Rahil Pillarisetty Storms to Pole in Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open as Round 3 of Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship Begins at MIC

Chennai, September 6, 2025: Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty, in sensational form this season astride a Yamaha R3, dominated qualifying to grab pole position in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open class as the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2025 got underway at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) on Friday.

The 27-year-old ace rider, representing RACR Castrol Power1, clocked a blistering 01:47.975 to lead a front-row lockout for his team. His teammate, Anish Damodar Shetty from Bengaluru, returning to competitive racing after a three-year break, surprised the paddock by qualifying second with 01:48.546. Defending champion Sarthak Chavan, the 18-year-old star from Pune riding for Petronas TVS Racing, lined up third with 01:48.728, less than a second covering the top three.

Veteran and multiple National champion Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1), instrumental in preparing the Yamaha R3 machines, qualified just behind the lead trio, proving that at 45 years old, he remains a strong contender.

Strong Performances Across Categories

The day also saw thrilling battles across other National Championship categories:

• Stock 165cc (Novice): Hyderabad’s Rajender Beedani (MAI Racing) continued his strong season, taking pole with 02:08.217.
• Stock 301-400cc (Novice): Tiruvallur’s Mohamed Mikhail (Mad Rabbit Racing) set the pace at 01:59.017.
• Super Stock 200cc Intermediate: Chennai’s Kamal Navas (Rockers Racing) grabbed top spot with 02:05.476.

In the Petronas TVS One-Make Championship, local stars dominated:

• Expert (Apache RR 310): Chennai trio Manoj Yesuadiyan, Mohan Babu P, and Kaushik Subbiah Ganesanfilled the front row.
• Women (Apache RTR 200): Chennai’s Jagathishree Kumaresan stormed to pole ahead of compatriot Elakiya Ravi.

The Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (Honda CB300F) saw championship leader Solomon R (Chennai) continue his fine run with pole, ahead of Jammu’s Raivat Dhar and Chennai’s Ann Jennifer, a former National girls champion.

Key Qualifying Results (Best Laps)

• Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open: 1. Rahil Pillarisetty (01:47.975); 2. Anish Shetty (01:48.546); 3. Sarthak Chavan (01:48.728).
• Super Stock 200cc Intermediate: 1. Kamal Navas (02:05.476); 2. Mohamed Samrul Zubair (02:05.910); 3. Vyshak Shoban (02:05.948).
• Stock 301-400cc (Novice): 1. Mohamed Mikhail (01:59.017); 2. Jagadeesh Nagaraj (01:59.251); 3. Kamal Navas (02:01.015).
• Stock 165cc (Novice): 1. Rajender Beedani (02:08.217); 2. CS Kedarnadh (02:08.349); 3. Amit Prasad (02:09.868).
• Petronas TVS One-Make (Expert, Apache RR 310): 1. Manoj Yesuadiyan (01:55.669).
• Petronas TVS One-Make (Women, Apache RTR 200): 1. Jagathishree Kumaresan (02:11.988).
• Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (Honda CB300F): 1. Solomon R (02:05.931).

With less than a second splitting the front row in the premier class, fans at MIC can expect high-octane action and close battles when racing resumes on Saturday.