[JayPrashanth]

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The inaugural edition of the Etios Motor Racing Championship will get underway later this month as Japanese car giant Toyota is all set to usher in the first race of the Etios Trophy on the 27th of July, 2013. The first round of the Etios Racing Trophy will be held at the Madras Motorsports Club (MMSC) on the 27th and 28th of July, on the Sriperumbudur track, off Chennai.



The first round will have four races, which will play host to 25 drivers, all aged between 16-24, who will compete with each other for top honours. Each race's winner will be awarded a trophy and a cash prize. The second leg of the championship will be held at the Buddh International Circuit, in September. The top three racers picked from the 8 race series, spread across two legs, will qualify for the Toyota VIOS Cup at Thailand.

The Etios Motor Racing Trophy serves as a feeder program to the VIOS Cup. This one-make championship is organized by Toyota Racing Development, the tuning and motorsport wing of the Japanese car giant. Toyota spawned the Etios Racing Championship last year, during which driver selection took place through a nationwide hunt for promising motorsport talent. Exhibition races were held last year to promote the Etios Motor Racing Trophy at three locations: Chennai, Gurgaon and Colombo.

Toyota announced the Etios Motor Racing Trophy at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo, where it showcased the race-spec Etios sedan. The race-spec cars are essentially stripped out production versions of the Etios sedan, albeit with changes to the intake, exhaust and suspension systems. The race-spec Etios is stripped out and fitted with a roll cage developed by Red Rooster Racing, and a racing seat with multi point harnesses.



Powered by the production Etios's 1.5 liter petrol engine, the race cars are said to be noticeably peppier than the stock versions due to the heavy weight reduction. The engine of the race-spec Etios breathes through a BMC DIA air filter and a TRD exhaust system. The car rides on 15 inch Enkei wheels shod with 205 section MRF racing slicks. Suspension coilovers from TIEN and upgraded brakes are the other changes to the race-spec Etios.

The car is outfitted with a Toora steering wheel, a fire extinguisher, and an AiM Mychron data logger for analyzing lap times and other specific information. On the outside, a new paint job and body kit are the changes that distinguish the race version of the Etios from the car's regular production siblings. Apart from Toyota's Etios Motor Racing Trophy, German car maker Volkswagen also runs a one-make racing series in India, known as the Polo Cup.

[muditgrover]

Amazing! Another step of taking Indian Motorsports to the new levels. First the Polo Cup and now this. Will be attending their BIC events