Rajini wrooms to glory in Doha

CHENNAI: National bike racing champion K Rajini finished his campaign at the Qatar International Road Racing Championship with another double podium finish in Doha on Saturday.The seventh and final round of the championship saw Rajini, riding a Yamaha R6, secure a third place finish in Race 1 of the Supersport 600cc category. He followed it up with an on-the-edge ride to finish second in Race 2 in a night-race at Losail International Circuit to seal fifth place in the championship. Both the races were won by Doni Tata Pradita of Indonesia riding a Yamaha. Pradita also won the championship with the victories.Rajini would have finished much higher in the title racehad he not missed the opening round of the series. He also crashed during thesecond round races, losing valuable points. But he made it up with two thirdplace finishes in the sixth round races earlier in the month and Saturday's showwas the icing on the cake."I finished second and there was not muchdifference between me and the race winner - Doni Tata," Rajini told ToI fromDoha after his race."I crossed the finish line less than two secondsbehind him and I was pushing for a victory," added the Chennai biker who hadqualified fourth for both the races.Rajini had a steady Race 1 tofinish third but the multiple national champ was not going to return from Dohawith just another podium finish. He wanted victory and from the start of Race 2he pushed for it. Perhaps he pushed too hard in the opening laps, committing amistake that eventually cost him the race."In the opening lap I ranwide at one of the corners. I lost time because of that mistake. After that Ihad a very good race and caught up with the leader but I couldn't overtake him,"explained Rajini.Racing in the night is also something relativelynew for Rajini. But his podium finishes show that he got the hang of it prettyfast. After all he has been racing two wheelers in the national and Asiancircuit for the last ten years. The only thing missing is a chance to prove hisworth at the world stage, lack of sponsorships being his biggest foe, more thanany other rider on track.Rajini will be back in India and will startthe defence of his national crown when the season begins with the opening roundof the FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship in Coimbatore nextweek.