Topflight riders for MRF''Supercross'' championship

Pune, May 13 (UNI) The stage is all set for the opening leg of the MRF national '' Supercross'' championship being hosted by ''Sportstrek'' at the floodlit Deccan College grounds here on May 14.

The top flight riders from TVS Racing and team Yamaha will once again renew their battle royal for the overal supremacy spread over six legs. The opening Pune leg supposed to be the toughest however assumes importance not only to set the tone but to gain the asendency and the psychological advantage as well for the next five legs.

The TVS Racing team boasting of having the reigning national champion, C S Santosh along with Vijay Kumar and Karan Kadam in their ranks however expected to continue their domination in their persuit of retaining the team championship title this year as well.

On the other hand, arch rivals team Yamaha has bolstered their resources by attracting gutsy and skilfull riders from the country. It will certainly pose a threat to the defending champions if all goes well on tomorrow.

In the meanwhile the former rally and motocross champion Shyam ''King'' Kothari heading the ''Sportstrek'' said that as many as 150 top riders from all over the country expected to vie for honours in the opening leg of the MRF national championship though the entries close at 1900 hours today. The competition will be razor sharp specially in the premier '' Foreign Open Class'' which will feature the thoroughbred machines namely the Honda's, Yamaha's Suzuki's, Kawasaki's, KTM's and the indigenous TVS's, according to Mr Kothari.

After the Pune leg, the action shifts to Chennai for the second leg to be held on August 20, followed by the third leg at Hyderabad on September 24, then move on to Delhi on October 7, Goa on October 22 and the sixth and the final leg to be held at Bangalore on December 17.

The championship being held under the aegis of the Federation Motorsports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the apex body controlling motorsports in the country will have a card of eight events. Pune considered to be the Mecca of motocross is the sole venue having the floodlit facilities for the conduct of most popular sports.

The 750 meters track though looks rather tight have been designed by former motocross champions Pratap Bhagwat and Ashok Yende comprise of four single, ten double, three triple jumps besides a 120 ft table top jump as well as a mixture of berms and sections of whoop-de-doos. The track has been designed with the ''safety aspect being formost in the mind and conforms to the standrad laid down by the world body FIM for the supercross championships, Mr Kothari said.

A total prize money of Rs 1.60 lakhs will be at stake besides the medallions and trophies featuring eight event card. The winners in each classfication stands to pocket aproximately Rs 22,000 in the prize money. Similar total prize money has been offered in the other five legs as well. The overall national champion will be awarded additional Rs one lakh for his stupendous effort in additional to the prize money at each leg.

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