hetimehadcomeonceagainforusmediaprofessionalstoslip
onthemracingsuits,boots,helmets,andglovesandfightit outontheracetrack.themost
excitingtimeforallofusandwewerewellprepared.or werewe?
onceagain,wewereflownintochennaia nightpriortoourpracticeandqualificationday.
themindracedthroughallthatneededtobedoneandonceagainthenerveswerehereand
there.aquickdinnerwiththeusualbanterandthenweallhitthebedforsomeshut-eye.aftera long
nightstrugglingwithcalmingthethoughts,myeyesfinallyshutanda nicedeepslumbersetin.about five
minuteslater,justasa dreamwasbeginningtostartits
gloriousstory,thealarmrangoutandthatwasthat.aquick
shower,a checkandpackingofalltheridinggear,isetoff
forsomebreakfast.as ourshuttlesloadedupourkitbags,
weallhadourmindsontheday’ssessions.soonwewereall
packedupandheadingonourwaytothemadrasmotor
racetrack(mmrt).
Wehadalldoneourqualifyingandtrainingatmmrt, so
we did have a basic idea of thetrackanditslayout.But
considering our slow times seta fewmonthsago,weknew
our work was cut out for usand,tobefair,weyearnedto
better our previous times setinchennai.
Withthepracticesessionnear,wegotintoourridinggear,warmedupour
motorcycleengines,andwaitedfortheofficialstoletusloose.greenflagandoffwe
went,makingacquaintancewithanoldfriendagain.mmrtis a bitdeceivingas
somecornersmaylooka lottighterthanwhattheyactuallyare.aridermaynot
havetobrakeasmuchastheywouldthink,especiallyontheapachertr200swe
wereon.thisis whatispentmyentirepracticesession,testingdifferentlinesthati
hadbeenadvisedonandlearningwhereicoulduselessbrakes.however,afterthe
20-minutepracticesessionmylaptimingshadjusta slightimprovement.alittle
moretimeontrackwouldbeneededforanyrealimprovement.it wouldhavetobe
doneduringour15-minutequalifyingperiod.
thequalifyingperiodsawmemakemyfirstmistakeoftheweekendwhichwas
meridingalone.ididthisduetothememoriesofbeingheldupinKariforthefirst
round, wherei could not set a single clean lap-time. But with three straights atThe Chennai Chase
The Madras Motor Race Track was the setting for the
next round of the TVS Young Media Racer Programme 3.0
wherein the racing and racers all stepped up their game
Story:
Zal Cursetji
Photography:
TVS Racing100 BikeIndia August 2019 http://www.bikeindia.in