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8th National Racing Championship 2005
Round 7:: Chennai :: 03- 04 December 2005

Announcing India's new racing Champions
 

Rayomand Banajee grabs title in Formula LGB category

Amitrajit Ghosh and Ayub Khan take titles in  Formula Maruti and & Esteem categories
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Despite Chennai being flooded and the rains  continuing, the racing atmosphere saw a lot of heat being generated as the cream of Indian racers battled it out for the last time this season for the 7th and final leg of the J K Tyre National Racing  Championship 2005 at the MMST track at Irrungattukottai

The races in the premium category – Formula LGB – continued to enthrall the viewers as the battle for the top slot was bitterly fought.  Both  the top two championship leaders Rayomand Banajee of  Team Valvoline and Ameya  Walavalkar failed to start  in Race 1 following technical problems which give the pole starter and 3rd in championship points Sarosh Hataria  a god sent opportunity which he capitalized fully  to win the  race confortably way ahead of Gaurav Gill of Delhi. Mumbai racer Sahil Shelar finished third.  Sarosh finished with a overall timing of 16;21;837 apart from timing the fastest lap of 01:19:756.  Promising youngster and Junior Champion of the J K Tyre Rotax Mojo Max  Karting Championship 2005 Akhil  Khushlani who made his debut in formula racing today  won the novice prize in this race finishing ninth.

Race 2 in Formula LGB category had all the ingredients of a thriller with the top three  contenders getting involved in a battle royale for the coveted national championship slot.  Rayomand Banajee(92 pts), Sarosh Hataria and Ameya Walavalkar with  88 points apiece set the track ablaze with a ferocious display of  speed and skilled driving  that delighted  the viewers.  Ultimately it was Sarosh  - who stuck to his lead throughout – taking the chequered  flag  ahead of Gaurav Gill and Rayomand Banajee who finished third.   With both Rayomand and Sarosh being tied with 98 points, Rayomand was declared the champion as he had five 1st place wins and three 2nd place wins against five 1st place and two 2nd place wins by Sarosh.

Earlier the day began with  Race 1  in the Formula Maruti category.  Championship leader  and Team Valvoline’s Raymond Banajee from Pune  ran into bad weather  as he had to drop out of the race in the very first lap  after the drive shaft of his vehicle fell off. Amitrajit Ghosh from Kolkata -of Team Valvoline-  starting on pole position  got off to a good start and held on to a comfortable lead till the finish. Chennai racer  Gaurav Dalal started  2nd and finished 2nd.   A splendid performance from yet another Team Valvoline racer Amanpreet Ahluwalia saw him starting 13th on the grid and move up the ladder with an amazing display of skilled driving in difficult conditions to finish third.   Ghosh had the fastest lap timing of 01:27:831.  The 12 lap race was reduced to 9 laps due to a heavy downpour.

Race 2 saw a heroic effort from  Gaurav Dalal  which saw him taking the chequered  flag but not the championship. For Team Valvoline who chose to sponsor  Amitrajit Ghosh it was a red letter day as Ghosh annexed the championship in this category by being ahead of Guarav Dalal by just one point.   Gaurav finished the race with an overall timing of 17:29:014 while Ghosh came in 2nd.  Varun Sharma of Delhi took the 3rd slot. The fastest lap timing  of  01:25;193 was recorded by Amanpreet Ahluwalia of Team Valvoline who came up with yet another impressive performance to finish 6th after starting 9th.  Championship leader  till the 6th leg Rayomand Banajee  finished 4th.
 
In the Esteem category races which were held last evening  K E Kumar scored a double win.  In Race 1  Kumar won the 9 lap race with an overall timing of 11:42:614. Finishing 2nd was  Saran Vikram while Sivaramakrishnan came in 3rd.  Kumar had the fastest lap timing of  01:16:497.
 
Race 2 saw a repeat effort from Kumar help him clinching his second win of the day with an overall timing of 09:14:312. Championship leader Ayub Khan who finished 4th in the first race came up with a better show to finish 2nd.  Saran Vikram finished third.   The fastest lap was  recorded by K E Kumar with a timing of  01:16:844.  Sirish Chandran , a leading motor sports journalist from Pune won the Novice prize.
 
Ayub Khan emerged as the champion in this category.
 
Results   Category _ - Formula LGB            Race  1  - 12 laps                      Race  2   -  12 laps
 

Pos
Competitor                        
Timing               
Competitor
Timing
1.
Sarosh Hataria
16:21:837
Sarosh Hataria
16:38:821
2.
Gaurav Gill
16;27;122
Gaurav Gill
16:39:197
3
Sahil Shelar
16;32;933
Rayomand Banajee
16:40:769
 
Category   - Formula Maruti            Race  1  - 9 laps                          Race  2    -  12 laps 

1.
Amitrajit Ghosh
13:33:228
Gaurav Dalal
17:29:014
2.
Gaurav Dalal
13:36:944
Amitrajit Ghosh
17:35:696
3
Amanpreet Ahluwalia
13:38:496
Varun Sharma
17:37:037
 
Category  - Esteem            Race   1  - 9 laps                        Race   2   -  7 laps

1.
K E Kumar
11:42:614
K.E.Kumar
09:14:312
2.
Saran Vikram
11:43:604
Ayub Khan
09:14:809
3
Sivaramakrishnan
12:10:342
Saran Vikram
09:26:702
 
Overall championship position
 Pos       

Formula LGB
   Pts
Formula Maruti
 Pts
Esteem
Pts
1.
Rayomand Banajee
98
Amitrajit  Ghosh
95
Ayub Khan
124
2.
Sarosh Hataria
98
Gaurav Dalal
94
K E Kumar
113
3.
Ameya Walavalkar
89
Rayomand Banajee
86
Saran Vikram
68
 
 ** ENDS **