Khan, Hataria excel at JK Tyre meet

SRIPERUMBUDUR: If Michael Schumacher searches for Sriperumbudur on the map, he might miss it altogether. But an Indian motor racing enthusiast will not have to strain much to remember the small town that became part of the sport’s history in the country in 1989.
Fourteen years back, the small town of Thiruvallur district on the outskirts of Chennai, added it’s name to GK books the world over.
Barely 5 kms from the spot where former premier Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, another blast took place on Sunday. Local lads Ayub Khan and Sarosh Hataria blasted home in the first-leg of the 6th JK Tyre National racing championship. Khan and Hataria won both their rounds (10 and 15 laps each) in the Esteem and FISSME categories to drive home a Maruti Alto and Esteem respectively.
Even before the handsome gathering had settled down into their seats, the elegant Sarika Sehrawat was the cynosure of all eyes. On the 2.5km track overlooking the Hyundai factory, however, the 24-year Delhi gal, the first women racer in the country, couldn’t match the speed of Ayub and J.D. Madan and finished a distant 10th in the Esteem class.
What the Punjabi kudi couldn’t, a Punjabi munda could. Gaurav Gill, who had to give up biking due to an injury four years back, clinched the second spot in the FISSME class in his maiden attempt.
Results: Esteem class: Winner: Ayub Khan; Runners-up: Sivaramakrishna. FISSME class: Winner: Sarosh Hataria; Runners-up: Gaurav Gill.