Age seems to be just a number for 41-year-old Chennai racer Rajini Krishnan, who had heads swerving at the Pro-Stock 301-400cc category of the National Motor Racing Championship at MMRT track at Sriperumbudur. Picking up 50 valuable points, the ace international racer finished second behind Thailand’s Vorapong Malahuan (TVS Racing), but with the foreigner ineligible for any points, Rajini picked up 25. He followed it up with a fine win in Race-2 on wearing tyres, while Malahuan, who had a jump-start, faded out of contention.
All on his own
After four rounds, Rajini had a tally of 168 points, ahead of Bengalurean Anish Damodara Shetty of Race Concepts who finished third, and second in the double-header. With one more round left in the championship and a maximum of 50 points up for grabs, Rajini had one hand on the trophy with a 47-point lead. “After a long time, I am riding again in India. My team and I gave our 100 per cent. We have one more round to go. I am proud to ride under my company RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate. Looking forward to my 10 national championships,” he says.
Rajini, who has helped several racing enthusiasts achieve their dreams, blazed his own trail, in his initial years, without any support from any original bike manufacturer or brand. Knowing well that experience is the best teacher, he tided over challenging times. “We are using Yamaha R3 for the championship but not supported by Yamaha (manufacturer). We purchased the bike on our own. There are a lot of challenges in motorsport. But there is nothing we can lose if we have determination, hard work and this is what keeps me going. Racing makes me feel content,” shares Rajini.
Training racers
Motor sports is popular among the youth, and most bike-riding teenagers wish to be in the field. But a lot has to be done on the infrastructure front, coaching, training and fitness, he points out. “To practise frequently, we have to spend a lot. We have to hire a track which is an expensive affair. So, only in the race week, we get to practise for two days. In our country, support for motor sports is to the bare minimum. Nevertheless, one should not get bogged down but explore the options,” he explains.
Having been in the circuit for more than 20 years, it is Rajini’s affable disposition that makes him sought after by up and coming bikers. “My team RACR (Rajini Academy Of Competitive Racing) helped aspiring motor sports enthusiasts. I wanted to share my experience with them, so, I doubled up as an instructor. Since 2015, I have taught around 3,000 bike aficionados from all over the country. Ullas from Bengaluru is doing a good job and has shown great improvement. He has won several races. Now, in our radar, there are two more riders — Maanvith and Tony; they started from our academy and are in the national championship. They are doing well. Personally, my best performance so far has been the time when I bagged the Qatar and Malaysia championship. My aim is to race in the western circuits,” he signs off.