 Chennai gets new Motocross track
The Madras Motor Sports Club launched its new motocross track at the MMST Race Track complex at Irrungattukottai near Sriperumbudur on March 27, 2006. The track was inaugurated by Venu Srinivasan, managing director, TVS Motor Co Ltd, who also happens to be a great fan of motocross racing. Chennai can now train riders for Motocross competitions, Venu said shortly after flagging off a trest drive by young riders.
The inauguration was followed by demonstrative motocross races on Indian bikes and imported Group A bikes.
Motocross is perhaps the most spectacular of bike races. The course
comprises jumps, made of soft, natural material, so that the impact on failing is minimal.
Bikes used for this type of racing events are different as they are fitted with suspensions and special tyres to transverse on the jumps and loose soil.
There are two types of motocross. One is conducted on open, natural terrain, using the jumps which are available naturally. The other is super cross where the jumps are man-made in a compact area to offer the best viewing. The MMST track is a super cross track.
Many different types of jumps of different heights have been made on this track, such as the hoop de doops, (a series of small jumps, more like a speed breaker,) double jumps and triple jumps, of 2 to 3 feet height, which are best cleared with one single jump, the table top, the highest of the jumps, about six feet high, which will send all bikes into the air, before landing on the longish space on the other side. Turning at a high speed needs the riders to use berms, a small wall which helps them change direction.
The MMST super cross track, built with the active support of TVS Racing, is an addition to the MMST Race complex at Irrungattukottai, and with this facility, it is hoped, riders from Chennai will soon be more than a challenge to the motocross riders from the other parts of country, Venu Srinivasan said.
Venu said the 200-acre complex of the MMST would be put to good use to promote motor sports racing in the country. With the new track now available in Chennai, it is hoped that Chennai would host one of the six of the national championship.
Anyone could pick up one of the special TVS bikes made available here and train on the track for just Rs 500, Venu said, adding that the latest TVS 125X models had been made available for the track. The power is 33 HP and it is fitted with special suspension and monoshock enabling riders to compete at international levels. Of course, the level of the track and the skill of the riders have to be raised even higher to meet exacting global standards and be competitive at that level, Venu added.
A new set of TVS 250FX would soon be made available, being made specially in Europe in association with Engines Engineering, Venu said, adding that four of these special bkes would be brought in from Europe shortly.
R Rangaraj
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