First leg of Dirt Track Racing for Gulf Cup to kickoff on April 27

Mangalore, Apr 9 (UNI) The First Leg of 'Gulf Cup for Dirt Track Racing for Gulf Cup' would be kicked off here on April 27 in which some of the best riders of the country would be in action, Organising Committee Chairman Srikanth Karani said today.

Addressing a press conference here along with Gulf Oil Company Limited General Manager (South) S Das said that the event would be held in five legs culminating with 'Gulf Cup Dirt Track-Racing- Clash of Titans' in the final round.

He said that besides last year Private Champions Pinkesh Thakker and Shamim Khan, who would now race in Indian Expert group, other riders like Eeshan Lokhande, K P Arvind, Pramod Joshua, Rustom Patel, Badal Joshi, Snehal Chavan, and Ganesh Lokhande would be in action on the serpentine-laden track having some slush areas on their high speed bikes.

Mr Karani said that only 15 and minimum six riders would be selected from the first four rounds for the final round. Cumulative points of four rounds will be considered for their eligibility in their respective classes. A rider should have taken the start and been a finisher in at least three of the four rounds to qualify in gulf Cup Dirt Racing- Clash of Titans. After the first leg.

The Second Leg would be held next month either in Pune or Mumbai, followed by the third leg of the Gulf Cup in October in North India.

The Fourth leg would be held in Rajasthan during November and the final leg during February next year in Goa or Kolhapur, he added.

He said that there would be five Championship Cup event which included Motorcycles up to 260 cc-Group B-2 and 4 stroke race 1 and 2 -Indian expert, Novice championship, foreign motorcycles-Indian experts and supplementary events for Karnataka riders only (local class) and Scooter class.

Mr Karani said that already over 60 entries have been received from different parts of the country. Last years novice class Champions Arun Babu Sayed Asif Ali, R Natraj, Muzaffar Ali would now join the big boys in Expert Class, he added.

Mr Das said that the GOCL had been sponsoring this event since last six years to encourage and groom young talented. For each round the prize money was to the tune of Rs 85,000 while for the Clash of Titans it was Rs Four lakhs.

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