Ahmedabad to host CEAT Indian SuperCross Racing League at EKA Arena this Sunday

Ahmedabad: The city will for the first time host the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League at EKA Arena in Kankariya on Sunday, February 11. The Gujarat Chief Minister will inaugurate it. The league is accredited by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). According to Veer Patel, Managing Director of Lilleria Group and Co-founder of CEAT ISRL, the racing will start at 7 pm in floodlights in the presence of around 12,000 people. Sports lovers will witness bikes jumping in the air as high as 100 ft multiple times and a lot of other challenging movements by riders from across India, Asia and the world.

There are 6 franchise teams in this league. Each team can take 8 racers. The auction of racers was worth Rs. 6 crore, meaning the biggest auction after Cricket in India. Auction pool had 120 racers. 48 of them were selected across 3 categories through bidding. The selection of riders happened through auction. One of the teams is from Vadodara in Gujarat which is owned by Dhrumil Patel. The other teams are from Mumbai, Kolhapur, Delhi, and other places. Each team shall have 8 riders. There are a total of 48 riders. Performance in three rounds will make one champion team. The prize will be Rs. 41 lakh for the winning team.

Ceat, Toyota, Kawasaki, Red Bull, etc are partners in this sports event. For the first time, a live TV feed will be available through Viocom18 from 7 to 10 pm on Sunday.

Before the start of the game at 7 pm, there shall be an opening ceremony, national anthem, and Gujarati cultural performance from 6 to 7 pm. There shall be also a freestyle motocross show in which racers from Finland and Norway will participate in the races. The event will have commentators from Australia.

To prepare a stadium, a plastic sheet is laid over the surface of a football stadium. Above that there is a 12 mm commercial plywood across the sporting area. Above there, a track is developed using as many as 500 dumpers full of soil. For the making of this track, a specialized team from America is called. They create obstacles and tracks. The process takes around 7 days. After the event, in just 3 days, the stadium is restored to its original condition. The stadium will be handed over in its original condition without any damage. As many as 500 laborers work for six days along with 15 number of machines to create the track.

 

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Patel clarified that this is not some kind of show event but a serious sport for which people prepare and practice for years. He said the children in the age group of 5 to 10 years, jumping 100 ft with their bikes will be an attraction for viewers. They shall come from Thailand.

One lap in this game is about 600 to 800 meters long. There will be 14 domestic and other international players. The ticket price is kept at Rs. 250 per person. The event is helped by the Central and the State sports ministries and the Sports Authority of India. Riders participating in this sport shall be in the 17 to 25 age group. The Asian participants will be from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Among the international riders, one is a 9-time Australian champion, the other is a 4-time French champion. South African, Thai, Swiss, and American champions are also going to participate in this event.

Chennai-based federation it taking care of health and safety norms. An ambulance, fire team, and a medical team from Delhi will be deployed alongside the game venue.

There’s no permanent set up of international level in India for this sport. However one such is planned between Pune and Mumbai. Privately owned tracks are however at various places including one in Vadodara. The riders shall practice on Saturday at EKA Arena, a day before the event.

Bhupendrabhai Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, said, “We are overwhelmed as CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, has chosen Gujarat as one of its key venues, it is a testament to our progressive approach. Gujarat has a rich legacy of producing top sports personalities who have excelled at both the national and international levels, and this league further elevates our state’s reputation in the realm of motorsports. I am excited to see that one of the founders hails from Gujarat and has brought laurels in the past, now spearheading efforts to elevate Gujarat and motorsports on a global level. Gujarat has implemented a dedicated sports policy aimed at nurturing talents in various fields of sports, and initiatives like the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League align perfectly with our vision to promote sportsmanship and excellence.”

Veer Patel, Managing Director of Lilleria Group and Co-Founder of CEAT ISRL, expressed his excitement, stating, “Gujarat has given me the first platform to find my passion and today I am grateful for the support, love, and guidance the state has provided me. The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League is not just about racing; it’s a journey to redefine the very fabric of motorsports in India.”

Veer Patel added, “With Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel as our Chief Guest, we are honored to have his support as we usher in a new era of motorsports excellence. This season features 48 riders competing for the podium, with almost 80% international representation, showcasing the global appeal of CEAT ISRL. This franchise-based Supercross race is a first-of-its-kind, and we aim to turn India into the center stage of the Supercross world.”

The inaugural race of Season One was held at Pune, with over 10,000 spectators cheering the remarkable assembly of both international champions and rising Indian talents spanning four categories: 450cc international riders, 250cc international riders, 250cc India-Asia mix, and the fiercely contested 85cc junior class. DeshGujarat