Chennai
The MRF Indian National Racing Challenge 2W 2026 returns to the Madras International Circuit (MIC) this weekend, with 130 entries set to compete across 18 races in the third round of the championship from October 30 to November 1. Organised by the Madras Motor Sports Club, the event resumes after a six-week break, with the battle for championship points intensifying across categories.
The spotlight will be on a promising group of young riders who have made their presence felt in the opening two rounds, challenging established competitors with aggressive riding and consistent performances. Three teenagers from Petronas Racing lead the charge in the premier Super Sport 301-400cc Open class. Pune’s Sarthak Chavan tops the standings with three victories from four starts, while Chennai’s Rakshith Dave and Bengaluru’s Chiranth Vishwanath occupy the other two positions in the top three. Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty, who rides for RACR, will miss the third round following surgery on his right arm.
Pillarisetty sustained the injury in a crash during the Electric RTE race in Round 2 but had remained a strong contender in the premier category. His replacement will be 16-year-old Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan of Chennai, son of 11-time National champion Rajini Krishnan. Kabilesh will make his debut in the class on a Yamaha R3 prepared by his father. The teenager has already established himself in the Super Stock 301-400cc category, winning three consecutive races across the first two rounds to lead its standings. Women’s racing has also produced a standout performer in Ann Jennifer. The former women’s National champion from Chennai has won all four races in the Super Stock 165cc Intermediate class this season for Motul Sparks Racing, outperforming more experienced male competitors in the mixed-gender field. The Stock 301-400cc and Stock 165cc Novice categories have also delivered close contests, with large grids and multiple race winners emerging from the opening rounds.
NPPA revises prices of 543 anti-cancer medicine brands, new MRPs effective Nov 9
The Pro-Stock 200cc class has followed a similar pattern, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the championship battles heading into the weekend. The Petronas One-Make Championship will feature three categories — Expert on the Apache RR 310, Rookie on the RTR 200 and Women on the RTR 200. The championship identifies riders through nationwide trials before providing selected participants with on-track training. In the Expert category, Hyderabad’s Rajender Beedani and Chennai’s Kamal Navas have secured two victories each. Bengaluru’s 16-year-old Dev Agastya and Vignesh Pothu from Mancherial in Telangana have each won twice in the Rookie class.
Bengaluru’s Poojitha Anil Kumar has emerged as a leading contender in the women’s category, winning both races held so far this season. With championship points at stake and the leading riders looking to strengthen their positions, the third round is expected to produce competitive racing across the grid. Manoj Dalal, Chairman of the Event and Race Director, highlighted the quality of competition and the depth of talent on display. “The Indian National Racing Challenge 2W has proven itself as an event of immense quality. The competition among the riders has been fierce up and down the grid and across all categories. The event is an eyeopener in terms of the plethora of talent that is on parade. We extend a warm welcome to the competitors from across the country and the stakeholders to a weekend of exciting races.”
