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The most-accomplished motorsports athlete in India, Hemanth Muddappa, is itching to add more laurels to his name. After a double in the first round on Saturday, the Bengalurean, nicknamed Lightning R1, for his stunning speed runs, switched up gears to win a triple in the second round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship which concluded at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) in Irungattukottai, near here, on Sunday.
The 12-time National champion, Muddappa of Mantra Racing, is in a rare club of riders who won more than 10 National titles in India. He missed victories by a whisker in two classes yesterday but came back roaring and thrilled the thin crowds with his dare-devilry despite a slow start. He began with a podium in the 4-stroke 551 to 850cc Super Sport class astride a Ninja 6R and had to be content with a third place behind his Hyderabad rivals Mohammed Riyaz and Altaf Khan. However, the resilient Muddappa fought back with well-deserved victories in the remaining three classes. In the 851 to 1050cc Super Sport final run, clocking a blistering 07.915, he triumphed in a convincing manner to leave behind Niranjan R Kumar (08.831), also from Bengaluru, in second. Khaja Awais came third in 08.950. Later, he clinched the 4-stroke 1051 to 1650cc Super Sport class, touching speeds of 219.57kmh, and logged a stunning 07.697 seconds to take his second victory of the day. He beat Bengaluru's Mujahid Pasha (7.962) to a distant second, and another Bengalurean Attaulla Baig came third in 8.052. The defending champion in the Unrestricted Super Sport class clocked 7.739 seconds to make it a grand triple, as he beat compatriot Mujahid Pasha by a comfortable margin. Attaulla Baig took one more podium in third making it an all-Bengaluru affair. "We are back to the old set-up and sub-8 second runs, and I am happy to win three more today. The track conditions also deteriorated but we were ready for it. We as a team are confident and will come back stronger for Round 3," said a delighted Muddappa as per a release by MIC. Provisional Results: Round 1: (all 4-stroke) Unrestricted (Super Sport): 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (07.739); 2. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru, Team Fast Track Racing) (07.809); 2. Attaulla Baig (Bengaluru) (08.155). 1051 to 1650cc (Super Sport): 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (07.697); 2. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru) (07.962); 3. Attaulla Baig (Bengaluru) (08.052). 851 to 1050cc (Super Sport): 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (07.915); 2. Niranjan R Kumar (Bengaluru) (08.831); 3. Khaja Awais Ahmed (Hyderabad) (08.950). 551 to 850cc (Super Sport): 1. Mohammed Riyaz (Hyderabad, Team Fast Track Racing) (08.511); 2. Altaf Khan (Hyderabad, Team Fast Track Racing) (08.546); 3. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) 08.552). (ANI)
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