Pune: After a few years of riding one-off races during national championship rounds, Indian women riders have broken free with the Madras Motor Sports Club unveiling a full-fledged National championship for ladies.
The Ladies championship has been incorporated into the 2017 MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship, the Rolon round of which will be held at the Kari Motor Speedway here this weekend.
It is for the first time in India that women will be contesting for the National title over five rounds and the entries have been very encouraging. So also is the case with other National championship categories - the Super Sport Indian 300-400cc and 165cc, the Pro-Stock 165cc and Stock 165cc (Novice).
The two-day extravaganza will witness a full card of 19 races with over 200 riders vying for honours.
“In keeping with MMSC’s constant endeavour to promote motorsport at all levels, we decided to introduce a National championship exclusively for women. We are happy that so far, 15 entries have been received,” said Race Director and Chairman of organising committee Manoj Dalal.
“Given the fact that increasing number of women are taking to various forms of motorsport, we do hope that our move will further their cause.”
Along with the National Championship, India’s top two-wheeler manufacturers TVS and Honda will run their separate One-Make series in two categories - Open and Novice - besides a support race apiece for ladies.
As in the past, the Super Sport Indian 165cc (Open) will headline the championship as the category has attracted country’s top riders astride their modified bikes with the likes of last year’s champion Jagan Kumar along with his TVS teammates KY Ahmed and Harry Sylvester, in the fray, besides Shankar Sarath Kumar of Honda Ten10.
