CHENNAI: Local rider, Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate) regained the title in the Girls category with one race to spare as the fourth round of the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 concluded at the MMRT.

Pune teenager Sarthak Chavan chalked up a fine double in the NSF 250 category of the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup, defeating championship leader Kavin Quintal in both races.

Ryhana, 24, who sat out the 2020 season owing to injuries after winning the championship in 2019, staged a remarkable recovery to catch up with the early leader and defending champion Ann Jennifer before making a decisive pass on the last lap for a well deserved d fourth consecutive victory.

It took Ryhana’s tally to 100, way ahead of second-placed Mumbai’s Jagruti Kiran Penkar (Sparks Racing, 57 points) with just one more race remaining and which is scheduled to be run in the concluding round in February

Veteran Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate) took decisive steps towards winning the championship in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category by picking up 50 valuable points last evening.

Rajini Krishnan (No.67) leading the pack en route to victory in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open category

The 41-year old international finished second behind Thailand’s Vorapong Malahuan (TVS Racing), but with the foreigner ineligible for any points, Rajini picked up 25. He followed it up with a fine win in Race-2 on wearing tyres while Malahuan, who had a jump-start, faded out of contention.

After four rounds, Rajini has a tally of 168 points, ahead of Bengalurean Anish Damodara Shetty of Race Concepts (121) who finished third and second in the double-header.

With one more round left in the championship and a maximum of 50 points up for grabs, Rajini has one had on the trophy with a 47-point lead

29-year old Prabhu Arunagiri from Chennai scripted a maiden win for Pacer Yamaha, a team returning to the National Championship after a 12-year break, in Race-2 of the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category, holding off a quality field.

Prabhu Arunagiri (No.5), winner of Race-2 in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category

The race was red-flagged and reduced to five laps from eight following a lap-1 incident, but it did not stop Prabhu from winning with leader Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing) crashing in the penultimate lap.

Prabhu, who has been in and out of racing in the past few years, finished fourth in Race-1 that was won by Deepak Ravikumar who delivered a 1-2 finish for TVS Racing ahead of defending champion Jagan Kumar while Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) came in third. The two podium finishes saw Jagan moving to 159 points in the championship standings followed by Ravikumar (118) and Sethu (116).

The day began with local collegian Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports) winning Novice (Stock 165cc) race as he fought his way through the field after losing position early in the six-lapper which he started from pole position. The win, his fourth of the season, drew Sundar level with leader Anfal Akdhar (Rockstar Racing) from Thrissur, both on 128 points

Alwin Sundar (centre), winner of the Novice race flanked by second-placed Sarvesh Balappa (left) & third-placed Anfal Akdhar

(Harpal Singh Bedi)