On October 27-28, 2018, the runway of the Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited (TAAL) aerodrome near Hosur played host to the fastest and most outlandish machines from around the country. From superbikes like the Kawasaki Ninja H2 to supercars like the Porsche 911 Turbo S, all were in attendance for the fourth edition of the Vroom drag meet. The Hosur aerodrome boasts of a 2.25km-long runway – perfect for drag racing. Competitors were given two runs to complete the quarter-mile (402m) drag race down the airstrip, from which the quickest time was considered.
Day 1 of the competition saw a plethora of two-stroke bikes take to the tarmac. The clouds of smoke pouring from the exhausts induced nostalgia among many. The fastest two-stroke rider of the day was Kaleem Pasha with a time of 13.155sec, narrowly beating Attaulla Baig and Mujahid Pasha, who finished 2nd and 3rd in the category with times of 13.168sec and 13.253sec, respectively. The four-stroke categories also showcased some stiff competition, with Iqbal Shaikh emerging victorious, completing the quarter mile in 13.653sec. Deepak S finished in 2nd position with a time of 13.662sec as Attaulla Baig bagged another podium with a time of 13.888sec.
The second day of the Vroom drag meet was met with a thicker air of excitement around the event as the superbikes and cars got ready to take the runway. The line-up for the day included jaw-dropping superbikes like the BMW S1000RR and Ducati Panigale 959 to souped-up everyday cars like Honda Citys, VW Polos and Maruti Zens all taking part. In the unrestricted two wheelers class, Hemanth Mudappa took the overall victory with a blistering time of 10.664 seconds with Hafizulla Khan finishing a close second with a time of 10.841 seconds. Zahir Shah had the third fastest time for superbikes with a 10.895 second run.
Out of the multiple sub-classes in the four-wheeler category, Yajur Miglani posted the quickest time of 12.613 seconds narrowly beating M Ashwanth Pothy’s time of 12.753 seconds. The third fastest four-wheeler was driven by Jeevan Chengappa who completed the quarter mile in 12.771 seconds.
Also as a treat for the hundreds of spectators at the event, Vroom had invited some very special cars to be a part of the drag carnival. There were multiple Nissan GT-Rs and Audi R8s in attendance flanking the pièce de résistance – a Techart 911 GT Street R. The GT Street R is a Porsche 911 Turbo S which was tuned by Techart to put out video game numbers of 720hp and 920Nm of torque – enough to propel this monster from 0-100kph in under 2.5sec. Had the Turbo S actually entered the competition, it might just have walked away with the big prizes.
The fourth edition of the Vroom drag meet saw thrilling competition from experienced drag racers and novices, alike. Racing fans will be happy to know that the next edition of the Vroom drag meet is set for April 2019 at the same location. Stay tuned for further details.