KOVAI SINGAM WINS ROUND 1 OF MOTORCYCLE ENDURANCE LEAGUE
HEARTBREAK FOR CHENNAI CRACKERS AS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS COST THEM WIN

March 9, 2014: Kovai Singam won the first ever race of the Motorcycle Endurance League (MEL) at the Kari Motor Speedway (KMS) in Coimbatore. Harry Sylvester and Mathana Kumar, riding for Kovai Singam finished the 90 minute endurance race in 67 laps ahead of Delhi Dragonz (Satish Kumar & Padmanabhan) and Hyderabad High Riders (Vivek Pillai & Ramesh Kumar). Chennai Crackers were leading the race comfortably when they suffered a mechanical failure on Lap 55 with less than 15 minutes to go ending their chances of a victory.

This was the first round for the MEL, which is promoted by the Indian Motorcycle League. Pre–season favourites Chennai Crackers qualified on pole with their star rider K Jagan setting the fastest time. Jagan started for the Chennai Crackers and pulled away from the chasing pack setting fastest lap after fastest lap. His team–mate Prakash SK took over from him and continued to lead before handing back to Jagan. Kovai Singam were in second place with Sylvester and and impressive Satish Kumar leading the charge for the Delhi Dragonz. Chennai Crackers pitted with a problem giving Kovai Singam the lead. Kovai Singam crossed the line in first place at the 90–minute mark ahead of Delhi Dragonz and Hyderabad High Riders in third place. The Pune Panthers team of Abhishek and Akash Chandra Mohan finished in 4th position while Chennai Crackers recovered to finish in 5th position.

Winning team Kovai Singam was thrilled to win the first race. Lead rider Harry Sylvester commented, "It was a very interesting race and different to how we normally race. Jagan and Chennai Crackers were too fast for us but due to their problem we got ahead. A big thank you to TVS Racing and the entire Singam team for all the hard work that they put in. Mathana and me both had good stints and I am happy to come out ahead.

In the Enduro 130 class PK Mithun Kumar finished ahead of Sebastian and Rama Krishnan while GA Sunil took the win in the Enduro 160 class. In the support race, the Orange class, G Rajaram won both races ahead of Antony Peter. 

Results

MEL Class (90 minutes):
1. Kovai Singam (Harry Sylvester, Madana Kumar)
2. Delhi Dragonz (Satish Kumar, Padmanaban)
3. Hyderabad High Riders (Vivek Pillai, Ramesh Kumar)

Championship points:
1. Delhi Dragonz 26
2. Kovai Singam 25
3. Hyderabad High Riders 19

Enduro 130 class:
1. P.K. Mithun Kumar
2. Sebastian
3. Rama Krishnan 

Enduro 160 class:
1. G.A. Sunil
2. Akash P. Desai 
3. Naresh Babu 

Orange class (Support race): 
Race 1:
1. G. Rajaram
2. E. Antony Peter
3. C. Dinesh 

Race 2:
1. G. Rajaram
2. E. Antony Peter
3. Naveen Kumar