Hemanth Muddappa Crowned 2025 National Champion in Indian Drag Racing

Historic Victory for Hemanth Muddappa

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) - In a significant ruling for Indian motorsport, Hemanth Muddappa from Bengaluru, representing Mantra Racing, has been officially recognized as the 2025 National Champion in the prestigious Unrestricted class. This decision comes after the Indian Motor Sports Appeals Court (IMSAC) reinstated his title, which he secured during the final round of the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship held at the Madras International Circuit last December.

This ruling not only reaffirms Muddappa's triumph in the championship-deciding event but also marks a historic achievement as he claims his 18th National title, making him the most celebrated two-wheeler National champion in the history of Indian motorsport. This victory is a testament to the successful partnership between Muddappa and his long-time tuner, Sharan Pratap, who together have amassed 18 National titles since 2017.

As a rider for Mantra Racing, Muddappa entered the 2025 season eager to enhance his already illustrious career. He kicked off the season with a confidence-boosting win at The Valley Run earlier this year, where he impressed by outperforming 13-time world champion Ricky Gadson from the USA with the fastest run of the event on his BMW S1000RR, solidifying his status as India's top drag racing talent.

The controversy arose from an alleged jump start during the final run of the Unrestricted category. Muddappa contested this claim, asserting that there was no movement of his motorcycle when the start light sequence turned red. Initially, after reviewing the footage, the Clerk of the Course and the stewards allowed him a rerun, which he won. However, hours later, this decision was overturned, resulting in his disqualification and handing the championship to rival Hanuman Pawshe.

In an extensive eight-page ruling, IMSAC determined that the allegations of a false start were unfounded, citing a lack of material or visual evidence showing any movement of the motorcycle. The appellate body also noted that the stewards' reversal of their earlier decision lacked any significant new evidence and breached procedural safeguards and principles of natural justice.

With this verdict, Muddappa has achieved a Triple Crown in the 2025 National Championship, having also secured titles in the Super Sport 851-1050cc and Super Sport 1051-1650cc categories, showcasing his relentless dominance and consistency, even racing through injuries in 2024.

In response to the ruling, Muddappa expressed, “It took longer than expected, but what’s rightfully yours will always find its way back. I won it on track, fair and square, when it mattered the most. Justice has now prevailed, and I thank IMSAC for standing by what is right.”

Here’s a summary of Hemanth Muddappa’s 18 National titles:

* Unrestricted Super Sport class: Six titles in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025;

* Super Sport 1051cc and above: Seven titles in 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

* Super Sport 851 to 1050cc class: Five titles in 2018, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025.