Date:01/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/01/stories/2004080107531600.htm

Sport - Racing : Motor

Narain Karthikeyan sets the track ablaze

COIMBATORE, JULY 31. It was Indian speedster Narain Karthikeyan, Mohammed Nabil of Malaysia and Michele Marie Bumgarner of Philippines set the track ablaze in the qualifying heats for the pole in the JK Tyre-KMS National Asian Zone kart open at the Kari Motor Speedway at Chettipalayam near Coimbatore on Saturday.

Narain, despite a not-so-fast run, finished way ahead of the pack in the Rotax Max event for seniors. The Coimbatorean clocked the best lap time of 39.449s on lap eight of the 15-lap event.

Nabil looked comfortable in the Formula Cadet (W85) heats and so was Michele. The Filipino, who leads the championship table with 72 points at the end of the two legs, breezed her way past her opponents with ease in the Formula 100 Open.

Gianmatteo Vittoro Guidicelli and Marcel Thenu (both from Philippines) topped the qualifying charts in the ICA junior and Rotax Max veteran events.