Venom Motorsportz held its Speedverse Autocross competition for the first time on Tarmac at the Raymond Track in Thane. From a stock Celerio to a modified Accord and Octavia RS, along with two tuned AMGs, the event was a spectacle for car aficionados. The event also featured people of varying ages,The event also featured people of varying ages, with the youngest being 18 year old Veer Sheth, who secured multiple victories, and the oldest being 71 year old Pradeep Nair, who won the 2051cc to 2550cc class.
- Veer recorded the fastest overall time of the event at 1min 57.576sec.
- Aashi Hanspal secured victories in both the Ladies’ Open class and the 1451cc to 1650cc category.
The Speedverse Tarmac Autocross V2.0 offered an opportunity not just for seasoned experts but also for novices to test their driving skills in a safe and controlled environment. As a grassroots event, it prioritised pure driving skills over raw horsepower through a meticulously designed track with sharp hairpins and enticing straights.
Veer Sheth in a stock Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line dominated the Open 4WD/AWD class with a timing of 1mins 57.637sec. He also won the SUV open class with a time of 1mins 57.576sec, which was also the fastest timing recorded at the event overall. With a time of 1min 59.779sec, he bagged the second position in the 3061cc and above category as well.
Aashi Hanspal, won the ladies’ open class with a time of 2mins 12.548sec in a Honda CRV. She also won the 1451cc to 1650cc class in a modified VW Polo with a timing of 2.mins 04.253secs. With a timing of 2 mins 18.021secs, she secured the third place in the SUV open class
Speedverse Tarmac Autocross V2.0 Classwise results
Open 4WD/AWD
1. Veer Sheth – 1mins 57.637secs
2. Aashi Hanspal – 2mins 13.486secs
3. Bhavin -2mins 14.301secs
SUV Open
1. Veer Sheth – 1mins 57.576secs
2. Rahul Velani – 2mins 05.331secs
3. Aashi Hanspal – 2 mins 18.021secs
1451cc to 1650cc
1. Aashi Hanspal – 2.mins 04.253secs
2. Nikhil Kurele – 2mins 08.603secs
3. Jehaan Patell – 2mins 15.865secs
3061cc and above
1. Munjal Savla – 1min 58.732secs
2. Veer Sheth – 1min 59.779secs
3. Niranjan Todkari – 2mins 9.329secs
Ladies Class Open
1. Aashi Hanspal – 2mins 12.548secs
2051cc to 2550cc
1. Pradeep Nair – 1min 58.648sec
2. Sagar C Dangat – 2mins 01.814secs
1651cc – 2050cc
1. Cyril Omello – 2mins 07.378secs
Indian Open
1. Munjal Savla – 1min 59.612secs
2. Pradeep Nair – 2mins 00.679secs
3. Aashi Hanspal – 2mins 08.365secs
1151cc – 1450cc
1. Tejas Gaikwad – 2mins 21.735secs
2. Ojas Patil – 2mins 30.423secs
Up to 1150cc
1. Munjal Savla – 2mins 03.967secs
Amateur Open
1. Mehul Shah – 2mins 29.596secs
Fastest Team
Shaman Performance
Zubair, one of the organisers for the event, emphasised providing a safe opportunity for every racing enthusiast out there. “Why show off on the highway or the expressway? Come and show off on the track,” he said. His future ambitions include gymkhana events for both cars and bikes.
Given that the motorsport scene in India requires awareness and marketing, organiser Naina Toor spoke about the scope of marketing in motorsport. “I realise that there can be a great market to get brands involved, where you can give them more value and build a community of motor racing. It could be challenging, but I think there is a huge opportunity, and that’s what I do as a sports person, as a person who would encourage sports and marketing,” she said.
Aashi Hanspal, the only woman participant and the winner of the ladies’ open and the 1451cc to 1650cc classes, wishes to see more women in the field. “I hope next time I see more girls and women over here,” she said and mentioned the lack of awareness as a key issue. “I think even I myself, I did not know about this sport sometime back. If my dad (Raunaq Hanspal) was not into racing, I may not have even been here,” she stated.
