Press Release

26 March 2023

KTM RC CUP, India’s largest racing championship crowns India’s fastest racers

• Navaneeth Kumar; Amarnath Menon; Allwin Xavier won the first KTM RC CUP finale at Chennai’s iconic MMRT
• The winners get to experience KTM ‘Ready to Race’ culture in Austria by watching a live MotoGP race, attending KTM Track Day with Jeremy McWilliams and visiting the prestigious KTM Motohall
  
  

Chennai, March 26^th, 2023 - Purely READY TO RACE, the world’s number one sports motorcycle brand concluded its customer racing program KTM RC CUP at the MMRT, Chennai, today. By far the largest racing championship ever in India, the KTM RC CUP saw the best of racing talent from 8 different cities battle for the top honours in a nail-biting finale.

The KTM Racing Academy

KTM had announced its customer racing program, KTM RC CUP, in Dec 2022 with an intent to democratise racing in India. Over the last 3 months, KTM experts have travelled the length and breadth of India to find and train KTM owners who have a passion for racing through its Racing Academy and shortlist the top 80 racers based on their lap timings. These top 80 racers were then mentored by the ex-MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams & 7-time INMRC championship winning Emmanuel Jebaraj. The top 20 that made it through the demanding qualifiers pushed their limits at the MMRT, Chennai, today.

Triple Treat for the KTM RC CUP winners

The 25-year-old Navaneet Kumar from Pondicherry took the overall win beating Amarnath Menon from Kozhikode and Allwin Xavier and Thrissur who took the 2^nd and 3^rd positions respectively. All 3 winners are up for a triple treat in Austria, the homeland of KTM. They get to experience a Track Day with Jeremy McWilliams; watch a MotoGP race at the Redbull ring in Austria and visit the prestigious KTM Motohall.

The KTM RC 390 - Bred and perfected for the racetrack

Throughout all stages of the KTM RC CUP championship, participating KTM owners raced with the READY TO RACE, company provided KTM RC 390 GP. This machine boasts high-level components like a trellis frame, WP APEX suspension and sophisticated technology like MTC, and cornering ABS. These features, when combined with KTM’s legendary power to weight ratio creates a racer’s dream machine that is capable of incredible confidence inspiring performance on the track.

The media race

India’s top auto media also got to race on the KTM RC 390 at MMRT in a friendly race. Their presence was an added motivation for the top 20 racers who competed in the finale.

Interested readers can view the race here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv8LiBupHVE.

Speaking on the occasion, Jeremy McWilliams, Race Director - KTM RC CUP, said, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this race weekend. The feedback from the racers and their progression in the past 3 days has been truly outstanding. I am particularly pleased to see how the raers have internalised the advice I’ve offered and then delivered on track. Jeba and his team have worked hard to up the standards and got a good base setting for the racers now. The KTM Race Cup is delivering exactly what it set out to do and I am already looking forward to season 2.”

Mr Sumeet Narang, President (Probiking) at Bajaj Auto Ltd: said, “Our journey across India has been extremely fulfilling as we interacted with some of the best racers in the country who also happen to be KTM owners. With the KTM RC CUP, we have provided a platform for over a thousand KTM racers to learn and showcase their racing talent, making this India’s largest racing championship. We are thrilled by the never seen or heard before participation in India by any manufacturer to date for a one-make-championship. The top 3 winners will go on a well-deserved trip to Austria to get a first-hand feel of the KTM ‘Ready to Race’ culture. The KTM RC Cup has exceeded our expectations and KTM fans can expect more such Ready To Race initiatives in the future!”

The RC Cup is a part of KTM Pro-XP’s endeavour to offer KTM owners experiences that makes them pro riders. In the last 70 years of motorsports, KTM has won 334+ world championship titles across all racing formats, like Dakar, MotoGP, Motocross (MX), Supercross (SX), and Enduro.

Images:

RC CUP Winners

Bike Racing

About KTM India

True to its “Ready to Race” philosophy, KTM has an unparalleled legacy in motorsports, with over 334+ world championships since 1953, winning the Dakar Rally for the 19^th time in 2023. Since its entry in 2012, KTM India has grown its presence to more than 450 stores across the country. KTM has built a strong customer base of nearly half a million biking enthusiasts, making India the largest global market for KTM. The partnership of Bajaj Auto Limited and KTM was inked in 2007, with Bajaj Auto Limited now owning a significant stake in KTM AG.

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