Grinding Gears

The final round of the 2018 JK Tyre National Racing Championship was an intense and uplifting life lesson.

- Tuhin Guha

Can a place be both inviting and intimidating? The Buddh International Circuit makes me think that might be possible. I had been there earlier this year for the OVERDRIVE 24 Hour Performance Run when we had the entire place to ourselves. The vastness of the space, the hazy weather and the mammoth task at hand all seemed to make the circuit take on a daunting aura. But cut to November, during the final round of the 2018 JK Tyre National Racing Championship, and the stands were full of spectators, the drivers were pumped and the buzzing atmosphere added to the feeling that the BIC really was the ideal backdrop for some good, spirited racing.

And spirited racing there was aplenty. This is especially true of the top-billed Euro JK 18 Championship. From the third round at the Kari Motor Speedway itself, the racing in this category had been intense. The cars might not be the quickest or most advanced of their kind, but the top contenders all showed immense grit to keep their championship hopes real. After round three, Ashwin Datta had the Euro JK 18 championship lead with 74 points, followed by Karthik Tharani at 68 and Nayan Chatterjee at 66.