Dominant Walavalkar wins Polo R Cup title

Greater Noida: Mumbai`s Ameya Walavalkar won the drivers` title in the VW Polo R Cup after beating guest driver and pole sitter Jeffrey Kruger by 0.745 seconds in race one of the round six at the 15th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship, here on Sunday.

Walavalkar ended the championship with a grand total of 440 points, followed by Sandeep Kumar (342) and Rahil Noorani (221). In the first race, Avdumber Hede finished third while Sandeep was fourth. Prashant Singh won the second race and was followed by Munjal Savla and Kruger at the Buddh International Circuit. In the second LGB Formula 4 race, Saran Vikram took the top honours while Ashwin Sundar won the drivers` title with 186 points. Sarosh Hataria (175) was second in the championship while Saran Vikram (146) was third overall. Coimbatore`s N Leelakrishnan repeated his performance by winning the 6-lap race of the Indian Touring Cars category. B Balavijay and Sunny Siddhu followed him. In the Indian Junior Touring Cars race, young Fahad Kutty stood out and stole the show with a superlative performance. Chennai`s Feroze Khan and Coimbatore`s S Sreeram finished second and third respectively. Saran Vikram, who finished third in yesterday`s race, won the final race of the LGB Formula 4 category today with a total time of 16:19.153. Dark Don racing`s Sarosh Hataria finished second (16:19.800) after starting fourth on the grid followed by guest driver for the category Diljith TS. "It is the first time that the National Racing Championship is being held at the Buddh International Circuit and the experience has been exhilarating. While the two podium finishes are satisfactory, I am very glad to have finished in the top three in the championship," Vikram said. In the popular Indian Touring Cars championship, veteran driver N Leelakrishnan (14:51.489) continue his winning streak as he notched up his second successive win in Round 6 but finished second overall in the championship after losing the title by just one point to Arjun Balu (168). "I have had a great weekend and that I got a twin podium makes it even more special. Though winning the championship would have been great the margin of one point shows how closely the series was contested," Leelakrishnan said. Chennai-based B Balavijay (14:52.670) finished second, 1.181 secs behind trailed by Sunny Siddhu. In the season ending race of the Indian Junior Touring Cars championship - the races of which have thrown up a few very promising names for the future - saw Mumbai`s Fahad Kutty (16:36.084) taking the chequered flag. Championship winner and Chennai lad S Feroze Khan (16:37.254) was 1.17 seconds behind while S Sreeram finished third (16:46.745). "I had a good race yesterday and yet Fahad pipped me to the chequered flag, so I was determined to do well on Sunday. The race today capped off what has been a wonderful season for me and for the team. Personally, I have grown as a driver and am thrilled to have won the title," Khan said. Championship point standings: JK Tyre VW Polo R Cup: Ameya Walavalkar - 440; Sandeep Kumar - 342; Rahil Noorani - 221 LGB Formula 4: Ashwin Sundar - 186; Sarosh Hataria - 175; Saran Vikram - 146 Indian Touring Cars: Arjun Balu - 168; N Leelakrishnan - 167; B Balavijay - 123 Indian Junior Touring Car: Feroze Khan - 197; Fahad Kutty - 187; Diljith - 172. PTI