voltage championship, being organised by Sportscraft in association with the presenting sponsors, AXN Action TV, and co-sponsors Caltex, Mahindra and Overdrive, now moves to Bombay this Sunday, followed by legs at Ahmedabad, Baroda, Ludhiana and Delhi. The regional finalists from all these centres will then vie for the coveted title of JK Tyre National karting champion, who besides winning a 1600 cc Mahindra Bolero, will also get to pro-drive at coveted JK Tyre National road racing championship.

The results

Group Winners
Group A (under 55 ks): Rajesh Pawar
Group B (55-65 ks): Rayomand Banaji
Group C (over 65 kg): Zubin Chinoy
Group D (ladies above 18): Tina Chinoy
Group E (14-18 yrs): Adarsh Hegde
Group F (below 14 yrs): Aditya Akkineni

Final overall positions
1. Rajesh Pawar 35.90 seconds; 2. Rayomand Banaji 36.15 seconds; 3. Anand Kumar 36.22 seconds.