Sanam Sekhon emerged as the first-ever champion of the JK Tyre Drift Challenge, showcasing his drifting prowess with a Lexus GS 300. The event, hosted by JK Tyres, marked India’s first official drifting competition, where Sekhon dominated two out of three categories. Seasoned drifter Mudit Grover also made a strong showing, securing a podium finish in all three categories.
Sekhon’s performance with his specially prepared Lexus GS 300 earned him victory in the D1 category with a score of 744 points. His closest competitor, Jugraj Singh Bhurjee, driving a BMW M3, could only manage a score of 476. Mudit Grover, in his BMW E46, secured third place with 286 points.
In the D2 category, Sekhon continued his winning streak with 460 points. Mudit Grover (262 points) and Mugdha Grover, driving a Mercedes C200 K (156 points), completed the podium. However, in the open category, Mudit Grover emerged victorious with 700 points, outscoring Sekhon’s 636 points. Samyak Kapoor finished a distant third with 281 points.
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An expert panel of international judges, including Taniguchi Atsushi from Japan, Tanakorn Lertyaovarit from Thailand, and India’s Alistair Woodham awarded points to drivers based on various criteria, including line, angle, style, and speed.
The three categories in the competition, D1, D2, and Open, were distinguished by the width of the tires used. Cars in the D1 category used tyres ranging from 215-255 mm wide, while the D2 category had a maximum permitted tyre width of 205 mm. The Open category allowed all competitors, regardless of their tyre width.
Aside from the Drift Challenge, the Buddh International Circuit also hosted the JK Tyre Formula Imperial and Indian Karting Races. In the Formula Imperial category, Team Screwdrivers from the Dhole Patil College of Engineering in Maharashtra clinched the championship. The runner-up spot went to Team Accelerons from the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra.
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In the Indian Karting Race, Team Luftwaffe Racing from the Rajarambapu Institute of Technology in Maharashtra secured the championship in the EV class, while Team Niyudrath Karting from the MIT Academy of Engineering in Pune emerged as champions in the CV class.
