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 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 2,051cc to 2,550cc 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 1min 57.637secs. He also won the SUV open class with a time of 1min 57.576secs, which was also the fastest timing recorded at the event overall. With a time of 1min 59.779secs, he bagged the second position in the 3,061cc and above category as well.
Aashi Hanspal won the ladies' open class with a time of 2mins 12.548secs in a Honda CR-V. She also won the 1,451cc to 1,650cc class in a modified VW Polo, clocking 2mins 04.253secs. Also, with a timing of 2mins 18.021secs, she secured third place in the SUV open class.
SpeedVerse Tarmac Autocross V2.0 Classwise results
Open 4WD/AWD
1. Veer Sheth - 1min 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
1,451cc to 1650cc
1. Aashi Hanspal - 2.mins 04.253secs
2. Nikhil Kurele - 2mins 08.603secs
3. Jehaan Patell - 2mins 15.865secs
3,061cc 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
2,051cc to 2550cc
1. Pradeep Nair - 1min 58.648secs
2. Sagar C Dangat - 2mins 01.814secs
1,651cc - 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
1,151cc-1,450cc
1. Tejas Gaikwad - 2mins 21.735secs
2. Ojas Patil - 2mins 30.423secs
Up to 1,150cc
1. Munjal Savla - 2mins 03.967secs
Amateur Open
1. Mehul Shah - 2mins 29.596secs
Fastest Team
Shaman Performance
Zubair, one of the organisers of 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 1,451cc to 1,650cc classes, wishes to see more women in the field. "I hope next time I see more girls and women over here," she said, mentioning the lack of awareness as a key issue. "I think even 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.
Uday Singh
Lenny D'sa
Dipan Sur
