Jennifer Dominates Women's Class at Madras International Circuit
Chennai, October 29: The MRF Indian National Racing Challenge 2W 2026 is back at the Madras International Circuit this weekend, bringing 130 entries into the third round of the championship. Across 18 races, the event runs from October 30 to November 1.
Hosted by the Madras Motor Sports Club, the round marks the return of competition after a six-week break. Points are at stake in all categories, and the pressure is building on riders hoping to climb the standings.
A group of young riders has been making headlines since the opening rounds. Their assertive riding and steady results have challenged more experienced competitors, and the third round is expected to test them further.
Among the premier riders, three teenagers from Petronas Racing lead the Premier Super Sport 301-400cc Open Class. Pune's Sarthak Chavan is top of the standings after winning three of four starts. Chennai's Rakshit Dave and Bengaluru's Chirath Vishwanath are third and second, respectively, in the top three.
Hyderabad's Rahil Pillarisetty, who rides for RACR, will miss the third round after undergoing surgery on his right hand. He was hurt in a crash during the electric RTE race in Round 2 but had remained a strong contender in the premier category.
His replacement is 16-year-old Kabilesh Rajni Krishnan of Chennai, the son of 11-time national champion Rajni Krishnan. Kabilesh will make his class debut on a Yamaha R3 that his father built. He has already won three consecutive races in the first two rounds of the Super Stock 301-400cc category and leads that standings table.
The most notable performance in the women's category comes from N Jennifer. The former women's national champion from Chennai has won all four races she has contested this season in the Super Stock 165cc Intermediate Class for Motul Sparks Racing. She has also outperformed more experienced male competitors in mixed-gender fields.
The Stock 301-400cc and Stock 165cc Novice categories have produced tight battles, with large grids and several race winners emerging early. The Pro-Stock 200cc class has shown a similar pattern, making the championship fights of the weekend harder to predict.
The Petronas One-Make Championship features Expert on the Apache RR 310, Rookie on the RTR 200, and Women on the RTR 200. Riders are identified through trials across the country and then given on-track training.
In the Expert category, Hyderabad's Rajendra Beedani and Chennai's Kamal Navas have each won twice. In the Rookie class, Bengaluru's 16-year-old Dev Agastya and Vignesh Pothu of Mancherial, Telangana, have also recorded two wins apiece.
Bengaluru's Pujitha Anil Kumar has established herself as a leading contender in the Women's category, having won both races so far this season.
Manoj Dalal, Event Chairman and Race Director, stressed the calibre of competition and the depth of talent on display.
“The Indian National Racing Challenge 2W has established itself as a very high-quality event. Riders have battled hard from the front to the back of the grid and in every category. The talent on show is truly eye-opening. We warmly welcome competitors and stakeholders from across the country to a weekend of exciting racing.”