Veteran Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) scripted a masterclass as he overcame fading light and a drying track afternoon showers to win the only race of the day in the third round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Car Racing Championship at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) here on Saturday.
The eight-lap race for the touring cars witnessed some drama even before it commenced. Pole-sitter and Balu’s team-mate Gurunath Meiyappan, the championship leader in the Indian Touring Cars (ITC) category, retired with a turbo issue on the outlap itself and could not take the start.
Balu, the 48-year-old multiple champion from Coimbatore, who had qualified P3, made a great start and overtook Ritesh Rai, the private entrant from Chennai, by Turn-2 in the opening lap and never looked back. His vast experience was in evidence as he managed past the water puddles around the track with a near-flawless drive. While Rai came in second, Mumbai’s Biren Pitawalla (N1 Racing) completed the podium.
