TVS Girling team shines on opening day of JK Tyre Racing event

Chennai: TVS Girling, defending champions in Formula LGB Swift Class, won back to back races on the inaugural day of the JK Tyre National Road Racing Championship 2010 at Sriperumbudur near here on Monday. The Swift class saw TVS Girling’s Mumbai based Ameya Walavalkar and Bangalore lad Akhil Devarag claiming top honours. The Indian Super Saloon Class saw Sailesh Bolesetti winning both races, maintaining a solid lead to take the chequered flag. The races saw stiff fight for other places. Devarag won the second race of Formula Swift, but not the first due to “mechanical problem” in his car in the fifth lap.Walavalkar was a comfortable winner by nine seconds from second placed Gokul Krishna of Mars Racing. In the first race, Walavalkar manoeuvred to the front from teammate and pole leader S Narendran and held onto the lead from Gokul Krishna and finished with a timing of 20 min 04.621 secs. Gokul Krishna clocked 20.13.329 secs. Narendran who finished third, was relegated on a protest by Gokul Krishna for ‘intentionally’ being pushed by the former in the sixth lap. With the stewards upholding the protest, Ajay Kini of Bangalore was promoted to third spot. Kini of Wallace Sports clocked 20:14.459 secs to finish on the podium. After a delayed start in the second race, Devarag started third on the grid. He soon overtook Gautham Parekh, showed skill in forging ahead of Ajay Kini and maintained his leadership position till the end. Kini, Parekh Walavalkar fought hard for the other three spots. In the Saloon cars event, Bolesetti, winner of the Volkswagen Polo Cup in Pune last month started from pole in both races. Knowing the track conditions well, he consolidated his lead and emerged winner. The manner in which he drove was proof of his determination to clinch the title by winning the remaining five legs. PTI