Go Karting on May 9

PUNE, May 5: Go Karting, known worldwide as the stepping stone to Formula One racing, comes into Pune in a big way with the 1st Track MR...

PUNE, May 5: Go Karting, known worldwide as the stepping stone to Formula One racing, comes into Pune in a big way with the 1st Track MRF Go Karting Racing Championship’, which is slated as the first such championship in the country.

“We are the only Go Karting centre in the country that has come up to the standards of the International federation,” informed Shyam Kothari at a press briefing to announce the event which will be held on May 9.

The race that is divided into five categories — men’s, ladies, children (8 to 15 yrs), inter-collegiate and corporate sector — will go through two qualifying rounds (in progress) and semi-finals before culminating with the finals on Sunday.

The minimum qualifying time for the men’s race is 43 seconds, while for the ladies event it has been kept at 45 seconds. All drivers who qualify within the time frame will go through to the second qualifying round and then to the semi-final, where the seven fastest drivers will be chosen, the rest being eliminated on basis of timing.

The finals will consist of 30 laps in the men’s category, 15 laps for ladies, 20 laps for corporate, 20 laps for inter-collegiate section and seven for children.

In the corporate section, Mercedes Benz, Finolex, Bajaj Auto, Kinetic Honda, Thermax, Kirloskar Oil Engines, TVS Suzuki, Venkeys, BPL, Bajaj Auto, Bajaj Tempo and Poonawalla Group have confirmed their entries.

In the inter-collegiate section, eight colleges — Wadia, Fergusson, BMCC, Symbiosis, MIT, BJ Medical, Poona Engineering, AFMC, DY Patil, Bharti Vidyapeeth and VIT — have been invited to send teams of three drivers each, who will be running an endurance race of 20 laps.

Story continues below this ad

The championship will be further enlivened by a dance performance by Amitab, along with celebrities and dignitaries for the prize distribution ceremony.

The Prizes
Men’s: 1. Taj Goa+2 cases Kingfisher beer+Pantaloon; 2. Holiday Inn dinner+Pantaloon+1 case Kingfisher beer; 3. Pantaloon+1 case Kingfisher.
Ladies: 1. Microwave+Bombay Stores; 2. Holiday Inn+BPL Mobile+Bombay Stores; 3. Holiday Inn+Bombay Store.
Corporate: 1. Taj Chiplun+BPL Mobile+Bombay Store; 2. Taj Nasik+Bombay Store; 3. Bombay Store.
Children’s: 1. 2 cases Coke+Bombay Store+Holiday Inn; 2. 1 case Coke+Bombay Store; 3. 1 case Coke+Bombay Store.
College: 1. BPL Mobile+Pantaloon+Holiday Inn.