Suzuki Gixxer Cup Season 2 Kick-Started At Kari Motor Speedway
Published On Jun 28, 2016 12:00 AM By Naveen Soni for Suzuki Gixxer SF (2015-2018)
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With 3 qualifying sessions, 2 batches for 'Novice' and 1 batch for 'Open', Suzuki Gixxer Cup Season 2 was kick-started at the Kari Motor Speedway.
Created as a supporting race for the 2016 Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championships (INMRC), Suzuki Gixxer Cup Season 2 was kick-started with the qualifying sessions being held on Saturday. Organised at the Kari Motor Speedway, the session witnessed the selection of 20 riders in the Novice category (from two batches of riders) and 23 riders in the Open category (from a single batch).
Collaborating with the Red Bull Road to Rookies Cup, Suzuki took the Gixxer Cup one step further this year. Now, it has become a real launch pad for young riders in the 13 to 17 years age group, who get access to the Rookies Cup in Spain and then on to Moto 3, Moto 2 and eventually MotoGP. Along with this, the Gixxer Cup has garnered much popularity, resulting in an overwhelming participation even from the neighbouring countries. Novice had a total of 39 entries and Open had 24, with many eagerly on the wait list.
Round 1 of the cup concluded on Sunday with three races. The two groups of Novice riders competed for first three positions and then for the fourth as well. After a close fight, 13-year-old international participant Aaron Gunawardena clinched the first position, followed by Joseph P. Mathew and Amarnath Rajan at the second and the third positions, respectively.
The Gixxer Cup Open race saw a restart owing to a crash due to a tight grid. Securing third position in the Open category last year, Meka Viduraj crashed out in the midst of an intense battle with B. Rajnikanth, allowing him a well-earned win. The second and the third places were secured by Vivek Mani and Prabhu V., respectively.
The average performance of the race-spec Gixxer SFs was around two seconds faster per lap compared to last year, and the bikes are also upgraded, with rear-disc brakes providing better braking control. Around 200 Gixxer customers witnessed Round 1 along with the Team Suzuki pits and the race bikes.
Round 2 has been scheduled to be held at the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai on the 8–10 July weekend. It will also feature the Road to Rookies Cup riders run alongside the Novice riders on the same grid.