How I Participated In TVS National Championship – Young Media Racer Championship

So we are now 2/3 past the national championship for the Young media racer championship. This championship is organized by TVS Motorcycles to identify budding talent. The championship started with Round 1 in Kari Racing Speedway at Coimbatore in the month of June. I participated in a good practice session and a great riding timing according to my riding style which was consistent lap on lap. Really enjoyed the description of the lines shared by Harry Sylvester – a multi-year national champion on all categories of motorcycles.

At the qualifying session as well I was having a consistent time and managed to get the second position on the starting grid on all damp conditions.

Day 2 of round 1 was the race day. Which means we have to start focusing on all the racing lines and the braking points.

The race day started with the RR310 cup and then followed by the Supersport race. These bikes are so loud and prepped up for hyper performance, that you have to put earplugs around the straights as they can deafen you.

On race day when I was at the starting grid, I was also focusing on how to have a good racing start and not to pop a wheelie when launching from the starting grid. The lights turned Red and then eventually you have to launch the motorcycle when the grid lights turn off. So I started the race. In the first few seconds, I was absorbed by all of the guys who started behind me. Maybe I have become fat and put on some weight or maybe I was not shifting gears properly.

However, by the end of the second lap, I had moved ahead of the crowd and reached the front. The ride at the front is very lonely and needs lots of concentration. The pain area for me at the Kari motor speedway is the second last long hairpin turn where I always fail to get the drive. That section lap by lap led me to reach a noncomprehending position. I was leading the pack for almost 4 laps of the total 8 laps race. but with the low confidence in the last section I was dropping lap times and as a result, Gavin and Stephen caught up to my tail.

This is when I remembered somebody saying, ‘you don’t look back while you are pacing ahead.’ And I did the dreadful sin, looked back! When I looked back, I saw the guys behind me and eventually got under pressure.

This led to an overshot turn and that’s when these two young gentlemen overtook in the last lap. I tried coming back but only 2 turns were remaining and the damage was done. What I gained was the third position however the loss of effort was much more. All in all a well deserved podium though.

Let me know how you feel about this participation? I will share with you the riding experience at the round 2 which was held at Madras motor race track.