Rakshith Dave, Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan score big. Double delight for Ann Jennifer, Ashwin, Hari Haran

Rakshith Dave, a gifted rider from Chennai and only 18 years old, who survived a horrific crash on Saturday, was handed the biggest victory of his career as he got promoted to the top step of the podium following a 30-second penalty to the race winner Chiranth Vishwanath from Bengaluru in the premier Super Sport 301-400cc class as the first round of the MRF Indian National Racing Challenge 2W-2026 concluded at the Madras International Circuit.

Super Sport 301-400cc :

In one of the closely fought  battle Sarthak Chavan, the 19-year-old from Pune, snatched a dramatic victory with a last-lap move as he led a 1-2 finish for Petronas TVS Racing team in race1.

For the best part of the six-lap race that saw a huge crash involving Rakshith Dave and Savion Sabu (both riders unhurt) at Turn-2, Sarthak was tucked in behind pole-sitter and team-mate Chiranth Vishwanath from Bengaluru, and Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty from RACR Castrol Power1. In the last lap, Sarthak passed both while surviving a contact with Chiranth at Turn 11 for a close win. Chiranth finished second, ahead of Rahil, last year’s Pro-Stock National champion.

Much of the attention was on the race2,  which was fiercely contested. The trio of Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty, Bengalurian Chiranth Vishwanath and his team-mate Sarthak Chavan from Pune, swapped lead positions in the first half of the race. Chiranth then moved to the front, hotly chased by Sarthak with a struggling Rahil in P3.

In the last lap, Sarthak passed Chiranth on the Turn-3 left-hander, but the two came together on the exit of the corner. The Pune rider crashed, but got up and rejoined the race, while Chiranth went on to win ahead of Rakshith, who had started last on the grid, and Rahil. Following a post-race inquiry, Chiranth was docked a 30-second penalty which dropped him to seventh while Sarthak limped home in eighth. Rakshith Dave finished on top followed by Rahil and Mohamed Mikail from Thiruvallur representing Mad Rabbit Racing

Super Stock 301-400cc Open:                                                                                             

Thrissur's Alwin Xavier from RACR Castrol Power1 took the honours in race1. Alwin Xavier benefited when team-mate and race leader, 16-year-old Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan retired when the throttle body came off in the fifth and penultimate lap. Xavier made the best of the situation to win the race ahead of Bengaluru’s Seshadri from Motul Gusto Racing and local challenger Kamal Navas Rockers Racing.

16-year-old Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan, riding for his father’s team, RACR Castrol Power1, and in just his second full season, scripted his maiden win in domestic competition by topping race2, Allwin followed him in second while Seshadri finished third.

Kabilesh, the son of legendary Rajini Krishnan, an 11-times National champion, started last on the grid, but made his way through to the front and then hung on for a brilliant win. “Of course, I am very happy that Kabilesh won, but there is still a long way to go,” said Rajini Krishnan. Incidentally, Kabilesh was laid off for 10 months after breaking his thigh bone in a massive crash during a race in Malaysia last year.

Stock 165cc (Novice):

RACR Castrol Power1 team started the day with a win through Hari Haran from Coimbatore who survived a close battle in the lead bunch in race1. Completing the podium were Motul Sparks Racing team-mates Yashwant Varma from Visakhapatnam and Meghalaya’s Faruk Ali Sohtun.

Notching a double was Hari Haran in a tight finish race2, Yashwant finished second and Dev Agastya a privateer from Bengaluru finished third.

Pro-Stock 200cc Open:      

Bengaluru’s Savion Sabu from Madrabbit Racing rode a very mature race for a fine win in race1moving up from P6. localite Abdul Basim RS from Chandra LGE Racing finished second and the Coimbatorian from Team Rockers Racing Senthil Kumar finished third.  

While young Abdul took the honours in race2 with a couple of front-runners crashing out. Undoubtedly, this was the closest race of the weekend with a bunch of five riders in the frame to win before the last lap crash which decided the podium finishers. Kozhikode's Amarnath Menon MadRabbit Racing, returning to racing after a four-year break, finished second and ahead of Chennai’s Soorya PM from Chandra LGE Racing.

Stock 301-400cc (Novice):        

Bengalurean, Ashwin R, a private entrant, topped the race1 that went down to the wire. Localite G Balaji from Veedol C2 Racing finished in second ahead of Bengalurian Aaron Joseph from RACR Castrol Power1.

In the weekend’s final race), Bengaluru’s private entrant Ashwin R yet again trumped the field for his second win of the weekend. Another Bengalurean Lokesh V from Speed Up Racing came in second while local rider Venugopalan S a privateer was third.

Super Stock 165cc Intermediate:

Equally impressive was Chennai rider, Ann Jennifer from Motul Sparks Racing, a former National woman champion, who won the race1 in which she was the only female competitor. She thus completed a grand double.

Former National woman champion Ann Jennifer, the only female rider on the Super Stock 165cc Intermediate grid, did as she pleased to win without any serious challenge. Ipone Yakuza Racing India’s Ajai Xavier from Nagerkovil and localite Anand Kumar came in second and third, respectively.

Ann Jennifer rode the race of her life to win the race2 despite a bad start due to a missed gear shift which dropped her to fourth from pole position. She lost another two spots after contact with another rider. However, she kept her composure to slice through the field for a brilliant win. “Yes, it was the best race of my career,” remarked Ann Jennifer, the only female rider on the grid. Anand finished second while Anandhu KK from Veedol C2 Racing finished third

PETRONAS TVS RACING ONE-MAKE CHAMPIONSHIP:

Poojita Anil Kumar, the 18-year-old from Bengaluru, notched her maiden win at the National level as she fought her way to a brilliant victory in the Women’s (Apache RTR 200) category. Starting from pole position, Poojita, in her third competitive season, had a poor start and dropped to sixth. However, she kept her nerves to fight back into contention and then took the lead which she maintained to the chequered flag for a well-deserved win. Fellow-Bengalurean Dhrishya Nair finished second, ahead of Vadodara’s Kinjal Raj.

Hyderabad’s Rajender Beedani won the Expert RR310 race1, while Coimbatorian Hari Haran R finished second and Manoj Yesuadiyan from Chennai finished third.

Chennai’s Kamal Navas, who started last on the grid, came up with a stunning ride to win the race2 edging out Saturday’s Race-1 winner Rajender Beedani from Hyderabad at the finish line. Hari Haran from Coimbatore finished third.

Vignesh Pothu from Mancherial won the Rookie (Apache RTR 200) race1, Rehbar Islam Baktoo from J&K finished second and Coimbatorian Godwin Clarence C finished third.

Bengaluru’s 15-year-old Dev Agastya topped the race2, bettering his P6 finish on Saturday while Rehbar Islam Baktoo was placed second, followed by Pothu Vignesh in third.

Electric RTE  class was bagged by localite Mohamed Mikail, Rakshith Dave also from Chennai finished second while Bengalurian Savion Sabu finished third.

Media: This was the most time consuming race as it was red flagged twice.  Noida's Ansh Srivastava finished on top followed by Pranav Singh Rawat from Pune and Delhi's Mohammed Inamul Hasan finished third.