The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Major boost for motor sports

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 11, 2006

Sport

Sport - Racing : Motor

Major boost for motor sports

Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI: The 10th JK Tyre National racing championship received a major boost on Thursday with multinational carmakers joining the motor sport arena, which for so many years had just one player testing its vehicles.

Joining Maruti Suzuki at the grid are General Motors and Hyundai who would provide engines of their best selling cars for the National racing championship. The championship begins at Coimbatore on August 20 and will comprise six rounds with the final scheduled on December 24.

Designed by B. Vijaykumar, the cars will run on formula tyres manufactured by JK Tyre. The coming together of three car majors and the use of indigenously made formula tyres and several other components is expected to help Indian motor racing graduate to the next level.

The cars built by Vijaykumar are technologically at par for level 3 races in the world and come at one tenth of the international cost.

"This is an exciting association and will help push motor sports in India to new highs and provide an ideal platform for young talents to hone and test their skills," said Raghupati Singhania, Vice-chairman and Managing Director, JK Industries.

The itinerary: Round 1: Coimbatore, August 19-20, Round 2: Coimbatore, September 9-10, Round 3: Chennai, September 23-24, Round 4: Chennai, October 7-8, Round 5: Chennai, November 18-19, Round 6: Chennai, December 23-24.